[Federal Register: March 4, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 42)]
[Notices]
[Page 10238-10240]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04mr03-72]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-7457-7]
A National Agenda for the Environment and the Aging: Setting
Priorities for Research and Education To Address Environmental Hazards
That Threaten the Health of Older Persons
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of public listening sessions and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In October 2002 EPA launched an Aging Initiative to study the
effects of environmental health hazards on older persons and examine
the impact that a rapidly aging population will have on the
environment. The Initiative will also identify model programs that will
provide opportunities for older persons to volunteer in their
communities to reduce environmental hazards and protect the environment
for future generations. EPA is seeking public comment through Friday,
May 16, 2003 to assure that the final agenda includes input from the
broadest base of expertise including Federal, State, local and tribal
governments, public and private organizations, professional health,
aging and environmental associations, academia, business and volunteer
organizations, and others including older Americans and their families.
EPA encourages comments from all those interested in addressing
environmental health hazards that affect the health of older persons.
In addition, six public listening sessions will be held this Spring
to gather input for the National Agenda. The meetings are open to the
public. Pre-registration is required due to the limited seating
capacity at each location. When registering to attend or present
comments during the public listening sessions, individuals requiring
special accommodations should note their needs so that appropriate
arrangements can be made. In addition, every effort will be made to
ensure that non-English speaking persons can participate in public
meetings and through written comments.
Public Listening Sessions
Dates:
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Registration deadline*
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1. Thursday, April 3, 2003, 1:30-3:30 March 26.
p.m., Tampa, FL.
2. Tuesday, April 8, 2003, 1:30-3:30 April 1.
p.m., San Antonio, TX.
3. Tuesday, April 15, 2003, 1:30-3:30 April 8.
p.m., Iowa City, IA.
4. Wednesday, April 23, 2003, 2-4 p.m., April 16.
Pittsburgh, PA.
5. Tuesday, April 29, 2003, 1:30-3:30 April 22.
p.m., Los Angeles, CA.
6. Wednesday, May 7, 2003, 1:30-3:30 April 29.
p.m., Baltimore, MD.
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*Pre-registration is required.
ADDRESSES:
1. Tampa Auditorium, University of South Florida College of Public
Health, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, Tampa, Florida
2. San Antonio University Auditorium, University of Texas Health
Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio,
Texas
3. Iowa City Second Floor Ballroom, Iowa Memorial Union, the University
of Iowa, Corner of Jefferson and Madison Streets, Iowa City, Iowa
4. Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Room, First Floor, Pittsburgh Athletic
Association, 4215 Fifth Avenue (Oakland area), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
5. Los Angeles Grand Horizon Room, 3rd Floor, Covel Commons, Sunset
Village on the UCLA campus, Los Angeles, California
6. Baltimore Auditorium, School of Nursing, University of Maryland
Baltimore, 655 West Lombard Street (corner of Lombard and Penn),
Baltimore, Maryland
For additional information, contact Kathy Sykes, EPA's Aging
Initiative Coordinator, at 202-564-2188 or by email:
aging.info@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA's Aging Initiative is working with
various partners on the development of a National Agenda on the
Environment and the Aging
1. Tampa University of South Florida; West Central Florida Area Agency
on Aging
2. San Antonio University of Texas Health Science Center at San
Antonio; Bexar County Area Agency on Aging
3. Iowa City University of Iowa College of Public Health and The Center
on Aging; The Heritage Agency
4. Pittsburgh University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public
Health; Allegheny Area Agency on Aging
5. Los Angeles University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Graduate
School of Public Health, UCLA Center on Aging, City of Los Angeles
Department of Aging; Los Angeles County Area Agency on Aging
6. Baltimore University of Maryland Baltimore School of Medicine and
Center for Research on Aging, University of Maryland Baltimore School
of Nursing
At the beginning of each public listening session an EPA official
will describe the process that will be used to develop the National
Agenda on the Environment and the Aging. Public comments will follow
from pre-registered speakers who wish to contribute to the agenda by
offering brief comments on one or all of the three priority areas
described below. Each presentation will be limited to three minutes and
the written or preferably typed statement of the comments must be
provided in advance. Please fax your statement to (202) 564-2733 no
later than the registration deadline for the session you have selected
(see above for listing of deadlines). There is no page limitation on
written comments.
If time allows, members of the audience will have an opportunity to
provide comments. Pre-registration is required for attendance at each
session and for providing comments due to limited seating and time. To
register to attend or participate, go to http://www.epa.gov/aging and
register to attend or participate, go to http://www.epa.gov/aging and
click on the ``Public Listening Sessions'' side bar and follow
instructions to register to attend or to speak. Deadlines to pre-
register for each session are provided.
National Agenda for the Environment and the Aging
Setting Priorities for Research and Education to Address Environmental
Hazards That Threaten the Health of Older Persons
In October 2002 EPA launched an Aging Initiative to study the
effects of environmental health hazards on older persons and examine
the impact that a rapidly aging population will have on the
environment. The Initiative will also identify model programs that will
provide opportunities for older persons to volunteer in their
communities to reduce environmental hazards and protect the environment
for future generations. EPA is seeking public comment through Friday,
May 16, 2003, to assure that the final agenda includes input from the
broadest base of expertise including Federal, State, local, and tribal
governments, public and private organizations, professional health,
aging and environmental associations, academia, business and volunteer
organizations, and other stakeholders, including older Americans and
their families. EPA encourages comments from all those interested in
contributing to the agenda. The agenda
[[Page 10239]]
will be developed through an open, participatory process. The National
Agenda will be composed of three parts:
(1) Identifying research gaps in environmental health;
(2) Preparing for an aging society; and
(3) Encouraging older adults to volunteer to address environmental
hazards.
I. Identifying Research Gaps in Environmental Health
Strategy To Address Environmental Hazards That Threaten the Health of
Older Persons: Research and Educational Priorities
The National Agenda for the Environment and the Aging will lay out
a strategy that combines research and educational programs that promote
preventive actions to address environmental health hazards. One
fundamental question is: How do environmental hazards affect older
persons differently from younger persons? Understanding the biology
underlying differing age-related responses can inform a scientific
rationale for decisions on how to appropriately incorporate the
differential sensitivity of those who are aging into environmental risk
assessment, decisions and actions.
EPA's effort to develop a national agenda to address environmental
issues that affect the health and well-being of the nation's older
persons has been advanced by a workshop on the ``Differential
Susceptibility and Exposure of Older Persons to Environmental Hazards''
convened by the National Academy of Sciences in December 2002. At that
meeting, experts discussed priority issues for the National Agenda on
the Environment and the Aging. Experts focused on exposures to
environmental hazards found in drinking water, indoor and outdoor air,
and food residues that may have health effects including respiratory
and cardiopulmonary disease, neurotoxicity, infectious disease and
cancer.
EPA invites public comments on environmental hazards that may
affect the health of older persons in states and local communities.
Among questions which may be considered are:
[sbull] What specific environmental exposures in your community
particularly affect the health of older persons?
[sbull] Which health conditions specific to older adults may
increase their susceptibility to chemical toxicants?
[sbull] Which lifestyle factors of older adults may increase the
exposure to environmental hazards?
[sbull] What steps may individuals and communities take to reduce
the potential environmental health risks that older adults may face?
II. Preparing for an Aging Society
Impact of an Aging Population on the Environment
The EPA invites comments on the extent to which an aging population
may affect the environment. The nation's demographics will have changed
dramatically by 2030: the U.S. population over 65 years of age is
expected to double. The largest cohort born in U.S. history (76 million
Americans were born between 1946 and 1964) begins to turn 65 in 2011
and will markedly influence the quality of life for both older persons
and young people. The National Agenda will focus on the interface
between older persons and their environment.
As an increasing number of adults approach retirement age,
migration may substantially increase to areas characterized by
temperate climates, lower population and traffic density, and better
environmental quality. These areas may be sparsely populated and
ecologically diverse regions. To ensure harmony between the needs of
this growing population and preserving important natural resources, it
is important to have the tools available for regional and landscape
planning. The EPA invites comments on the extent to which an aging
population has unique needs with respect to housing, transportation,
health care, recreation, and other quality of life issues, and how
these needs may affect the environment. Issues which may be considered
include:
[sbull] What can city, county and regional planners do to meet the
needs of today's older adults and prepare for the anticipated increase
in the number of retirees and at the same time enhance preservation of
natural resources for recreation, wildlife, water, air and land
quality?
[sbull] Can you identify unique resource needs and utilization
patterns of older adults that may generate novel ecological pressures?
[sbull] What steps can individual baby boomers and older adults
take to not only reduce potential hazards to the environment but also
preserve and enhance the quality of the environment for themselves and
future generations?
III. Encouraging Older Adults to Volunteer to Reduce Environmental
Hazards
Opportunities for Older Persons To Enhance the Environment and Their
Health
The National Agenda will not only identify strategies to protect
the quality of life for older persons from environmental hazards, but
also suggest ways to engage the nation's older persons in programs and
strategies designed to enhance the environment for all generations.
Many older Americans contribute their time, energy and expertise to
protect their environment and educate their communities about
environmental hazards to citizens and threats to natural resources. The
EPA intends to encourage further involvement and expand opportunities
for older persons to volunteer in programs designed to lessen
environmental hazards. Programs or activities that are of interest
include activities that increase awareness of environmental hazards,
and preserve the quality of the environment for today and tomorrow's
citizens. The EPA welcomes comments on encouraging older adults to
volunteer to reduce environmental hazards in their communities. Among
the questions to which the EPA invites comments are the following:
[sbull] Which volunteer programs that address environmental hazards
in your community warrant examination for possible replication in other
communities?
[sbull] What incentives are needed to encourage older persons to
volunteer their time and ideas to protect the environment, reduce
environmental hazards and enhance the health of and the environment for
people of all ages?
[sbull] In an effort to raise awareness of environmental factors
important to all citizens, how can older persons serve as models of
good practice and mentors for younger generations about environmental
hazards found in the community?
[sbull] In your community or state, what intergenerational
environmental projects have been successful in improving the health of
children or older persons?
[sbull] What potential barriers exist to volunteering in your
community to reduce environmental hazards?
Public comments will be accepted until Friday, May 16, 2003.
(1) To pre-register to attend or speak at a public listening
session, please go to EPA's Aging Initiative Web site: http://
www.epa.gov/aging.
www.epa.gov/aging.
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(2) To submit written comments, please send them by mail or hand
deliver to: EPA's Aging Initiative, Mail Code 1107A, 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW., Room 2512 Ariel Rios North, Washington, DC 20460, or
(3) Fax comments to: National Agenda for the Environment and the
Aging (202) 564-2733, or
(4) E-mail comments to: aging.info@epa.gov.
Dated: February 26, 2003.
Joanne Rodman,
Acting Director, Office of Children's Health Protection.
[FR Doc. 03-5031 Filed 3-3-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P