![[logo] US EPA](http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
Envirobytes - An Environmental Newsletter
EnviroBytes, a Summary of Issues and Events for Week Ending May 9, 2008
REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR LAUDS REGION 3 RECYCLEMANIA PROGRAM
The national RecycleMania competition has announced its winners. EPA's mid-Atlantic regional administrator, Donald S. Welsh, lauded the results, remarking that the regional colleges’ enrollment in the competition nearly doubled this past year compared to previous years and that RecycleMania is a good way to encourage colleges to minimize their waste. The competition encourages waste reduction by pitting colleges and universities against each other to collect the most recyclables in 10 weeks. RecyleMania is affiliated with EPA's WasteWise voluntary program to eliminate or reduce costly municipal solid waste. For a list of the regional winners, go to http://www.epa.gov/reg3wcmd/solidwastemania.htm
For information on joining RecycleMania, go to www.epa.gov/wastewise/targeted/colleges/recycmania.htm
For information on Waste Wise, go to www.epa.gov/wastewise/about/overview.htm
EPA SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR ITS ENVIRONMENTAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
EPA's mid-Atlantic regional office is seeking nominations of individuals and groups who are making significant contributions to help public health and the environment in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia or in the District of Columbia. An EPA panel will review all the nominations, and select the winners of its 2008 Environmental Achievement Awards. Individuals and organizations are eligible for environmental achievement awards in three categories: business and industry; non-profit or volunteer organization; and state, local or other federal government agency.
EPA GRANT TO RETROFIT DC SCHOOL BUSES WITH EMISSIONS REDUCING TECHNOLOGIES
EPA Region 3 awarded a $224,540 Clean School Bus program grant to the D.C. Department of the Environment to install pollution control devices to retrofit 22 public school buses transporting nearly 4,000 special needs students throughout the Washington Metropolitan area. The installation of diesel particulate filters in the buses will substantially reduce soot and other emissions and decrease students' exposure to diesel exhaust. In combination with the use of ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel, emissions from the diesel buses will be reduced by 60 to 90 percent. For information on Clean School buses, other National Clean Diesel programs and project funding see http://www.epa.gov/diesel. Check Scholastic's Miss Frizzle in "The Magic School Bus Gets Cleaned Up" at http://www.epa.gov/otaq/schoolbus/msb-book.htm.
SCHUYLKILL ACTION NETWORK AWARDS ORGANIZATIONS FOR PROTECTING CLEAN WATER SOURCES
EPA's water protection division director, Jon Capacasa, represented EPA at the Schuylkill Action Network (SAN) Source Water Protection Awards in celebration of National Drinking Water Week. The SAN (an organization convened by EPA) recognized three schools and the Philadelphia Water Department for developing environmental and educational projects to help protect sources of drinking water in the Schuylkill River Watershed. The schools receiving the awards were: Albright College (Reading Pa.), Kutztown High School (Kutztown, Pa.), and Springside School (Philadelphia, Pa.). For more information on the Schuylkill Action Network, visit: http://www.epa.gov/reg3wapd/san.htm
EPA ASSISTS MONTGOMERY COUNTY (PA) SCHOOLS SAVE ENERGY
EPA staff attended the 2008 Montgomery County Intermediate Unit (MCIU) meeting of business managers and facilities directors in Norristown, Pa. MCIU is a consortium of 22 local school districts providing school related services to county schools. The meeting included discussions on the acquisition of oil and natural gas contracts to heat and power the schools, the sky rocketing price of fuel, and the use of low cost, energy saving methods. EPA staff introduced EPA's energy-efficient voluntary programs including Energy Star Program and the indoor Tools for Schools Program that also specialize in helping school districts.
REGIONAL DIVE TEAM IMPROVES ITS SKILLS TO MONITOR WATER POLLUTION
EPA Region 3's six-member dive team is improving its skills by practicing its scientific, polluted water monitoring diving skills in a controlled environment so that it can successfully carry out its actual environmental studies in murkier, open water. The team must be able to carry out duties such as artificial reef studies along the coast, assess dump sites, locate and identify drums found in an aquatic environment, and study infestations of zebra mussels . The team conducts dives into the Delaware and Chesapeake Bay from the Research Vessel Lear.
MAY IS ASTHMA AWARENESS MONTH
EPA has selected May as asthma awareness month to make the public, asthma sufferers and their caretakers more aware of the programs available to improve the quality of life of sufferers. Poor indoor air quality can aggravate allergies and asthma, and is considered more harmful than outdoor air pollution. Some common indoor asthma triggers include secondhand smoke, dust mites, mold, household pets, cockroaches and other pests, faulty heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. EPA has an asthma outreach Web site at http://www.epa.gov/asthma/programs.html
Take action during Asthma Awareness Month
EPA urges you to take action during Asthma Awareness Month. Join the EPA in its national effort to raise awareness. During Asthma Awareness Month, host activities to educate people in your community about comprehensive asthma management. Download EPA’s Asthma Awareness Month Event Planning Kit featuring new ideas for outreach and awareness activities, tips for working with the media, success stories, and much more. For more information, go to http://www.epa.gov/asthma/awm/index.html
EPA staff attend 3rd National Asthma Forum
EPA regional staff attended the National Asthma Forum (held May 1-2) in Washington, D.C., to discuss and find effective strategies to manage and improve asthma care nationwide. The forum gave EPA representatives and others the opportunity to learn from successful asthma-related health programs, so that these efforts can be replicated into community based programs to improve asthma care throughout the nation. To learn more about the Forum, go to http://www.epaasthmaforum.com/ 
World Asthma Day celebrated in Baltimore; Asthma Resource Guide introduced
The Greater Baltimore Asthma Alliance celebrated Asthma Awareness Month at the W.E.B. DuBois Senior High School for Environmental Science in Baltimore, Md. The occasion was used to introduce Alliance's new Asthma Resource Guide for Baltimore asthma sufferers and the health professionals that serve them. EPA staff helped in the workshops and activities at the school, explained the causes and effects of asthma and EPA Region 3's continued efforts to raise awareness about asthma and indoor air pollution. For more information, go to http://www.epa.gov/asthma/
To subscribe to eBytes send a blank email to:
join-usepar3news@lists.epa.gov
To unsubscribe, send a blank email to:
leave-usepar3news@lists.epa.gov
