September—October 2021 Newsletter

Visits from the EPA Administrator

Administrator Michael Regan recently concluded his inaugural visits to Arizona and California. In northern California, he joined Governor Newsom to view wildfire damage and learn about EPA’s recovery work; he also met with Silicon Valley leaders to discuss technology companies’ work to reduce their carbon footprints. In southern California, he announced funding for building water infrastructure, reaffirmed EPA’s commitment to communities disproportionately affected by pollution, and met with local officials near the border to discuss the transborder wastewater challenge. In Arizona, the Administrator toured an abandoned uranium mine with Navajo Nation leaders and elected officials; he also met with officials about a project to revitalize the Salt and Gila Rivers.

• San Diego Union Tribune: San Diego launching Pure Water, largest infrastructure project in city’s history
• Axios: Exclusive - EPA administrator visits Apple HQ to talk climate, environmental justice
• KNAU: Tribal, Federal Officials Tour Abandoned Uranium Mine Site Near Cameron
• FOX 10: Arizona leaders meet with EPA over plans to revitalize stretches of Salt and Gila Rivers in Valley
• ICYMI: From the Bay Area to the Border, EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan’s Week in California

A Partnership for Environmental Justice in California

EPA has signed a five-year, first-of-its-kind Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with CalEPA to improve environmental compliance and enforcement in communities disproportionately affected by pollution. The MOU creates a framework for the two agencies to expand collaborative activities related to inspections, compliance assistance, communication, community engagement, and training to benefit public health and the environment in overburdened communities.

• Bloomberg Law: EPA and California Agree to Do More on Environmental Enforcement
• EPA, CalEPA launch joint effort to strengthen environmental enforcement in communities overburdened by pollution

Protecting Children’s Health

October is Children’s Health Month. Children are more vulnerable than adults to pollutants and toxic substances such as lead. This is because of differences in body size, behavior and biology that can lead to greater exposure and unique windows of susceptibility during development. EPA works to protect children from environmental exposures by consistently and explicitly considering early life exposures and lifelong health in all human health decisions.

• Protecting Children’s Environmental Health
• National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week
• Western States Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit
• EPA’s Policy on Children’s Health