[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 188 (Wednesday, September 29, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 58160]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-21802]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7821-7]


Notice of Launch of Children's Environmental Health Awards 
Program

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Children's Health Protection at the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency is pleased to announce the First Annual 
Children's Environmental Health Awards. The awards are designed to 
increase awareness, stimulate activity, and recognize efforts that 
protect children from environmental health risks at the local, 
regional, national, and international level.
    Level One Recognition Awards are designed for groups or individuals 
who have demonstrated a level of commitment to protect children from 
environmental risks. Applicants must show that they have initiated 
outreach, education, or intervention activities.
    Level Two Excellence Awards are designed to recognize applicants 
who have demonstrated leadership and a track record in the protection 
of children from environmental health risks. Outreach, education, and 
intervention projects or programs must have been in place for at least 
6 months.
    Applications are due December 15, 2004, and an awards ceremony will 
be held for the winners in Washington, DC, in March 2005

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Carolyn Hubbard, Office of 
Children's Health Protection for more information or copies of the 
application, USEPA, MC 1107A, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20460, (202) 564-2189, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Children may be more susceptible to 
environmental hazards than adults. Their nervous, immune, digestive, 
and other systems are still developing and their ability to metabolize 
or inactivate toxicants may be different than adults. They eat more 
food, drink more fluids, and breathe more air in proportion to their 
weight than adults, and their behavior--such as crawling and placing 
objects in their mouths--may result in greater exposure to 
environmental contaminants.
    Environmental health hazards that may affect children include: (1) 
Air pollutants, both indoor and ambient; (2) toxic chemicals such as 
lead, mercury, arsenic, organochlorines such as polychlorinated 
biphenyls, and dioxins; (3) endocrine disruptors; (4) environmental 
tobacco smoke; (5) ultraviolet radiation; (6) water pollution; (7) 
pesticides; (8) brominated flame retardants; (9) radon; and (10) carbon 
monoxide. Many environmental health problems can be prevented, managed, 
and treated. EPA encourages communities, citizens, and organizations to 
become leaders in protecting our children from environmental health 
hazards.

Award Levels

Level 1--Recognition Award

    Recognition awards are designed for groups or individuals who have 
demonstrated a level of commitment to protect children from 
environmental risks. Applicants must show that they have initiated 
outreach, education, or intervention activities. Winners will receive a 
certificate of recognition signed by the Director of EPA's Office of 
Children's Health Protection and use of the children's environmental 
health awards logo.
    Who Should Apply? Individuals, communities, non-profit 
organizations, schools and universities, and governmental agencies.

Level 2--Excellence Award

    Excellence awards are designed to recognize applicants who have 
demonstrated leadership and a track record in the protection of 
children from environmental health risks. Outreach, education, and 
intervention projects or programs must have been in place for at least 
6 months.
    Applications will be judged based on innovation, effectiveness, 
ability to measure success, and replication potential. Ten to twenty 
award winners will be invited to an awards ceremony in Washington, DC 
in March 2005, where they will receive a plaque. They will also receive 
use of the children's environmental health awards logo, recognition on 
EPA's Web site and in a press release, and photos with a senior EPA 
official.
    Who Should Apply? Individuals, communities, non-profit 
organizations, schools and universities, governmental agencies, and 
businesses.

Award Activity Descriptions

Outreach

    Outreach efforts increase public awareness about children's 
environmental health issues. Projects may include public awareness 
campaigns, public service announcements, and events to highlight the 
importance of protecting children from environmental health risks.

Education

    EPA will recognize projects or programs that teach the public about 
the relationship between their environment and children's health. 
Education efforts may include instruction on how to improve the 
environment in order to protect children's health, prevent or reduce 
exposure to harmful environmental agents, or manage environmentally-
related illness.

Intervention

    Intervention programs are designed to improve the environment, 
prevent or reduce exposure to environmental contaminants, or improve 
the environmental health of children. Programs may include implementing 
policies that protect children from environmental risks, voluntary 
efforts, or taking any other action that directly reduces environmental 
health risks to children.

    Dated: September 22, 2004.
William H. Sanders, III,
Acting Director, Office of Children's Health Protection.
[FR Doc. 04-21802 Filed 9-28-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P