Marybeth Smuts, US EPA - New England, One Congress Street, Suite 1100, Boston, MA 02114, (617) 918-1512, smuts.marybeth@epamail.epa.gov and Madeleine Weil, New Haven City Plan Department, Community Clean Air Initiative, 165 Church Street, New Haven, CT 06510.

Community actions to reduce exposures to hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) are efforts that EPA has been fostering for several years. These actions are designed to produce measurable risk reductions from air emissions. There are over 30 communities, currently funded by EPA’s Air Toxics Program, working to understand and reduce air emissions. Many communities were drawn into developing community action plans due to significant toxic burdens and health impacts, such as increased childhood asthma rates as in the case of New Haven, Ct. The Community Clean Air Initiative (CCAI) in New Haven is a collaborative group, chaired by the City Plan and Health Departments and formed to improve air quality in the city. New Haven, as a major harbor, is dominated by petroleum bulk storage terminals and power stations and slit by two major highways. Its location and industrial base have contributed to high air toxic emissions. The CCAI mixed analysis with actions to reduce air pollution by developing a comprehensive local inventory to prioritize its targeted actions. The CCAI took immediate actions to reduce diesel emissions: by encouraging the city fleet, including 231 school buses, to switch to low sulfur fuel and by seeking funds for their retrofits. The CCAI is working with small businesses to assist with pollution prevention. The Indoor Sources subgroup is actively promoting smoke outside pledges and school improvements. This comprehensive approach is making reductions in indoor and outdoor air toxics.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to

• recognize unequal burdens of air pollution in communities;
• describe health hazards of air toxics;
• identify actions that communities have used to reduce air toxics risks.

Keywords: Environmental Health Hazards, Environmental Justice

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.