265228 Strategic health impact assessment on wind energy developments in Oregon

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 : 8:50 AM - 9:10 AM

Jae Douglas, PhD, MSW , Research & Education Services, Oregon Health Authority Office of Environmental Public Health, Portland, OR
Sujata Joshi , Oregon Health Authority Office of Environmental Public Health, Portland, OR
     
In 2010, the Oregon Public Health Division (OPHD) began a strategic health impact assessment on wind energy facility siting in Oregon. In this presentation on the Oregon Wind Energy HIA (completed in 2011), we will describe our methods for : 1) engaging community members and stakeholders during the HIA process; 2) determining the scope of the HIA; 3) conducting the assessment; 4) reporting the HIA findings and recommendations; and 5) evaluating the HIA process. We will discuss our major findings and recommendations related to health impacts in the five major focus areas examined in this HIA: sound, visual impacts, air pollution, economic effects, and community conflict. We also will discuss the benefits and limitations of a strategic approach to health impact assessment. Finally, OPHD will present on our progress, outcomes and next steps for the reporting phase, and will discuss the results of a process evaluation conducted for the wind energy HIA.

Learning Areas:
Environmental health sciences
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Describe common health questions and concerns related to wind energy facilities Describe Oregon's process for engaging community members and key stakeholders during the Wind Energy HIA Differentiate between strategic and project-level HIAs, and evaluate the benefits and limitations of this approach for a state-level HIA

Keywords: Environmental Health Hazards, Policy/Policy Development

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to be an Author because I am the principal investigator for the HIA program at Oregon Health Authority.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4025.0: Health Impact Assessments: The new hammer in the local public health tool kit