Last week I had the pleasure of joining Michelle DePass, Assistant Administrator for International and Tribal Affairs, as she talked to members of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) about EPA’s export promotion strategy.

ACEC’s Annual Convention and Legislative Summit was held from April 21-24 at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, DC. It was designed to provide an opportunity to obtain information about and discuss issues affecting the engineering industry through educational and social programs. Assistant Administrator DePass was joined by the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Manufacturing and Services, Nicole Lamb-Hale, in speaking to ACEC’s International Committee. The Assistant Administrator discussed the progress of EPA export promotion work to date and plans for continued progress.

The export promotion strategy was launched last May by former EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. In accordance with this strategy, EPA is working to help improve the domestic economy by facilitating exports of U.S. environmental technologies. The U.S. environmental technologies sector is globally competitive and important to our economy. In 2010, the industry had an estimated $312 billion in revenue, employed 1.7 million Americans, included 61,000 small businesses, and enjoyed an international trade surplus (Environmental Business International).

ACEC represents America’s engineering industry. Its membership represents more than 500,000 U.S. employees and more than $200 billion of economic activity annually. Environmental consulting and engineering involves analyzing, measuring, and developing strategies to address environmental issues. Engineering helps to translate individual environmental products into effective environmental solutions for clients across the spectrum of industries around the world. ACEC members were particularly interested in addressing what they felt were unfair foreign procurement practices and boosting EPA awareness of technological advancements in environmental technologies.

EPA’s Trade and Economics Program works with the Office of the United States Trade Representative and other federal agencies on issues relating to the nexus between trade and the environment. Through this work, EPA encourages transparency, fairness, and cooperation to promote the trade and environment agenda, and advance environmental stewardship. Assistant Administrator DePass explained that EPA’s export promotion strategy is not designed to endorse any specific company or technology, but provides a mechanism to link EPA analysis to U.S. environmental solutions providers and international markets.

We look forward to working with ACEC to emphasize the role of environmental consulting and engineering in international environmental solutions.

About the author: Marc Lemmond works to implement EPA’s Export Promotion Strategy as a part of the Trade and Economics Program in the Office of International and Tribal Affairs.  He has extensive public and private sector experience with the environmental technologies industry.  Marc holds a Master’s degree in Science, Technology, and Public Policy from the Elliott School of International Affairs at the George Washington University.

In 1983, an accidental chemical release in Bhopal, India, killed thousands of people. There quickly came a heightened awareness of chemicals in our communities for fear of the same accident happening here. At that time, few computer programs were on the market to support chemical emergency professionals. So in 1986, together with my colleagues at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), we developed free software to help local governments prevent, prepare, and respond to chemical emergencies. The software, Computer Aided Management of Emergency Operations (CAMEO), was developed as a hazardous chemicals search tool. It now tracks facilities that store chemicals, provides emergency planning contacts and resources, and contains a chemical reference library.

As fire and police departments, industries, universities, environmental organizations, state, local and federal agencies began to use CAMEO, they gave us feedback on the kinds of features they’d find useful. We developed ALOHA, a planning/predictive tool used to investigate the potential impact of a tank rupture, drum spill, truck rollover, or similar incidents. Its modeling capabilities are also used during post-incident investigations. For example, a chemical release air dispersion model can be created after an incident to help investigators determine whether there were contaminants or dangerous areas during the incident.

CAMEO users kept telling us, “We need maps!” Back in 1988, most mapping programs were on mainframe computers, and none were free. So we developed our own – MARPLOT. You might say it’s a Geographic Information System (GIS) for the common man: a PC-based tool that doesn’t require much training. It’s tightly integrated into the CAMEO suite, so you can see the location of chemical facilities, overlay a chemical plume from ALOHA, and even determine the population within the plume, using the latest Census data. An exciting re-write of MARPLOT is due summer 2013, which will integrate online basemaps (like Google, Bing, MapQuest, OpenStreetMaps). It will operate in any browser, on any platform, and will retain the ability to run without an Internet connection,

It’s been very fulfilling to continue CAMEO’s expansion over the years and to see it being used so often, by so many in the United States and in other countries in chemical emergency planning, preparedness, and response activities.

About the Author: Peter Gattuso has developed multiple information systems since joining EPA in 1975. Currently in the Office of Emergency Management, Peter concentrates on emergency planning and response computer systems and is the lead technical consultant on systems for Risk Management Planning.

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May is not only the month when April flowers bloom, it’s also Asthma Awareness Month.

According to MedlinePlus en español, asthma is a disease that affects your airways. It causes repeated episodes of wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath. It is a condition that could go from being a nuisance to extremely serious. If you don’t suffer from it, you probably know somebody who does.

But, why is asthma a public health concern? There are several reasons. Among them, it’s a chronic disease that can worsen the quality of life for the sufferer. Unfortunately, more and more people are being diagnosed with this condition.

For Latinos, though, asthma is a problem that requires attention because statistics show Hispanics are more vulnerable to it. According to the Office of Minority Health, HHS, we are more likely to visit a hospital because of asthma than non-Hispanics. Asthma is also a big problem for our children. Hispanic children are nearly twice as likely to die from asthma than non-Hispanic children. Asthma is such an important public health issue that the National Library of Medicine published several pages on its bilingual magazine (where you can see the statistics stated before) about this condition.

As a mom of two, these numbers really caught my attention. Is it possible that genetics makes us such a high risk group? There could be other problems besides genes including access (or often, lack thereof) to health information.

But thanks to years of research, there is a growing awareness about detection and management of asthma. According to EPA, it’s important to know what could trigger asthma (allergies, tobacco smoke, pollution, chemicals, upper respiratory infections, etc.) and to avoid these triggers to prevent symptoms from flaring or worsening.

If you have a small child with asthma, it’s important that you learn how to recognize the symptoms and talk to your health care provider. Otherwise, you could experience what happened to me when my son came running to me saying that his chest hurt and he couldn’t breathe. We rushed to the emergency room only to discover that he gulped too many cheese crackers at once.

Be smart: Know the symptoms, know when to get medical attention in case of an attack and, above all, leave cheese crackers out of children’s reach.

About the author: Fedora Cagnoli Braverman is responsible for developing and maintaining MedlinePlus and  MedlinePlus en español, the government web site for consumer health information in Spanish from the National Library of Medicine – NIH.

As we approach the one-year anniversary of the release of The Coordinated Federal Action Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Asthma Disparities, I am excited to be part of this effort to improve the lives of children with asthma

The Action Plan was released on May 31, 2012 by CEQ Chair Nancy Sutley, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and former EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson.  They were joined by other federal representatives and national leaders who helped to unveil the Action Plan to the 100 participants at the event and the 400 participants joining by live broadcast.

The Action Plan outlines strategies to reduce barriers to implementation of guidelines-based asthma care; enhance local capacity to deliver integrated, comprehensive asthma care; improve capacity to identify the children most in need; and accelerate efforts to prevent the onset of asthma.  EPA is leading efforts to equip parents to effectively manage environmental asthma triggers as part of their child’s asthma care.

While the Action Plan is focused on coordinated federal action, this alone is not enough to fully address racial and ethnic disparities in asthma. We are actively engaging non-federal stakeholders to take action at the local community level through interactive webinars, meetings and conferences.

We are creating pathways for community programs and non-governmental organizations to engage with us on this important work.  Headlining this effort is www.AsthmaCommunityNetwork.org–an online peer to peer network that provides access to valuable tools and resources.  This Network, supported by EPA in collaboration with the Merck Childhood Asthma Network and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Allies Against Asthma at the University of Michigan, serves as the communication hub for stakeholders to explore the Action Plan and share the strategies and best practices they are deploying in the field.  Today, the Network has more than 2,000 members representing and supporting nearly 700 asthma programs across the country.

Asthma Awareness Month provides another excellent opportunity to further engage with our stakeholders to promote and adopt best practices and effective strategies for successfully managing asthma.  To learn more, visit www.epa.gov/asthma/childrenstaskforce.

About the author:  Brenda Doroski serves as the Director of the Center for Asthma and Schools in EPA’s Indoor Environments Division.  She leads efforts to improve indoor air quality in homes and schools.  Brenda has twenty-five years experience developing and leading domestic and international environmental health programs with the EPA and the Peace Corps in Latin America.

Mostafa (Safa) Shirazi recently turned 80 years old. However, age has not kept Safa off his bike while working as a environmental research scientist with the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory Western Ecology Division facility in Corvallis, Oregon; Safa has biked to work daily since 1969. He estimates he’s bike commuted 132,000 miles, more than most cars on the road today!

Safa initially had a 6 mile round trip bike to the EPA. For the last 28 years, his commute has been 15 miles round trip by bike. What motivates him? Safa says “Just do it! Don’t think about it. Rain? Fine. Snow? Just walk, or walk your bike.” Safa wants to “live within his means – the nation needs to do that. We consume too much energy.” Just as Safa still chops the wood that heats his house to this day, his bike commuting helps him stay healthy. Asked how he stays safe, Safa says “you learn to be safe on a bike – take your time. Be careful.” He recommends reflective clothing and blinkers; Safa even wears blinker lights strapped to his trousers to encourage greater visibility. While segments of his commute have worried him in the dark and rain, local drivers look out for him since “everybody knows in town that I ride”.

Biking 132,000 miles to his federal job, Safa has saved about 129,360 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions. Last year, Safa was a member of an EPA bike to work team logging miles during a month-long challenge. He logged more miles than his younger, fellow team members – 285 miles over 19 round trips – and achieved a 100% bike commute rate. EPA and other federal riders can still join this May’s Federal Bike-To-Work Challenge to be like Safa – see details here.

About the author, Max Sevareid, NHTSA Region 10 of the USDOT.  In partnership with the EPA Region 10 and local bicycle advocacy groups, Max encourages bicycle commuting and safety among federal agencies through bicycle commute challenges.  Max and his wife, Tiffany, try to incorporate bike commuting into their lives every day.

I have never considered myself very “green.” Sure, I ride a bicycle to work every day. In doing so, I avoid emitting well over a ton of CO2 into the atmosphere per year than I would if I drove to work instead, which is nice. But before I began riding regularly, any concern that I had for the environment was rather vague. I started riding primarily to avoid the nearly $10,000 a year needed to own and operate a car, and to keep myself healthy without having to carve out extra time from my day to exercise.

But as the miles on the bike piled up, I started becoming more aware of the natural environment around me. I noticed it in ways that one cannot from behind the wheel of a car, or from the seat of a bus, or speeding under the city on a subway. On any given day, I might see the deep-amber sunrise of a low-air-quality day, a milky-brown river from storm runoff, or the first cherry blossoms sprouting in springtime. Perhaps an offshore weather system shifted the breeze from its usual northwesterly direction, or the summer humidity sent steam rising off of asphalt.

In my days before the bike, I never would have noticed any of these things. My bike ride to and from work transformed ecology and the environment from an abstract concept into something that I saw, heard, and felt for 40 minutes, twice a day, for every day I went into the office. This remains one of the most surprising, and rewarding, aspects of bike commuting for me.

Whether this coming Bike to Work Day is your first time trying a bike commute, or just the latest of many, I would heartily encourage you to take a few moments on your ride to look around for the things that would otherwise fly by your window. I do on every ride, and it is often the highlight of my workday. Though, saving all that money and avoiding the gym is not bad, either.

Brief bio: Darren Buck is a marketing specialist with the US Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration, and has also published research on bicycle transportation planning topics. He has been using a bicycle to get around the Washington, DC area for nearly 12 years.

By Amy Miller

Did you know that our plants are grown right near here, my local greenhouse guy asks me. No I did not, I say. And?

And, apparently it’s time to get on board with locally grown plants.

I already know it’s good to buy from independent, local shopkeepers. I am well versed in how I should shop with the local grocer who keeps his money in the community bank and buys my son’s blackberries.

I even know it is a high cause to be a locavore, eating strawberries in June from the farm down the street and apples in autumn from trees in a nearby orchard. This saves on gas to transport the food, helps local farmers, protects the environment and nourishes your family with food that has a known provenance.

But I never really considered the origin of my basil, bulbs or bee balm.

This must be a hot new trend, though, because locally evolved, locally grown, and locally distributed plants already have an acronym of their own – LEG’D.  (Anyone know how you pronounce this?) And the benefits are many.

Flowers grown far away, in South America for instance, might be sprayed with chemical preservatives and refrigerated so they can be shipped thousands of miles. But the shipping and the refrigeration use significant energy. And the chemicals to make sure the flowers last also must be manufactured and shipped. Local flowers aren’t likely to need refrigeration or chemicals to get to us fresh.

The flowers from my local greenhouse also fuel the economy of my community. These purchases create jobs and since they involve fewer middlemen, they are either less expensive or at least the profits are staying nearby.

Some people say that LEG’D flowers and plants are naturally fresher. Some groups advocate having all decorative plants be locally evolved, grown and distributed.

Indigenous plants are more likely to tolerate the soil and weather in New England, where lows can range from 0 in Connecticut to -50 in parts of Maine, putting New England in Planting Zones 3 to 6. Native species have also evolved for other location conditions and are less likely to attract new exotic insects or diseases. Finally, native species often need less water or fertilizer.

The down side may be that deer or other animals eat local plants. A farm store can tell you what to do about that. I just had my dog mark the territory around the plants. But just in case, we built a double fence around the vegetables.

About the author: Amy Miller is a writer who works in the public affairs office of EPA New England in Boston. She lives in Maine with her husband, two children, eight chickens, dusky conure, chicken-eating dog and a great community.

Day after day, the Arctic Region is getting warmer, and the environment is changing in clear and measurable ways. Scientists have observed declining sea ice during the summer, thinning Arctic sea ice throughout the year, and a decrease in land ice that supports vital infrastructure. These changes are already attracting additional shipping in and through the Arctic and greater interest in the region’s energy and mineral resources.

Today the White House announced the United States’ new National Strategy for the Arctic Region. In the past four years, we have become increasingly aware of the mounting challenges we face in this region and the responsibility our country has as an Arctic nation. If we want to ensure a secure and sustainable Arctic, the federal government and our partners across the region must align our efforts. The Strategy highlights the importance of continued federal cooperation with the State of Alaska and Alaska Natives, which is particularly important for emergency preparedness and response. It also endorses new and innovative partnerships to address emerging challenges.

EPA already works with its Arctic neighbors to address climate and traditional pollutants, including our recent efforts to address black carbon. We’ve seen how working with international partners – including through the Arctic Council — allows us to combine our resources and knowledge so we can better protect American communities from emissions of mercury and other harmful toxins, as well as from the effects of climate pollutants. As part of the new Arctic Strategy, EPA will continue to monitor and take action as necessary to reduce emissions that impact the region.

Working closely with Alaska Natives is another key component of the Arctic Strategy. Not only are local residents essential sources of information when it comes to the region and its challenges, but they are also important stewards of the Arctic environment.

It’s not only about enhancing our partnerships; science has a major role to play in this effort, too. Since I became deputy administrator of EPA back in 2009, one of my most important goals has been ensuring that EPA makes decisions firmly rooted in the best available science. This principle is a cornerstone of the Arctic Strategy we are unveiling. Given the extreme conditions and vulnerabilities that this region has always presented, improving our scientific understanding of the region will allow the U.S. to design and implement better policies for a rapidly changing Arctic.

We don’t have all of the solutions just yet, but the new National Strategy for the Arctic Region provides a framework to address the region’s challenges as they evolve. The strategy we have developed supports EPA’s ongoing work in the Arctic and helps to prioritize our efforts going forward. I am proud of EPA’s role in developing this important framework, and I look forward to working with our many partners to implement it in the time ahead.

About the author: Bob Perciasepe is acting administrator of the U.S. EPA.

This week is national drinking water week, and the theme is “What do you know about H2O?” Have you ever considered how water travels from its source and ends up in your kitchen sink?

In 2006, I worked as a volunteer in South Africa. One day I drove across the province to visit a game preserve, leaving the city where I spent most of my time. The contrast between the city and the country was always jarring, and this day I drove farther into the countryside than I’d ever been. Gradually towns dissipated and were replaced by clusters of domed huts. Off to one side of the road, I spotted a woman and her daughter carrying buckets of water into their village. It is hard to describe the dissonance that I felt during this recreational outing to look at elephants with a liter of bottled water tucked into my seat. I’d never had to haul water into my home; I just turned on the tap and safe, clean water poured out. UNICEF estimates that many people in developing countries, particularly women and girls, walk six kilometers a day for water.

The Safe Drinking Water Act authorizes the EPA to set drinking water standards, protect drinking water sources, and work with states and water systems to deliver safe drinking water some 300 million Americans. In the U.S., the last century has seen amazing improvements to drinking water quality. Mortality rates have plummeted and life expectancy has climbed as a result of better science and engineering, public investment in drinking water infrastructure, and the establishment of landmark environmental laws like the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act. Some historians claim that clean water technologies are likely the most important public health intervention of the 20th century.

Today, we can celebrate the fact that the vast majority of people living in the United States have access to safe drinking water. Ninety-two percent of Americans receive clean, safe drinking water every day, and EPA is working to make that number even higher by partnering with states to reduce pollution and improve our drinking water systems. However, we should be aware of new challenges to our drinking water systems like climate change, aging infrastructure and nutrient pollution.

For drinking water week this year, stop and think about how far we’ve come by paying attention each time you turn on your tap.

About the author: Katie Henderson is an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Participant in the Drinking Water Protection Division of EPA’s Office of Water. She likes to travel, bake cookies, and promote environmental justice.

As I look back at my relationship with my Mom over the years, I’ve come to the conclusion that I’ve become an environmentalist largely due to the values that she instilled in me as a child. The love of nature, the interest in protecting wildlife, especially birds, the appreciation for flowering plants are some of the things that my mother taught me, not only in words, but through her actions.

As far as I can remember, we always had flowering plants in the garden and indoor house plants as well. For many years, my mother had birdfeeders in our back yard. Given the fact that we lived in Puerto Rico where we enjoy summer-like weather all year round, our home definitely felt like a tropical oasis.

As I’ve mentioned in earlier blog posts, my parents, both my grandmothers, and even great grandmother, were fortunate to have a green thumb. It seemed that anything they planted bloomed easily and flourished. I’ve tried to replicate their gardening skills at home as best as possible. I like to joke that our family’s green thumb seems to have skipped a generation in my case.

Nonetheless, I still try to create a welcoming natural environment around my home and a green environment indoors as well.

So as we get ready to celebrate Mother’s Day,  I would like to thank my Mother for what she has taught me. I hope that I will transmit those teachings to my children so they will also appreciate nature and protect the environment. This Mother’s Day, as we have done during similar celebrations, we’ll probably go to Brookside Gardens. I promise I’ll take pictures.

Do you have any special plans for Mother’s Day? We would love to hear from you.

About the author: Lina Younes has been working for EPA since 2002 and currently serves the Multilingual Outreach and Communications Liaison for EPA. She manages EPA’s social media efforts in Spanish. Prior to joining EPA, she was the Washington bureau chief for two Puerto Rican newspapers and she has worked for several government agencies.