Environmental Health in ColoradoPresentation to Senate and House Agriculture and Natural Resource

CommitteesApril 30, 2008

Jeff Zayach, MSVice President, Colorado

Directors of Environmental Health

Colorado Directors of Colorado Directors of Environmental HealthEnvironmental Health

“Improved health owes less to advances in medical science than to changes in the external environment, and to a favorable trend in the standard of living...medicine is in danger of neglecting what has hitherto proved its most powerful resource – the manipulation of the external environment.”

Grundy and Macintosh – from Man Adapting, Rene Dubos – Winner of the 1969 Pulitzer Prize for general non-fiction.

Environmental Health Protection Defined

Environmental health protection refers to protection against environmental factors that may:Adversely impact human healthAdversely impact ecological balances

essential to long-term human health and environment

National EnvironmentalHealth Association, April 1996

Examples of Environmental Health Services Provided at the Local Level

Retail food safety inspection, licensing and training

Body art inspection, licensing and training

Water quality– Issuing septic system permits

Monitoring, testing and investigation of Plague, Tularemia, Rabies, West Nile Virus, and Hantavirus

Air quality monitoring, inspection, and education

Emergency preparedness

Expanded Environmental Health Services at the Local Level

Developing climate change policies and strategies

Asthma Indoor air quality investigations,

testing, and education Occupational health Meth lab investigation and

clean up Integrating Land Use and EH

– planning for a built environment Transportation planning Pollution prevention

Expanded Environmental Health Services at the Local Level

Confined animal feeding operations

Water quality– Ground, surface, and storm water

Hazardous waste inspections Landfills and solid waste cleanups Well monitoring Lead investigation and education HAZMAT response Policy and regulation advocacy at

the state and national level

Environmental Health as it Relates to the Oil & Gas Boom in Colorado

Colorado has roughly 25,700 active wells An additional 40,000 wells are plugged and abandoned Wells are widely distributed around the state Two thirds (2/3) of Colorado Counties (42 of 63) have

wells located in them Thirty (30)% of Colorado Counties (19 of 63) have at

least two hundred wells Weld County has the most wells at over 10,000 (40%) Rio Blanco County and La Plata County each have

over 2000 wells (10% each)

Oil & Gas Wells in Colorado

Environmental and Public Health Affects of Oil and Gas Wells

Air Quality Impacts

Fugitive Dust

Drilling Operations Create Many Emissions

Burning Condensate Off Reserve Pit

Flaring During Well Completion

Evaporation Ponds

Heavy Diesel Emissions From Fracing Operations

Water Quality Impacts

Massive Pipeline Projects

Massive Well Pads

Spills

Proximity to Main Drainages

Drainages Used for Crop Irrigation

Contaminated Soils

Sewer Lines

Emergency Preparedness

Oil and Gas WellsOther Associated Impacts

Increased truck trafficIncreased truck traffic Increased railroad activityIncreased railroad activity Development of new gravel pitsDevelopment of new gravel pits Occupational health and safety issuesOccupational health and safety issues Communicable disease issuesCommunicable disease issues Substance abuse issuesSubstance abuse issues Citizens expect local government to protect themCitizens expect local government to protect them Local resource impactsLocal resource impacts

Water Quality in Colorado

These are just a few of the many water quality challenges we face in Colorado

2006 and 2007 assessments of lakes and rivers for “fishable” and “swimmable” waters

– 230,000 miles of rivers assessed – 313,000 lake acres assessed

Rivers– 12,800 miles are impaired and will require development of

Total Maximum Daily LoadsLakes

– 43,400 acres are impaired and will require development of Total Maximum Daily Loads

Water Quality in Colorado

The total list of impaired water bodies statewide includes 160 water bodies affected by approximately 250 individual pollutants

15 fish consumption advisories for mercury on lakes, more proposed

Primary sources of contaminants are selenium and mercury– resource extraction is the most common source when a source has

been identified for selenium– mercury deposition is a global issue

Local impacts– Boulder and South Boulder Creek, Fountain Creek, South Platte– protection of public health– need for local involvement

Lead Concerns in Colorado

Public Health Affects– lower levels cause adverse effects on the central nervous

system and kidneys– blood lead levels as low as 10 μg/dL, which do not cause

immediate affects can cause: distinctive long-term symptoms associated with decreased

intelligence and impaired behavioral development, decreased stature or growth, decreased hearing acuity, and decreased ability to maintain a steady posture

long-term impacts at the population level can be significant

Lead recalls– local impact

Lead Concerns in Colorado

1995 Denver lead study– 16.2% of 174 screened had levels above 10 ug/dL– Denver percentage before the study was 3.2%– highlight the problem of lead poisoning in the city and the need to

provide resources for environmental investigation and intervention Minorities and low income are disproportionately affected Need at the local level

– expanded/targeted testing– more follow up on blood levels at 10 ug/dL and above– more focused education– local ability for follow up is limited

Environmental Public Health in Colorado 

 

KEY:Solid Gray: These counties are served by local health departments.

White with Gray Spots: These counties are served by public health nursing services but provide additional limited local environmental health services in addition to permitting individual sewage disposal systems.Solid White: These counties are served by nursing services with no local environmental health services provided except for permitting individual sewage disposal systems.

Environmental Health Service Providers at the County Level

Environmental Health Specialists

Public Health Nurses Public Works Employees Building Inspectors Land Use Planners HazMat Teams Fire Departments Local Emergency

Planning Commissions

Water/Wastewater Treatment Plants

Soil Conservation Districts Watershed Groups Transit Authorities Housing Authorities Extension Agents State and Federal

Government Citizens Colorado School of

Public Health

Colorado School of Public Health

University of Colorado Denver, Colorado State University, and the University of Northern Colorado

Only Accredited School of Public Health in the Rocky Mountain Region (2010)

Degree programs– Masters of Public Health– Masters of Science– Doctorate Program– Residency program– Certificate program– Distance learning

Colorado School of Public Health

Masters in Public Health– Applied Biostatistics Program (UCD) – Community & Behavioral Health Program (UCD) – Community Health Education Program (UNC) – Environmental & Occupational Health Program (UCD) – Epidemiology Program (UCD) – Health Systems, Management & Policy Program (UCD) – Generalist Program (UCD) – Generalist Program (CSU)

Colorado School of Public HealthCenter for Public Health Practice

Internships and practicum required for CSPH students Hub of public health training for the workforce

– short courses, certificate programs, etc.– responsive to workforce needs, including training to meet the core

competencies for public health professionals – topical training in disaster management and emergency response,

epidemiology, statistics, emerging infectious diseases, among others Provide educational and training opportunities needed by

state and local health departments as well as community based public health organizations

Links to public health practice in Colorado communities Website: http://www.coloradosph.org/

Environmental Health Challenges

Encourage evaluation of the current level of environmental health services in each of your counties

Encourage environmental public health leadership in our communities

Work with public health leaders to develop enhanced public health systems statewide

RESOURCESExamples of Environmental Health Service in Colorado Communities

Aspen:Aspen: New recycling ordinance– www.aspenpitkin.com/depts/44/waste_ordinance.cfm

BoulderBoulder: Septic Smart Initiative– www.SepticSmart.org

Denver:Denver: Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Reduction Plan

Eagle:Eagle: Frost Creek Water Quality Monitoring and

Mitigation Plan GarfieldGarfield - Air Quality Technical Work Group

RESOURCESExamples of Environmental Health Service in Colorado Communities

LarimerLarimer: Retail Food program on the web– www.larimer.org/health/food/index.asp

NortheastNortheast: Northeast Asthma Coalition San Juan Basin HD:San Juan Basin HD: Durango Silverton Narrow

Gauge Rail Road Coal Smoke Task Force Summit:Summit: Food Safety Wall of Fame Tri-County:Tri-County: Rocky Mountain Arsenal Collaborative

– http://www.tchd.org/arsenal.html Weld:Weld: “STAR” Program

Colorado Directors of Environmental Health

Resource list of phone numbers, addresses and

e-mails