Lecture 01 - Overview - 21 Jan 2015

Question 1

Population Growth - What is ZPG - What problem was presented by Malthus in 1791?

Answer 1

• ZPG = Zero Population Growth = the number of children needed to be born to replentish the population (2.1 per capita)
• Malthus - Humans are unsustainable because there is a finite amount of land.

Question 2

What are population pyramids?

Answer 2

A visual representation of the population distribution based on age.

Question 3

Population Pyramids - What shape is a developing country? - What shape is a developed country?

Answer 3

Developing Country = triangle

Developed Country = rectangle

Question 4

Reasons for the pyramid shape in a developing country

Answer 4

• problems with waste water because low income countries less likely to use improved sanitation methods
• problems with drinking water because low incomes less likely to get drinking water from an improved source.
• lack of immunizations = infectious disease - basically lots of PH problems

Question 5

What environmental health programs could help change the pyramid shape for a developing country? (name 3)

Answer 5

• Vaccination programs
• drinking Water cleaning
• waste water cleaning

Question 6

What are the birth rate trends in developing and developed countries?

Answer 6

• Developing = increasing
• Developed = stagnating

Also, urban population is increasing for low income countries and leveling off in high income countries

Question 7

4 Methods of Disease Transmission (plus examples)

Answer 7

• Intestinal discharges = cholera, salmonella
• Nose and throat respiratory = influenza
• Animals = rabies, lyme - Insects = west nile

Question 8

Past Enviro Health in USA (4 things)

Answer 8

• Earlu 1900s - control of diseases like TB, cholera, typhoid, other infectious diseases
• Success of sanitation = controlling disease through prevention and regulation
• Safe food, drinking water, sewage disposal
• Emphasis on educating the public

Question 9

Checks to Population Growth (4)

Answer 9

1. Push/Pull
2. Urban v. Rural
3. Squatting v. Homeless
4. Environmental Supply/Demand (Biosphere)

Question 10

4 Major Determinants of Health

Answer 10

1. Heredity
2. Environment (sanitation/controls)
3. Lifestyle 4. Medical Care System

Question 11

3 Major Causative Agents of Disease

Answer 11

1. Microorganisms
2. Chemical/Physical exposures
3. Chronic Disease

Question 12

List 2 types of pollution that were occurring in the 1960s that raised public awareness about environmental issues.

Answer 12

Visible pollution in the AIR and WATER (largely due to increased manufacturing)

Question 13

List 5 sentinel events (total) that occurred in the 1960s and early 1970s that focused the public’s interest on issues of the environment.

Answer 13

1. 1962, Silent Spring by Rachel Carson = dangers of pesticides on birds.
2. Oil spills
3. Drinking water contamination
4. Untreated sewage
5. Smog

Question 14

What is DEEP?

Answer 14

Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection

Question 15

What is PURA and what does it report to?

Answer 15

Public Utilities Regulatory Authories

Reports to DEEP

Question 16

What are the differences among Registration, Certification, and License?

Answer 16

Registeres = name on a list; often title states that they are ‘registered’ but they are actually licensed

Certification = demonstrate ability to do something by passing a test

License = nobody else can perform this job

Question 17

Which agencies dealt with 1960’s health issues?

Answer 17

Health depts and agencies (local, state, federal)

U.S. Public Health Service

Question 18

What is the former/present role of Public Health Agencies (PHAs) in dealing with environmental issues?

Answer 18

Public Health Agencies did not become involved in environmental issues until they became a public health problem. This has changed over time.

Question 19

In 1969 the National Environmental Policy Act was passed by Congress. What major requirement concerning federally funded projects did this act put in place?

Answer 19

Implemented requierment of Environmental Impact Statements (EIS)

Question 20

1969 NEPA: Which federal agency other than EPA plays a major role in protecting the environment in the implementation of this Act and why?

Answer 20

Federal agencies playing a major role:

1. EPA
2. Army Corps of Engineers - because they have control over the navigable waters and interstate waters, and EIS often deal with impacts on these waters

Question 21

Why is NEPA, which predates the establishment of EPA, such an important piece of legislation, and what process does it require in the review of proposed projects?

Answer 21

Important because it mandates EIS (Enviro Impact Statements) to be reported to Congress wherever federal funding is being sought for actions “significantly affecting the quality of the human environment”

• ID what possible impacts the org/development/etc, may have and how it will be addressed
• Absent an EPA, this was the primary regulation method for the government to exercise control over pollution/environmental harms that may cause harm to humans.

Question 22

Examples of EIS Sitautions

Answer 22

I-84, TVA, malls, etc.

Question 23

Problems with EIS

Answer 23

more complicated than originally expected:

• politics
• conflicts of interest
• hard to designate when EIS are required

Question 24

Origins of the EPA

• how was it passed?
• who was the first administrator?
• 2 goals of EPA

Answer 24

• EPA passed by executive order –> never passed by Congress
• administrator = Ruckelshaus
• goals?

Question 25

What you need to know about all the laws passed for environmental protection in our recent history: (and some examples)

Answer 25

1. More laws passed during 1965-1985 than any other time, and during a period where deregulation (opposition to federal government) was favored 2. Many of the laws created standards, which are important for enforcement Examples - Clean Air Act (1970) - FIFRA and water pollution control (1972) - Endangered Species (1973) - Safe Drinking Water (1974) - Toxic Substances Control and RCRA (1976)

Question 26

Know, generally: - branches of government - regulations v. statutes - negotiated rule making

Answer 26

Negotiated Rule Making = a process in American administrative law, used by federal agencies, in which representatives from a government agency and affected interest groups negotiate the terms of a proposed administrative rule.

Question 27

Why have PH laws been enforced with primarily criminal repercussions?

Answer 27

Because criminal procedures allow for revocation of licenses/other important info to run a business

Question 28

Standards: Some issues with them

Answer 28

Standards require resources (improved labs, equipment, employees, training, etc.) but are vital for enforcement

Question 29

Pollution Prevention - treatment v. prevention

Answer 29

Treatment = end of pipe - dealing with the pollution once it has been created Prevention = stopping/lowering the overall amount of pollution that gets created - important to perform well/conform to standard - ex: cap and trade --\> buying/sharing others' credits; when they do this, they get to retire a portion of the credits, so it lowers the amount overall over time

Question 30

Budget Stuff: Authorization v. Appropriation

Answer 30

Authorization = does not guarantee that you ever get the money, even if you're allowed to spend it Appropriation = actual money (typically better)

Question 31

Budget Stuff: Categorical v. Block Grants

Answer 31

Categorical = specific funds for specific stuff; can be limiting, but better for specific projects because there is more certain funding Block grant = better for those delegating funds, less great if you're a project person who might not get the block grants

Question 32

Define the term "environmental justice".

Answer 32

Environmental Justice = the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. - problem = enforcement varies by neighborhood Goal of EPA Achieved when everyone enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards and equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work.

Question 33

Discuss one current or developing issue involving “environmental justice” (include sites, people involved, health data and enforcement activities in your discussion when applicable).

Answer 33

Ex: Keystone Pipeline: - involves low-power communities, like Indigenous people living in Fort Chipewyan in Northern Alberta, Canada and communities of color in Port Arthur, Texas - currently being debated by Congress - toxicity of tar sands oil, sulfur dioxide will go up, as will the ozone. Increase of 20 to 25 percent in emissions. - communities have low voting power (esp. due to gerrymandering) so no control over what happens with it

Question 34

Other Environmental Justice issues

Answer 34

- CA: chemical waste incinerator has no publication in Spanish - Tribes importing waste - Yucca mountain - proposed nuclear waste storage (note: sometimes affected areas WANT these things because they can increase federally-funded employment)

Question 35

Challenges to Env Health

Answer 35

- Lack of performance measures (standards exist, but no measures) - Lack of good health risk data - ex: no sodium notification for tap water now because of a lack of data - Congress - trending toward deregulation - Community-based programs for education and enforcement -- can be good, but lack resources - Empowering communities - leaders v. citizens - Disease latency - Parts per trillion

Question 36

Approaches to Environmental Health

Answer 36

- Multi-media approach --\> try to get agencies to work together - Environmental Management Systems: ex: Green design - environmentally better infrastructure - International standards - often lack authority of law - Ozone/Global Warming/Ocean Contamination - consciousness-raising? - Health risk v. Environmental - Certification programs - problem of no evaluation - Bioterrorism?

Question 37

USGBC and LEEDS

Answer 37

USGBC = United States Green Building Code LEEDS = Leadership in Energy and Envrionmental Designs (how to design a sustainable building) There are no PH/ EPA people on this!

Question 38

Pollution prevention is a term that is gaining prominence in environmental regulatory programs. How does the implementation of a pollution prevention policy differ from our past and current policies of environmental enforcement? What role do standards play?

Answer 38

- Difference = polllution prevention reduces/eliminates waste at the source (stops waste before it gets communicated) In the past, policies and procedures focused on trieatment ("end of pipe") and based them on standards - Standards are classified as end of pipe because the focus on regulating the amount of pollutant allowed and already in circulation (calues are definable amounts)