When: November 1 – 4, 2010
Where: The Washington Marriott at Wardman Park, Washington, DC

The 2010 National Training Conference on the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) and Environmental Conditions in Communities (known formerly as the TRI National Training Conference) will be held November 1-4, 2010 in Washington, DC at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park hotel (www.wardmanpark.com).

Please periodically check the Web site www.chemicalright2know.org for more information on the conference including the new expanded scope, call for
presentations, agenda, and registration information.

Contacts for Conference Information:

Jennifer Major (representing ECOS):
jennifer.major@ross-assoc.com

Christine Arcari (US EPA):
arcari.christine@epa.gov

Click on the pdf for more information: Save The Date 2010 TRI Conference

Make your hotel reservations by calling the Raleigh Marriott City Center directly at 1-919-833-1120. Ask for in-house reservations and then reference “NAQ” to receive the group rate of $92/night, plus 12.75% tax. All reservations must be made by Friday, February 12, 2010. After this date, reservations are subject to space and rate availability. You may also make your reservations online at: https://www.marriott.com/reservation/availability.mi?propertyCode=rdumc Enter Group Code “NAQNAQA” to receive the group rate online.

There are still exhibition and sponsorship opportunities available! Please contact Erin Pittorino (erin.pittorino@erg.com) to reserve your exhibit space today! Spaces are filling up fast!

http://nursing.umaryland.edu/calendar

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

June 7 and 8, 2010

This is the first national conference for nurses addressing the relationship between human health and the environment. Learn about the growing movement that is being created by nurses as they “green” their health care institutions, engage in scientific inquiry, integrate environmental health practices into nursing assessments and interventions, and create and support policies that protect human health and the environment.

Join us as we:

• Foster a community of nurses engaged in protecting human health and the environment
• Explore policy and legislative opportunities related to environmental health and nursing
• Expand the number of nurse educators committed to incorporating environmental health into existing curricula
• Develop an environmental health research agenda for nurse researchers
• Promote evidence-based, environmental health practices

POST CONFERENCE SPECIAL SESSIONS

June 9, 2010

• Nursing Research Agenda: Participate in the development of an Environmental Health Nursing Research Agenda
• Trip to the Hill: Visit policy makers to advocate for chemical policy reform

Note:  Sessions may be added.

Call for Abstracts

The planning committee invites abstracts to be considered for oral and poster presentations.  Abstracts describing research, policy/advocacy, education, or practice issues related to environmental health and nursing are welcome, and abstracts related to the conference theme are particularly encouraged. Abstracts must be received by midnight EST, February 15, 2010. For details and forms visit:  http://nursing.umaryland.edu/calendar

SPONSORS AND EXHIBITORS

This conference presents a unique opportunity for organizations and vendors to capitalize on exclusive networking opportunities with nurses involved in education, policy, practice, and research.

MORE INFORMATION

For information on the main conference and special sessions, fees, hotel, abstract submission, sponsor and exhibitor opportunities, and registration, visit:  http://nursing.umaryland.edu/calendar or call the University of Maryland School of Nursing Office of Professional Education at 410-706-3767.

II.   Upcoming Conferences and Events

III.  Announcements

I.    Children’s Health Issues

A. $10 Million in Grants Aimed at Enrolling American Indian, Alaska

Native Kids in Health Care to be Awarded

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius recently  announced the availability of up to $10 million in grants to help reach American Indian and Alaska Native

(AI/AN) children who qualify for, but are not yet enrolled, in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

These new grants are part of a broader effort to find and enroll uninsured children who are eligible for Medicaid or CHIP but not enrolled.  The Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA) set aside $100 million for fiscal years 2009-2013 expressly to help find and enroll eligible uninsured children, including $10 million specifically for Indian health providers.

For more information about the outreach and enrollment grants, go to

www.cms.hhs.gov/CHIPRA.    Questions about the grants may be directed to

the CHIPRA grants mailbox AIANCHIPRAOUTREACHGRANTS@cms.hhs.gov

General information about CHIP can be found at www.insurekidsnow.gov.

B. New Proposed EPA rule for Primary National Ambient Air Quality

Standards for Sulfur Dioxide

On November 16, the EPA opened to public comment the new proposed EPA rule for Primary National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Sulfur Dioxide.  To learn more about the rule got to:

http://www.epa.gov/air/sulfurdioxide/actions.html

The EPA is accepting comments for 60 days following the date of publication of the proposed rule in the Federal Register. The easiest ways to submit comments are through www.regulations.gov or email a-and-r-Docket@epa.gov (reference Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2007-0352).

Also, the agency will hold a public hearing on Jan. 5, 2010 in Atlanta.

We invite abstracts to be submitted for presentations as posters for

C. Call for Abstracts: Strengthening Environmental Justice Research and

Decision Making: A Symposium on the Science of Disproportionate

Environmental Health Impacts.

Abstracts for presentations as posters for data and methodology poster discussion sessions are being solicited for the symposium.  Abstracts should highlight the application of methods, data, analysis approaches,, and frameworks for assessing disproportionate environmental health impacts with respect to the following topic areas:

1. Proximity and Exposure to Environmental Hazards
2. Population Susceptibility/Vulnerability
3. Unique Exposure Pathways
4. Cumulative Impacts/Burden
5. Community Capacity to Participate in the Decision-Making Process
6. Vulnerable Physical Infrastructure 7. Chronic Community Stress

The Abstract Submission Deadline is December 15, 2009. Abstract Selections will be announced January 15, 2010 The Strengthening Environmental Justice and Decision Making Symposium is March 17 – 19, 2010.  Visit:

http://www.scgcorp.com/envirjusticesym.

D. The American Public Health Association (APHA) Webinar: “A look at U.S. Regional Impacts of Climate Change on Health”

Public health professionals have the opportunity to participate in a new webinar series covering climate change. Topics will include the basic science of climate change, impacts to human health, the role of public health in climate change action plans, vulnerable populations, communication challenges, case studies, and more.

Join 2nd webinar in this series: “A Look at U.S. Regional Impacts of Climate Change on Health” December 8, 2009 1 pm – 2 pm EST.  For more go

to: https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/schedule/display.do?udc=po14i9sqnyje

E.  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF

HEALTH ( NIH) TEAMS UP WITH THE LANCET AND LEADING INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS TO ADDRESS PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE: New Strategies Promote Health and Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

Strategies to reduce greenhouse gases also benefit human health, according to studies published today in the medical journal The Lancet.

The Lancet series highlights case studies on four climate change topics

- household energy, transportation, electricity generation, and agricultural food production. Researchers say cost savings realized from improving health will offset the cost of addressing climate change and, therefore, should be considered as part of all policy discussions related to climate change. Key researchers and public health officials in the United States and Britain gathered together via satellite simulcast to unveil the new research.

The studies were commissioned to help inform discussions at the U.N.

Framework Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen in December 2009.

This NIH News Release is available online at:

http://www.nih.gov/news/health/nov2009/niehs-25.htm.

II.    Upcoming Conferences and Events

A. Annual Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools (IAQ TfS) National

Symposium Organizer: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Date: January 14-16, 2010, Washington, DC

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hosts its annual

Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools (IAQ TfS) National Symposium in

Washington, DC, to bring together past, present, and future leaders

in protecting and improving IAQ in our nation’s schools. The IAQ TfS

Program is a nationwide initiative to help school officials assess,

resolve, and prevent IAQ problems, and to reduce exposure to asthma

triggers in school facilities. While school officials,

administrators, facilities and operations personnel, teachers,

parents, and students traditionally attend, the Symposium is open to

anyone with an interest in IAQ in schools.

http://www.iaqsymposium.com/

B. NBC4 17th Annual Health and Fitness Expo. January 16-19, 2010,

Washington, DC.

Come join over 85,000 participates that are excited to learn how to

protect their health.  There will be games, dancing, screening for a

host of health issues like high blood pressure, obesity, and

diabetes. This is a fun filled event for the whole family and

community. To learn more about this event, visit:

http://networkevents.tv/events/detail.cfm?id=67

C. Annual Conference of the National Association for Bilingual

Education. February 3-6, 2010. Denver, CO.

The National Association for Bilingual Education is the only national

professional organization devoted to representing Bilingual Learners

and Bilingual Education professionals. NABE has affiliates in 25

states which collectively represent more than 20,000 members that

include Bilingual and English Language Learner (ELL) teachers,

parents, paraprofessionals, administrators, professors, advocates,

researchers, and policy makers. NABE’s mission is to advocate for our

nations Bilingual and English Language Learners and families and to

cultivate a multilingual multicultural society by supporting and

promoting policy, programs, pedagogy, research, and professional

development that yield academic success, value native language, lead

to English proficiency, and respect cultural and linguistic

diversity.

As tireless advocates that work to influence and create policies,

programs, research, pedagogy and professional development, we know

that we are investing in our children’s education, our nation’s

leadership, and our world’s well being.

http://www.nabe.org/conference.html

D. 9th Annual New Partners for Smart Growth. February 4-6, 2010.

Seattle, Washington.

Save the Date for the 9th Annual New Partners for Smart Growth:

Building Safe, Healthy and Livable Communities will be held February

4-6, 2010 at the Washington State Trade and Convention Center in

Seattle, Washington. http://www.newpartners.org/

E. American Association for the Advancement of Science. February

18-22, 2010. San Diego, CA.

AAAS President and Nobel Laureate Peter C. Agre invites you to join a

diverse array of leading scientists, engineers, educators, and

policy-makers at the association’s 176th meeting. It will attract

attendees from all U.S. states and territories as well as more than

50 countries.

http://www.aaas.org/meetings/

F. Society of Toxicology. March 7-11, 2010. Salt Lake City, UT.

The Society of Toxicology (SOT) Annual Meeting is the largest

toxicology meeting and exhibition in the world, attracting more than

6,500 scientists from industry, academia, and government from various

countries around the globe. From the keynote address and special

lectures, to a wide range of symposia sessions to continuing

education courses that cover the basic and the advanced topics of the

day, to the workshops, thematic sessions that complement the

symposia, roundtables, poster sessions, and award presentations,

SOT’s Annual Meeting has something for every attendee.

http://www.toxicology.org/AI/MEET/AM2010/am.asp

G. Disproportionate Impacts Symposium. March 17-19 2010, Washington,

D.C.

The EPA Administrator speaks to environmental justice and protecting

the health of vulnerable populations. This meeting will provide

scientific evidence needed for the Agency to be more effective in

addressing disproportionate environmental health impacts in the

Agency regulatory decision making process, which is critical for

achieving the Agency’s goals for environmental justice. The symposium

is open and free to the public.

http://www.scgcorp.com/envirjusticesym/

H. National Science Teachers Association (National Conference). March 18-21, 2010. Philadelphia, PA.

Join your colleagues in the City of Brotherly Love for NSTA’s 58th

National Conference on Science Education. Conference registration and

exhibits will be at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Most sessions

and events have been scheduled at the Convention Center and the

Doubletree Philadelphia Hotel, Loew’s Philadelphia Hotel,

Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, and Sheraton Philadelphia City Center

Hotel.

http://www.nsta.org/conferences/2010phi/

I. National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP)

Annual Conference on Pediatric Health Care. April 15-18, 2010.

Chicago, Ill.

The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP)

looks forward to seeing you at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Chicago!

This vibrant hotel standing on the top of Chicago’s Magnificent Mile

is the ideal location to hold NAPNAP’s 31st Annual Conference on

Pediatric Health Care. We invite you to join your colleagues for the

educational programs and networking events that will make “Achieving

Vision: Pediatric Health Care Beyond the Millennium” the premier

professional forum. The conference, which begins on Thursday, April

15 and wraps up on Sunday, April 18, addresses a variety of current

topics that have an impact on your practice. This year specific

tracks focus on Mental Health, Emerging Science, and Professional

Issues, with additional sessions in both primary and acute care,

making this conference a unique educational opportunity for all

pediatric healthcare providers. We are especially pleased to feature

keynote speakers who each address an essential component necessary to

achieve our mission – Promoting optimal health for children through

leadership, practice, advocacy, education and research.

http://www.napnap.org/Events/AnnualConference.aspx

J. Annual National Association of Child Care Professionals National

Conference (NACCP). April 20-23, 2010. Chicago, Ill.

NACCP is pleased to announce Stedman Graham as the Opening Keynote

Speaker of the 26th Annual National Conference in Chicago!  Mr.

Graham will share his presentation, You Can make It Happen™:The

Nine-Step Success Process.

You Can Make It Happen™: The Nine-Step Success Process puts resources

and strategies into people’s hands to take control of their lives.

Graham shares his insights regarding this systematic approach to

organizing and advancing life goals and ambitions. It’s the ‘how’.

Implemented consistently, the process helps build personal and

professional effectiveness, increases focus, enhances time management

and helps improve relationships.

https://m360.naccp.org/event.aspx?eventID=8587

III.   Announcements

A. EPA Awards $800,000 for Environmental Justice Projects in Five States

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded a total of $800,000 to five state government agencies to support state efforts to work with communities to address environmental and public health issues, such as childhood lead poisoning and exposure to air pollution.  The funding will help address concerns in communities disproportionately exposed to environmental risks.

The following organizations received $160,000 each for the projects described below:

Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation for developing a system to ensure the participation of Alaska Native tribal organizations in the state permitting process.

California Department of Toxic Substances Control for creating and implementing public education programs, developing compliance assistance programs for small businesses, and focusing on generating green jobs in communities identified as having environmental justice concerns.

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for conducting community outreach on residential lead paint contamination and proper handling and abatement throughout the City of East St. Louis.

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for providing remediation and education to reduce community exposure to air pollution and solid waste.

South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control for offering technical assistance to communities in a pilot program to conduct environmental assessments and address environmental issues using the collaborative problem-solving model.

EPA provides funding for state-lead environmental justice projects under the agency’s State Environmental Justice Cooperative Agreement program with the goal of developing approaches that can be replicated in other communities with similar concerns.

Information about state funding through the State Environmental Justice Cooperative Agreement program:

http://www.epa.gov/compliance/environmentaljustice/grants/ej-sejca-grants.html

Information about funding for local governments and non-profit organizations through the Environmental Justice Small Grants program:

http://www.epa.gov/compliance/environmentaljustice/grants/ej-smgrants.html

B. Tribal Science Webinar Series #4: “Climate Change and Contaminants in Subsistence Foods: A Tribal Program to Monitor The Health of Alaskan Yupik Women and Children”

The webinar will take place December 10, 2009 from 1:30 to 3:30PM eastern time. Teleconference & Website log-in begins 15 minutes prior to webinar. To participate in these webinars: Register at

http://epa.blhtech.com/webinars For EPA Regional offices and other

participants, Toll free teleconference phone number: 866-299-3188 followed by access code: 202 564 8322#

C. Invitation to join the US EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice List Serve. The Office of Environmental Justice of the United States Environmental Protection Agency would like to invite you to join the EJ ListServ.  The purpose of this information tool is to notify individuals about innovative activities at EPA in the field of Environmental Justice.  By subscribing to this list you will receive information on EPA’s activities, programs, projects, grants and about Environmental Justice activities at other agencies.  Noteworthy news items, National meeting announcements, meeting summaries of The National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) and new publication notices will also be distributed.  The ListServ will also share information on new opportunities in the fields of Climate Change and Green Jobs.

This tool also provides you with an opportunity to inform stakeholders of activities, programs and projects that you are planning and requests for participation on work groups or committees. The EJ ListServ is an excellent way to connect with thousands of EJ Stakeholders.  Postings can only be made by the Office of Environmental Justice.  To request an item to be posted, send your information to bell.aaron@epa.gov and indicate in the subject “Post to EPA-EJ List Serve”

To join the list serve please register at the website below:

https://lists.epa.gov/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=epa-ej

The administrators of the EJ ListServ will appreciate you forwarding this invite to colleagues and/or additional interested parties at your discretion. You can visit our web page http://www.epa.gov/compliance/environmentaljustice

The conference will take place September 27th-29th, 2010 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC.

Take advantage of this opportunity to share your science and network with national nursing scientists and practice colleagues; submit an abstract. If you have any questions please contact Joy Burwell at 202-777-1166 or cans@aannet.org

2010 NEHC Call for Proposals

CALL FOR PRESENTERS

Deadline for Submissions: December 4, 2009

Notification of Acceptance: December 18, 2009

The Northwest Environmental Health Conference Planning Team is accepting abstracts for presentations. A variety of leading edge presentations addressing research, patient care, healthcare facilities, community based work, and current and emerging policy issues in the field of environmental health are being accepted for this 2^nd Annual Northwest Environmental Health Conference to be held at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, Oregon, March 5-6, 2010.  The goal of the conference is to increase the knowledge of participants about environmental health issues, engage and activate participants, as well as strengthen our environmental health community through networking. Presenters from the following categories are encouraged to submit proposals:  health care professionals (doctors, nurses, and alternative health), public health, environmental and occupational health managers, healthcare procurement specialists, and program managers from community based organizations.

CONFERENCE TRACKS & TOPICS OF INTEREST

We are seeking abstracts that focus on specific strategies to be implemented by health professionals to address and integrate environmental health considerations.  Case study presentations are encouraged.  Submission topics need to clearly relate to one of the tracks listed below.   The following topics are of greatest interest for this year’s conference: 1) Healthy aging, 2) Child health, 3) Obesity, 4) Built environment, 5) Environmental justice & sustainability, and 6) Climate change. However, if you have an innovative project or topic that does not quite fit into any of these categories, please submit. First consideration will go to projects that are unique, innovative, or otherwise new material.

The tracks for the 2010 Northwest Environmental Health Conference are:

1. Emerging Science & Research: Presentations should address new and innovative research on environmental factors affecting human health.
2. Patient Care and Facilities Management: Presentations may address, but are not limited to the following: Activities that integrate environment health outcomes into purchasing decisions, including: tools, resources, and policies, as well as the purchase of specific environmentally preferable medical supplies and devices. Activities and programs that integrate environmental health education and promotion into client care. Actions nurses, doctors, and other health care professionals are taking to integrate issues of health, environment, and safety into hospitals and practices.
3. Community Level Programs: Presentations should describe programs that engage with, directly affect, and/or are led by members within a community.
4. Policy & Future Directions: Presentations should address federal, state, county, local, or organizational policies and initiatives that address environmental health issues and concerns.

SUBMISSION OPTIONS

Submission options for the Environmental Health Conference are:

• Individual presentation - Individual presentations are recommended for the Patient Care and Facilities Management and Community Based Programs tracks, which are 60 minutes in length. Up to two presenters are permitted per presentation and most likely two presentations will be scheduled per session. Presenters should be prepared to complete their presentations within 25 minutes.
• Panel presentation – Panels presentations are recommended for the Emerging Science and Research and the Policy and Future Directions tracks, which are each 75 minutes in length.  Each panelist should prepare to present for approximately 20 minutes.
• Poster presentation – Posters are invited that align with the above identified track themes and topics.  We are interested especially in current research (students welcome), case studies and community based projects.  Posters will be viewable during the full conference and will be staged so that participants can view during breaks and lunch.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Topic:

• The topic is consistent with the conference theme/sub-themes and is compelling.
• The topic has current relevance and presents new information, a new application, or a fresh perspective on existing knowledge.

Textual Features of the Abstract:

• The abstract is well organized, concise, and clearly written
• The abstract has clear, worthy and measurable objectives.

Impact:

• The presentation illustrates the potential to improve knowledge and provides innovative, state-of-the-art, and/or state-of-the-science information.
• The author(s) indicate(s) the potential value/contributions of the presentation to science/society.

THE SUBMISSION PROCES

The Northwest Environmental Health Conference Proposal Team will review and evaluate proposals for individual merit and in comparison with other proposals. The review period will begin after the proposal deadline. We will contact you no later than the notification date to inform you whether your submission has been accepted.

Proposals must be submitted electronically by email to amanda@oregonpsr.org. Only complete submissions will be considered.

Proposal Review Schedule:

Proposals Due: December 4. 2009

Submitters Notified: December 18, 2009

Completed presentations due: February 19, 2010

Please note that you must register for the conference separately. Registration opens

December 14^th, 2009.  One presenter per individual presentation will receive waived conference registration fees.  For panel presentation, three presenters will receive waived conference registration fees. Presenters desiring CNE credits will be required to pay the associated fees.

Thank you for your interest in presenting at the conference. We look forward to seeing you in Portland, Oregon.

The “Call for Presentations” for the 2010 National Air Quality Conferences is now posted on www.airnow.gov This year’s conferences will be held in Raleigh, North Carolina, on March 15-18, 2010.  See the AIRNow web page  for information about submitting abstracts for consideration as oral or poster session presentations at this year’s conference.

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS AND RESERVATIONS

The conferences are being held at the Raleigh Marriott City Center, which is located in downtown Raleigh.  The hotel conference rate is $92 a night for a single or double room, plus 12.75% tax. All reservations must be made by Friday, February 12, 2010. After this date, reservations are subject to space and rate availability. To make your reservation, please call 1-919-833-1120 and reference the group code “NAQ” to receive the group rate.

Reservations can also be made online at the link below:

https://www.marriott.com/reservation/availability.mi?propertyCode=rdumc

Enter Group Code “NAQNAQA” to receive the group rate online.

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION

Check the AIRNow web page for up to date information regarding this year’s conference and registration.  You will receive an e-mail notifying you when the online conference registration page is available, anticipated to be mid December.

Project Status

As you may know, the National Conversation project was launched with a day-long meeting on June 26, 2009.  Meeting summary information is available on the National Conversation project Web site. Since the kick-off meeting, project work groups have stood up to address the following topics related to public health and chemical exposures:  monitoring, scientific understanding, policies and practices, chemical emergencies, serving communities, and education and communication. An explanation of the membership selection process and membership lists for each work group are posted on the project Web site. Work groups will meet monthly, either by teleconference or in person, over the course of the project. Initial teleconferences are currently underway and the first face-to-face meetings will be held in November in Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD.  Meetings will be open to members of the public by request on a space available basis.  Each work group will prepare a report for inclusion in a final action agenda.

In addition to work groups, a project Leadership Council has convened and will meet for the first time in December. The Leadership Council includes a wide range of expertise and perspectives that will provide project guidance throughout the process and will develop the final action agenda. A current list of Leadership Council members is posted on the project Web site.

Check the project Web site regularly for project updates.

Opportunities for Involvement

2009 National Environmental Public Health Conference

The 2009 National Environmental Public Health Conference, taking place October 26 – 28, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia, will feature several activities related to the National Conversation:

National Conversation Public Listening Session

A National Conversation Listening Session will take place on Wednesday, October 28, 2009 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm in the Athens Room of the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel (Sheraton Atlanta Hotel / 165 Courtland Street NE / Atlanta, GA 30303).

Conference participants and interested members of the public can attend this open, facilitated discussion to exchange ideas and explore issues related to the National Conversation. Potential discussion topics include the National Conversation structure and process; lessons learned from the nation’s historical approach to public health and chemical exposures; the nation’s current shortcomings, gaps, and redundancies; and high priority options for better protecting the public from harmful chemical exposures. NCEH/ATSDR staff, RESOLVE staff, and others involved in the National Conversation project will engage in the discussion and collect participant input. This event is free and open to the public.

“Protecting the Public from Toxic Exposures” Plenary

In addition to many relevant breakout sessions, conference participants can attend “Protecting the Public from Toxic Exposures,” a plenary session on Tuesday, October 27 from 8:30 to 10:30 am. Dr. Howard Frumpkin, M.D., M.P.H, Director, National Center for Environmental Health/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and National Conversation co-chair; Paul Anastas, Ph.D., Director, Center for Green Chemistry and Green Engineering & Teresa and H. John Heinz III Professor in the Practice of Chemistry for the Environment, Yale University; and Christine Norman, Director, Risk Assessment Bureau, Safe Environments Program, Health Canada will participate in this plenary.

Note: If you will not be attending the conference, keynotes and plenary sessions will also be available by live webcast. Please register for the conference webcast in advance.

National Conversation Booth

The conference exhibition will include a National Conversation project booth. Conference participants can stop by with any questions or comments on the project. Project staff will be available throughout the exhibition, and project co-chairs Dr. Howard Frumkin, Director, NCEH/ATSDR, and Nsedu Obot Witherspoon, Executive Director, Children’s Environmental Health Network, are tentatively scheduled to be at the booth Tuesday, October 27 from 12:00 to 12:30 pm. Look for us just outside the exhibit hall at Booth 48.

Future Opportunities

Keep your eye out for more information about the National Conversation Community Conversation Toolkit and web discussion forums. We expect to implement both of these project components in early 2010.

Smart Growth Conference, which will be held on February 4-6, 2010 in

Seattle, Washington. The conference brochure is attached.

The multi-disciplinary program will feature cutting-edge policies and programs, projects, as well as strategies and implementation tools that address the challenges of implementing smart growth development. Session topics include climate change, equitable development, environmental justice, public health, transportation, infrastructure, green jobs and the economy, rural town planning, financing smart growth development, open space preservation, retrofitting suburbs, affordable housing, schools, critical water issues, green building, and much, much more. Several sessions will be approved for AICP continuing education credits.

The conference agenda also includes special workshops, including a one-day workshop on February 3, 2010 entitled “Working Together for Equitable Development: Voices and Lessons from Environmental Justice and Smart Growth.”

The reservation deadline to receive the group room rate of $159 at the Seattle Sheraton is January 13, 2010. Make your reservations soon as we expect the hotel to sell out by December, with the Olympics coming to Vancouver the week after the conference.

Visit www.NewPartners.org for detailed information on the conference program, tours of model projects, special workshops, invited speakers, hotel information, and to REGISTER NOW!

Conference Brochure: NPSG10 Conference Brochure

The symposium will be held in Chapel Hill, North Carolina – September 15-16, 2009. For more information see http://prc-hanconferences.com/2009-conference

agLarry Adelman, Co-Director, California Newsreel, and Executive Producer of the award-winning PBS series, Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick?  and Leonard Syme, PhD, Professor Emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley, speaking on Imperatives for Environmental and Policy Change are two of the featured speakers.

A growing body of research points to the influence of the environment on the health and health behaviors of older adults. Unfortunately, activity to promote environmental and policy change to support healthy aging has been limited. We expect that this symposium will serve as a catalyst for many new initiatives in this area.

Conference sessions will address challenges amenable to environmental and policy change; evidence that supports specific approaches and their outcomes; and promising strategies for practice in the development and promotion of healthy communities for healthy aging.

Attendees will include practitioners and academicians in public health, aging services, healthcare, business, urban planning, architecture, engineering, and recreation, as well as professionals and advocates for livable communities.