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Utilizing a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) to Connect Natural Resource Management and Community(presentation)
Citation:
Williams, K., J. Hoffman, F. Fulk, M. MacGregor, J. Rhodus, AND J. Carlson. Utilizing a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) to Connect Natural Resource Management and Community(presentation). 2017 Great Lakes Area of Concern Conference, Grand Rapids, MI, March 29 - 30, 2017.
Impact/Purpose:
This poster will illustrate how a Health Impact Assessment, a process that uses scientific data, health expertise and public input to factor public health considerations into the decision-making process, is being utilized in the St. Louis River Area of Concern.
Description:
Marrying scientific and health research with natural resource management should be a straightforward process. However, differences in purpose, goals, language, levels of detail and implementation authority between the scientists who conduct research and resource managers who plan and implement projects make it difficult for resource managers to include information not specific to the problem at hand. One method to overcome this barrier is a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) or process that uses scientific data, health expertise and public input to factor public health considerations into the decision-making process. An HIA informs decision makers and stakeholders of the potential health effects of a proposed program, policy, project or plan through a systematic investigation of impacts to health and health determinants and deliberative engagement of community members and other stakeholders throughout the HIA process. USEPA will be conducting an HIA on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ sediment remediation and habitat restoration project at Kingsbury Bay and Grassy Point. This poster outlines the HIA process, illustrates how technical and stakeholder committees inform the process, and presents the determinants of health that will be explored in the HIA.