Grantee Research Project Results

2010 Progress Report: Longitudinal Indicators of Policy Impact on Pollution, Exposure and Health Risk

EPA Grant Number: R833991
Title: Longitudinal Indicators of Policy Impact on Pollution, Exposure and Health Risk
Investigators: Burke, Thomas A. , Fox, Mary A.
Institution: The Johns Hopkins University
EPA Project Officer: Hahn, Intaek
Project Period: October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2011 (Extended to October 31, 2012)
Project Period Covered by this Report: October 1, 2010 through September 30,2010
Project Amount: $499,961
RFA: Development of Environmental Health Outcome Indicators (2007) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category:

Objective:

To develop and present state-level environmental health outcome indicators that measure changes over time; and
To apply environmental health outcome indicators to evaluate the impact of environmental policies on population exposures and health risks.

Progress Summary:

Although there has been a reorganization at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Dr. Burke has maintained key contacts within the department and numerous documents and potential datasets were identified in 2010. These data cover varying time periods encompassing 30 years (1978-2008) and multiple environmental contaminants in multiple media such as mercury and PCBs in air, water and fish tissue, and various toxics in air, water, soil and sediment. About one-third of the potential data sources have been obtained to date, and New Jersey officials are working to gather those remaining. Investigators contacted staff at EPA Region II to explore data availability. Exposure and risk models were developed for contaminants in air, drinking water and fish tissue. A draft policy analysis has been completed for PCBs in fish. Refinements to the policy timeline continue with searches of news archives.

Future Activities:

The major activities for the remainder of the project are to:

Finalize the policy timeline
Complete data acquisition and data entry for target analytes, including mercury, TCE, benzene, PAHs (e.g., benzo[a]pyrene).
Develop and interpret up to four additional policy indicators.
Publish findings in a peer-reviewed journal

We anticipate completing the technical work within the project period. However, it is likely that publication of manuscripts will extend beyond the current project period.

Journal Articles:

No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 3 publications for this project

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.