Environmental Health

The air we breathe, water we drink, and food we eat all affect our health. Industrial, commercial and personal activities can create harmful emissions to air, water or land that affect the health of our ecosystems. Characterizing environmental health risks is critical to designing innovative and effective programs, policies and practices. We have worked with private companies, government agencies, and non profit organizations to achieve sustainable environmental health improvements.

Catalyst for Change

We work with clients to design and implement strategies to help you achieve your policy and/or programmatic goals. Often this involves recruiting coalition partners, marshaling key data, and packaging a compelling story.

  • Directly influenced six Federal regulations supporting meaningful progress on childhood lead poisoning. Coordinated national advocacy campaigns and technical studies to bolster advocacy efforts. Resulting Federal programs improved health conditions in 38 million homes and shaped regulations in all 50 states.
  • Developed pioneering environmental hazard assessment protocols used in over 3,500 homes nationwide. Testing results were used to advocate for housing and health policy changes. (www.cehrc.org)
  • Initiated partnership with private construction firms, hospitals, and environmental officials to undertake innovative diesel emission reduction actions. Strategies adopted by Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, and leading Boston area construction and architectural firms.
  • Managed the development team for part of www.scorecard.org, a nationally recognized website offering information on environmental health risks, access to advocates, and data driven advocacy tools.

Program Development & Evaluation

We provide technical and strategic expertise to structure programs and assess program performance through systematic evaluations.

  • Worked with Newport, Rhode Island coalition to secure federal funding for and implement a two year effort to gather and evaluate environmental health risk to help establish local priorities.
  • Evaluated innovative school bus retrofit programs to reduced diesel emissions in Maine and New Hampshire. Developed nationally recognized electronic tool kit to promote school bus diesel emissions (www.asthmaregionalcouncil.org)

Policy Analysis

On behalf of our clients, we actively monitor and evaluate regulatory, legislative and related proposals with an eye toward our clients’ objectives. We identify relevant studies and structure analyses to arm you with the tools necessary to influence policy decisions.

  • Analyzed federal regulatory proposals and state initiatives to control lead exposures on behalf of The National Center for Healthy Housing and the Alliance for Healthy Homes. Developed written comments and strategies to help promote client goals.
  • Evaluated federal legislative and regulatory proposal affecting solid waste disposal for non profit and government clients.
  • Prepared an analysis of Federal policy options to address non paint sources of lead in the environment on behalf of the US Centers for Disease Control.

Training

We develop and deliver training that is engaging and useful.

  • Developed portions of EPA’s model courses for risk assessors, lead sampling technicians, and lead safe remodeling. Delivered lead training to over 1,500 individuals nationwide.
  • Served as peer reviewer for numerous national and state lead and environmental health training programs.

Research

We work closely with our clients to determine the information needed to bolster policy objectives and obtain funding. We then define and manage research projects to support these requirements, and effectively communicate project results.

  • Managed numerous research projects for the National Center for Healthy Housing and HUD on the effectiveness of lead-based paint hazard evaluation and control strategies, helping to shape federal and state regulations and resulting in peer reviewed articles.