The webinar discussion will focus on experiences and solutions aimed towards preventing the establishment of daycare facilities in areas where environmental contamination could pose risks to children. The discussion will address progress and challenges since Kiddie Kollege, where a childcare facility was constructed at a contaminated site exposing children to mercury. Then the discussion will move forward to discuss measures New Jersey instituted to prevent similar occurrences and steps being taken at other states as well as initiatives underway at EPA. Kiddie Kollege is one of 400,000 daycares nationally vulnerable to toxics from hundreds of thousands of cleanup sites. The facilitated dialogue will remind us of the importance of protecting daycare-age children from toxic contamination, present efforts and challenges from state childcare licensing and environmental programs, allowing for a dialogue among those working towards solutions. For a more detailed overview of this topic, see the article written on Terradex’s blog, The Monitor.
Format: The meeting will be conducted as a web conference that you may attend at your desktop. Speakers will provide brief, 3-5 minute talks, from their perspective and experience. After the prepared remarks, Terradex will facilitate a discussion among the speakers and attendees.
Invited Speakers:
- Bob Axlerad, USEPA Office of Air & Radiation, Indoor Environments Division (discussing agency initiatives concerning child protection)
- Larry Zaragoza, USEPA OSWER (discussing information management procedures for comparing environmental site and daycare locations)
- Lenny Siegel, Center for Public Environmental Oversight (discussing community concerns and experiences of daycare facilities near contaminated sites)
- Diane Pupa, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (discussing the Kiddie College a case study and NJ’s response)
- Bill Ottaway – New York Department of Environmental Conservation (discussing the sharing of daycare and environmental site information between state agencies)
- Dan Tatro, New York Office of Child and Family Services (discussing state process of licensing and inventorying daycare facilities)
- Carolyn Tatoian and Sam Martinez – California Department of Toxic Substances Control (discussing efforts to prevent sensitive uses near contaminated property)
- New Jersey Department of Children and Families, Office of Licensing (discussing the licensing process)
- Larry Schnapf, Schnapf Law Offices and Adjunct Professor at New York Law School (the relation to vapor intrusion risks)
Signing up for the Webinar. Please click the register link above, or enter https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/659224371 into your browser. After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar. You may listen and participate either from your computer (with a audio headset) or by phone. Please allow a few minutes to download and activate the GoToWebinar software prior to the meeting commencing.