A.  U.S. Senate passed the High Performance Green Buildings Act of 2007

The U.S. Senate has passed the High Performance Green Buildings Act of 2007 inside the Senate's energy bill, which includes provisions for EPA to work directly with the states on 'healthy school environments' and to develop federal guidelines for the siting of schools (away from hazards, safe walking distance, etc).  These provisions are consistent with APHA Policy #200010, which had broad support, not only from the Environment Section, but also from the Occupational Health and Maternal and Child Health Sections.  The House energy bill does not have the same school provisions; but we are very hopeful that the Senate version of the text will prevail in Conference Committee this month.

For more information on this bill, or to contact the subcommittee members, visit the Web site: <http://www.thomas.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c110:217:./temp/~c110thnfAY. Members who are in the D.C. area and interested in learning more and possibly joining in Hill visits should contact Claire Barnett. Her contact information is cbarnett@healthyschools.org.

Submitted by Claire Barnett, Healthy Schools Network Executive Director

    B. APHA Supports Petition to Label Medical Equipment Containing DEHP

APHA supported Health Care Without Harm's petition to the FDA to require manufacturers to label DEHP-containing medical devices. We are now trying to encourage people to support the petition by writing to the FDA. Here is a letter explaining this and requesting support:

Health Care Without Harm, with support from a group of prominent health organizations, has submitted a formal petition to the Food and Drug Administration requesting that they require medical device manufacturers to consistently label all medical device products containing polyvinyl chloride (PVC) that may expose patients to DEHP. This effort is under way because this phthalate leaches out of vinyl plastic medical devices into patients, posing risks to developing reproductive systems – including reduced fertility – of boys.

The FDA’s Public Health Notification issued in July 2002,urged health care providers to reduce the use of DEHP-containing devices for certain patient groups. Since then, health care institutions nationwide have been struggling to follow FDA recommendations to adopt safer alternative products. The absence of a requirement for DEHP labeling on medical devices has made it difficult and time consuming for practitioners and supply staff to follow the FDA recommendations. DEHP labeling would help move this transition to healthier alternatives forward, and reduce DEHP exposures to patients.

Please join Health Care Without Harm and let the FDA know that you support this petition, and demand that manufacturers provide labeling so that hospitals can move toward readily available safer alternatives and avoid harmful exposures.  To learn more about this issue, read the petition, and to write to the FDA (see our sample letters), please visit the Web site at http://www.noharm.org/us/pvcDehp/fdapetition.

We appreciate your action on this important issue!

Submitted by Michelle Gottlieb, MEM, New England Coordinator, Healthcare Food Project and Health Care Without Harm

    C. APHA Advocacy Priorities for 2007

APHA is asking its members to schedule meetings with their legislators in their district offices and to participate in town hall meetings hosted by their legislators. This is a change to build a relationship with your member of Congress and his/her staff, and to advocate for issues within APHA's three priority areas:

•        Increasing Access to Care;

•        Eliminating Health Disparities; and

•        Rebuilding the Public Health Infrastructure.

Members of our section/caucus/SPIG/affiliate (choose one) can take this opportunity to advocate for our top priority, which involves a wide range of environmental health issues, particularly as they relate to infrastructure capacity and the built environment.

It's easy to arrange a visit to your member of Congress! APHA has set up a special Web page with all the materials you need, including tips on arranging a visit, a sample letter requesting a visit and all the talking points and fact sheets you will need. Go to: www.apha.org/advocacy/  and click on the logo for the August PHACT campaign. After you make your visit, please fill out the report form and send it in, so staff can track the visits that were made and follow up on any additional materials that might be needed. Please contact me, Leon Vinci, at leon.vinci@jocogov.org, if you have questions or need assistance.

Thank you for advocating for public health!

Submitted by Leon F. Vinci, DHA, Environment Section Advocacy Liaison