[CPEO-BIF] Air Toxics at Schools

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

[This is an extensive special multi-media report based upon independent 
sampling. The focus is on operating sources of air toxics, however, not 
contaminated sites. - LS]

Officials vow air near schools will be tested for toxics

By Blake Morrison and Brad Heath
USA TODAY
December 8, 2008

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works 
Committee pledged Tuesday to "do what I have to do" to ensure that the 
government monitors the air for toxic chemicals outside schools across 
the nation.

Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., cited a USA TODAY analysis this week that 
examined the impact of industrial pollution outside almost 128,000 
schools. The newspaper used a government computer model to pinpoint 
locations where toxic chemicals appeared to be at high levels outside 
schools from coast to coast.

AIR TESTS: Elevated levels of toxics found near schools
[http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/school-air-monitoring1.htm]
COMPLETE COVERAGE: Toxic air and America's schools
[http://content.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/smokestack/index]
FIND YOUR SCHOOL: Schools with high chemical levels in air
http://content.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/smokestack/interactive/4

USA TODAY subsequently took air samples near 95 schools and found 
elevated levels of toxic chemicals outside 64 locations.

Children are particularly susceptible to the effects of the chemicals, 
and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state agencies 
typically have not monitored the air outside schools, even schools in 
toxic hot spots.

...

For the entire article, as well as links to other articles in the 
special report, go to 
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/2008-12-09-toxic_N.htm
--


Lenny Siegel
Executive Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
a project of the Pacific Studies Center
278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org



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