Advancing Cooperative Federalism, EPA Enters into New Partnership with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Environmental Council of the States to Collaborate on Environmental Health Projects
WASHINGTON — At the Environmental Council of States (ECOS) Spring Meeting, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Associate Deputy Administrator Travis Voyles announced a five-year Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) to collaborate on environmental health projects. EPA, ASTHO, and ECOS will work together on projects to protect public health from environmental threats and hazards and strengthen environmental health systems across the country.
“The Trump EPA stands ready to work collaboratively with our state and Tribal partners in tackling the greatest environmental challenges our country faces. This Memorandum of Agreement puts cooperative federalism in action to move forward on joint projects to improve public and environmental health across the country,” said Associate Deputy Administrator Travis Voyles.
“Under this new Memorandum, ECOS is pleased to continue the work of the past 10 years between state environmental agencies, state health agencies, and EPA. We look forward to working on future projects that bring together environmental and public health perspectives to support our communities, ecosystems, and economies," said ECOS President Chris Wells, Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.
"The EPA-ECOS-ASTHO alliance has been an important bridge between public health and environmental science, resulting in strengthened connections across agencies,” says Manisha Juthani, MD, ASTHO President and Commissioner for the Connecticut Department of Public Health. “The collaboration extends the reach of our public health programs by fostering deeper connections with colleagues working on air, land, and water programs and policies. We value this network of practitioners and look forward to overcoming challenges ahead with innovative tools and resources, thanks to this MOA."
This renewed partnership will enable EPA, via the newly created Office of Applied Science and Environmental Solutions (OASES), ASTHO, and ECOS to closely and effectively work together to develop tools, reports, workshops, meetings, and other tangible outcomes and initiatives that will support the connected nature of public health and the environment.
The MOA supports multiple pillars of EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin’s Powering the Great American Comeback initiative, including providing clean, air, land, and water for all Americans and advancing cooperative federalism and cross-agency partnerships.