September—October 2020 Newsletter

Serving Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Pacific Islands, 148 Tribal Nations

Protecting Children’s Health

October is Children’s Health Month. Children are often more vulnerable to pollutants than adults because the behavior and biology of children can lead to greater exposure to pollution and unique windows of susceptibility during development. Protecting children’s health is a priority of EPA in the Pacific Southwest, and the agency offers many resources to help protect children’s health.

2020 Children’s Health Report
Protecting Children from Wildfire Smoke in the Pacific Southwest (English Video)
Protección de los niños contra el humo de incendios forestales en la Región del Pacífico y Suroeste (Video en español)
Tips for Protecting Children’s Health (poster) (English)
Octubre es el Mes de la Salud Infantil (español)

Responding to California’s Wildfires

The Woolsey Fire, California. (Photo courtesy of Peter Buschmann)

EPA’s role in responding to the California wildfires is to lead the survey, collection and disposal of household hazardous waste in Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Butte and Fresno counties. This work sets the stage for other state and federal agencies to remove ash and other non-hazardous debris, and for the rebuilding process to begin.

Rio Reimagined

The Rio Salado (Salt River) after 2010 winter rains; portion passing below the Central Avenue bridge in Phoenix, AZ.

EPA, along with federal, state and local partners, has designated the Rio Reimagined-Rio Salado Project in Arizona as an Urban Waters Federal Partnership location. This partnership will work to improve water quality and foster a connection between the river and residents of the surrounding area — helping to strengthen communities, promote economic development and protect the river ecosystem as a valued natural and cultural asset.

Cronkite News: Rio Salado Restoration Gets Boost
Rio Reimagined - Rio Salado Urban Waters Partnership

Enforcement Update

Protecting the Ocean

The Port of Oakland, California, paid a penalty for unauthorized ocean dumping of sediment from one of its dredging projects, in violation of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act. Protecting the health of our oceans is a priority for EPA, and dumping at sea can cause serious harm.

SF Gate: Port Pays $300K Fine For Sediment Dredging That Violated Federal Act

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EPA’s Pacific Southwest (Region 9) implements and enforces federal environmental laws in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, the Pacific Islands, and 148 Tribal Nations.

EPA at 50

EPA was established on December 2, 1970, to consolidate in one agency a variety of federal research, monitoring, standard-setting, and enforcement activities to ensure environmental protection. Since its inception, EPA has been working for a cleaner, healthier environment for the American people. Learn about EPA’s history and current work.