Coordinators:

Niagara University ~ TBA

Community ~ Ms. Theresa M. McCabe, Public Health Educator, Niagara County Health Department Health Neighborhoods Program

Specific Issues/Barriers:

• 24 documented Superfund Sites in county with six on national priority list as most toxic and hazardous
• Highest ratio of Brownfield sites per capita in the nation
• 386 identified acres of Brownfields in Niagara Falls
• Distrust of local leadership, residual of Love Canal impacts
• More than 80% (average) of housing stock built before 1950
• Excessive ration of rental/vacant properties versus owner occupied
• High levels of poverty
• Uninformed constituency related to environmental health risks
• Inadequate resources devoted to assessing and tracking environmental risks and hazards

Proposed Outreach

• Establish Environmental Health and Justice referral line (GreenLine) for reporting public nuisance issues and obtaining information and services related to environmental health
• Expanded outreach through home assessment and environmental case management
• Design and facilitate workshops aimed at educating residents about environmental health and justice issues.

Proposed Research

• Neighborhood Hot Spot Mapping and Analysis
• Evaluation of Environmental Justice Activities

Impact Areas

• Environment
• Health
• Fair Housing

End Results

1. There will be a marked improvement in homes and businesses related to environmental health; and,
2. Decreased health risks for environmentally-related injury or disease.