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Statement Of John P. Stewart
Environmental Protection Agency
Aging Initiative Public Listening Session
Baltimore, Maryland
May 7, 2003
John P. Stewart
Executive Director
Baltimore Commission on Aging and Retirement Education (CARE)
Executive Director
Baltimore Commission on Aging and Retirement Education (CARE)
Good afternoon ladies and gentleman. I am John P. Stewart the Executive Director of the Commission on Aging and Retirement Education (CARE). CARE is pleased to be here today partnering with these very prestigious institutions. CARE is an area agency on aging and as such is in a unique position to speak to the point of our rapidly graying society. While you have all read and heard about the numbers of Baltimore citizens who are leaving the City, you are not learning about the numbers who are remaining. For the most part these are the most frail and vulnerable of Baltimore's citizens. The 2000 census data shows 110,961 people over the age of 64 out of an overall population of 651,154 live in the City. The total number of people over the age of 75 is 41,205. The 2005 census figures for this same over 75 age group are projected to be 43,293. This demonstrates that the remaining population is going to age in a place where there are many environmental concerns that may affect the quality of their lives.
What are those environmental hazards that may jeopardize this aging cohort?
- Baltimore has an industrial past that has caused chemical pollutants to be present in our ground water.
- Sanitary landfill that is reaching its capacity.
- An aging sewer and storm water system that allows increasing infiltration and repeated disruptions.
- An effort to use our dwindling primitive areas (green space) instead of redeveloping brownfields.
- Illegal dumping.
- Continually increasing use of our surface water for drinking.
- An economic reduction of resources due to emigration and downsizing of businesses from the City.
- Decreasing of environmental services as the City, State and Federal agencies tightens their budgets.
- Baltimore City is a non-attainment area for air pollution as it pertains to ozone levels, which of course impacts on the air quality for its citizens.
- Research has shown urban environments have an increased amount of air pollution due to automobile traffic.
- Major cities also have an increase in noise levels as compared to suburban or rural settings.