U.S. EPA Aging Initiative List Serve March 2011

EPA Submits for Public Comment the Next Round of Safe Drinking Water Act Contaminant Monitoring
As part of its commitment to implement sensible protections of drinking water for communities across the country, and as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act, the U.S. EPA is proposing 30 currently unregulated contaminants for monitoring in water systems, and submitting this proposal for public comment. The comment period will allow the public and other stakeholders to provide input on the selection of new contaminants for monitoring, and will help determine the best path forward as the EPA seeks to collect data that will inform future decisions about how best to protect drinking water.

"Ensuring clean and safe drinking water for all Americans is a top priority for EPA," said Nancy Stoner, acting assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Water. "In keeping with the Safe Drinking Water Act, we are submitting for public comment and input our proposed next round of currently unregulated contaminants for monitoring. Learning more about the prevalence of these contaminants will allow EPA to better protect people's health."

Under the authority of the Safe Drinking Water Act, EPA currently regulates more than 90 contaminants in drinking water. To keep drinking water standards up-to-date with emerging science, the Safe Drinking Water Act requires that EPA identify up to 30 unregulated contaminants for monitoring every five years. This current proposal is the third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Regulation and includes requirements to monitor for two viruses and 28 chemical contaminants that could be present in drinking water and do not currently have health-based standards.

EPA is requesting public comment on the proposed list of 30 contaminants until May 2, 2011. Following the public comment period, EPA will consider this important input before the list is scheduled to be finalized in 2012, with sampling to be conducted from 2013 to 2015. Sampling will take place at all systems serving more than 10,000 people and at a representative sampling of systems serving less than 10,000 people.

More information about the proposed list of contaminants.

March is Save Your Vision Month
If you spend long hours sitting at a computer, then you may want to check out tips for healthy, comfortable vision recommendations from the American Optometric Association. The lenses you wear day-to-day may not be the best for working at the computer. For more information, read more...

EPA's Fact Sheet on UV Radiation focuses on the Eyes
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is released by the sun and by artificial sources such as tanning beds and sun lamps. This fact sheet has information about the major health problems associated with overexposure to UV radiation, including cataracts, Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Snow Blindness (Photokeratitis).

Both the beneficial and harmful effects of sunlight result from the same radiation and, therefore, it is very important to understand the risks incurred by overexposure. The fact sheet has also been translated into 14 languages and copies may be ordered online. Order factsheets and other material online.

Factsheet for Health Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation.

March is Women's History Month
EPA recognizes women scientists and engineers who are devoting their careers to helping the Agency meet its mission to protect human health and the environment. EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson kicks off the celebration with a post on the Agency's blog, Greenversations, followed by daily staff blog posts, some with companion video interviews of EPA Assistant Administrators or staff scientists. Each entry highlights EPA scientists who, like the Administrator, exemplify the leadership role women have played in environmental and human health science. Read more...

Planning Events for the Month of April
Public Health Week begins on April 4th and Earth Day is April 22nd. See the Calendar of events for more information on both of these special celebrations.

The theme for Public health Week is safety. Two thoughts come to mind from an environmental point of view that can benefit persons of all ages.

First, the built environment is critical for engineering safe streets for persons walking, biking or walking. One resource to examine is the national Complete Streets Coalition. The Coalition states "States, cities and towns are asking their planners and engineers to build road networks that are safer, more livable, and welcoming to everyone. Instituting a complete streets policy ensures that transportation planners and engineers consistently design and operate the entire roadway with all users in mind - including bicyclists, public transportation vehicles and riders, and pedestrians of all ages and abilities." Read more...

Secondly, the issue of managing risks from chemicals. EPA manages risks from existing chemicals under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and encourages pollution prevention under the Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) through both regulatory and voluntary programs. On September 29, 2009, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson announced that EPA is initiating a comprehensive approach to enhance the Agency's current chemicals management program within the limits of existing authorities. Read about all the efforts that are part of Enhancing Existing Chemicals Management Under TSCA.

The Administrator issued a set of principles that are essential for chemical management reform. Read more...

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II. News, Research, Reports and Presentations

Benefits and Costs of the Clean Air Act: Second Prospective Study - 1990 to 2020
In March 2011, EPA issued the Second Prospective Report which looked at the results of the Clean Air Act from 1990 to 2020. The report estimates that the benefits of reducing fine particle and ground level ozone pollution under the 1990 Clean Air Act amendments will reach approximately $2 trillion in 2020 while saving 230,000 people from early death in that year alone. The report studied the effects of the Clean Air Act updates on the economy, public health and the environment between 1990 and 2020.

The EPA report received extensive review and input from the Council on Clean Air Compliance Analysis, an independent panel of distinguished economists, scientists and public health experts established by Congress in 1991.

"The Clean Air Act's decades-long track record of success has helped millions of Americans live healthier, safer and more productive lives," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson."

The study shows that the benefits of avoiding early death, preventing heart attacks and asthma attacks, and reducing the number of sick days for employees far exceed costs of implementing clean air protections. These benefits lead to a more productive workforce, and enable consumers and businesses to spend less on health care — all of which help strengthen the economy.

In 2010 alone, the reductions in fine particle and ozone pollution from the 1990 Clean Air Act amendments prevented more than:

160,000 cases of premature mortality
130,000 heart attacks
13 million lost work days
1.7 million asthma attacks

In 2020, the study projects benefits will be even greater, preventing more than:

230,000 cases of premature mortality
200,000 heart attacks
17 million lost work days
2.4 million asthma attacks

The summary report.

Fact sheet on the report (PDF) (2 pp, 331K, About PDF)

NIH Launches Largest Oil Spill Health Study
GuLF STUDY to follow 55,000 cleanup workers and volunteers for up to 10 years

A new study that will look at possible health effects of the Gulf of Mexico's Deepwater Horizon oil spill on 55,000 cleanup workers and volunteers begins today in towns across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.

The GuLF STUDY (Gulf Long-term Follow-up Study) is the largest health study of its kind ever conducted among cleanup workers and volunteers, and is one component of a comprehensive federal response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The study is being conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), and is expected to last up to 10 years. Many agencies, researchers, outside experts, as well as members of the local community, have provided input into how the study should be designed and implemented.

For more information, call the GuLF STUDY toll-free number at 1-855-NIH-GULF (1-855-644-4853) or visit the GuLF STUDY Web site.

National Center for Healthy Housing Joins Leading National Organizations to Launch EnergyPlusHealth to Support Low-Income Homeowners
New partnership aims to make healthy housing repairs and energy efficiency a reality for families in greatest need

The National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH) is joining forces with Habitat for Humanity International, Rebuilding Together, and CLEARCorps to form EnergyPlusHealth.

In an effort to make healthy and energy efficient housing more accessible across all income levels, the new coalition will equip volunteers with the tools needed to make the critical health and energy efficient repairs many low income homeowners need, but can't afford. The pilot program will provide training, tools, and technical materials for the volunteers performing the rehabilitation and repairs work.

Many homes in greatest need of energy upgrades do not receive federal assistance, due to the serious health and safety risks which must be addressed prior to energy upgrades. These hazards include: structural issues, lead paint hazards, and mold and moisture issues. EnergyPlusHealth will work to construct a volunteer-based home repair program model to meet this void in supporting low-income homeowners' healthy housing improvement projects.

NCHH and EnergyPlusHealth have identified the following seven pilot partners:

Rebuilding Together Philadelphia, PA
Rebuilding Together Roanoke, VA
Habitat for Humanity in the Roanoke Valley, VA
Rebuilding Together Montgomery County, MD
Omaha Healthy Kids Alliance, NE (CLEARCorps)
Rebuilding Together Omaha, NE
Habitat for Humanity of Council Bluffs, IA

To learn more about the National Center for Healthy Housing.

Does the Smoke Ever Really Clear? Thirdhand Smoke Exposure Raises New Concerns
Burton, A, 2011 Does the Smoke Ever Really Clear? Thirdhand Smoke Exposure Raises New Concerns. Environ Health Perspective 119(2): doi:10.1289/ehp.119-a70

You probably know about second hand smoke (SHS), but have you heard about third hand smoke (THS)? Burton's article describes the history of recent reports and studies on third hand smoke. A study in 2010 by Sleiman et al., reported that "ozone, another indoor air pollutant, reacted with some 50 compounds in SHS to produce ultrafine particles smaller than 100 nanometers, the compositions of which are yet to be determined."

The authors hypothesized that ultrafine particles may be capable of depositing on surfaces and later re-suspending into the air. That same year, another research team gathered the first preliminary quantitative data showing these particles did just that, although reaching airborne concentrations 100 times lower than levels in second-hand smoke. These studies, however, did not look at human health effects of THS. More research remains to be done.

Ambient Air Pollution and Lipoprotein Associated Phospholipase A2 in Myocardial Infarction Survivors
Brüske I, Hampel R, Baumgärtner Z, Rückerl R, Greven S, et al. 2011 Ambient Air Pollution and Lipoprotein Associated Phospholipase A2 in Myocardial Infarction Survivors. Environ Health Perspect doi:10.1289/ehp.1002681

Background: Increasing evidence suggests a proatherogenic role for lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2). A meta-analysis of published cohorts has shown that it is an independent predictor of coronary heart disease events and stroke.

Objective: This study was performed to investigate whether the association between air pollution and cardiovascular disease might be partly explained by increased Lp-PLA2 mass in response to exposure.

Methods: A prospective longitudinal study of 200 post myocardial infarction (MI) patients was performed in Augsburg, Germany. Air pollution data from a fixed monitoring site representing urban background concentrations were collected. Hourly means of particle mass: PM10 (particle diameter<10µm), PM2.5 (particle diameter<2.5µm) and particle number concentrations (PNC), as well as the gaseous air pollutants carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SO2), Ozone (O3), nitric oxide (NO), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were measured. Data were analyzed using mixed models with random patient effects.

Results: Lp-PLA2 showed a positive association with PM10, PM2.5, and PNC as well as with CO, NO2, NO, and SO2 four to five days before blood withdrawal (lag 4-5). A positive association with ozone was much more immediate (lag 0). However, inverse associations with some pollutants were evident at shorter time lags.

Conclusion: These preliminary findings should be replicated in other study populations. However, they suggest that the accumulation of acute and sub-acute effects or the chronic exposure to ambient particulate and gaseous air pollution may result in the promotion of atherosclerosis mediated at least in part by increased levels of Lp-PLA2. Read more...

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III. New Resources and Opportunities

Partnership for Sustainable Communities: Supporting Environmental Justice and Equitable Development
EPA, HUD, and DOT have worked together to distribute almost $2 billion in grants that support vital transportation, infrastructure, equitable comprehensive planning and brownfields cleanup and reuse. One community is receiving assistance from the Partnership is Jacksonville, Florida, an environmental justice showcase community. Read more...(PDF) (4 pp, 665K, About PDF)

Audio Visual Presentations
Preserving Affordability and Access in Livable communities: Subsidized Housing Opportunities Near Transit and the 50+ Population.

View a video of Rodney Harrell, PhD, of AARP's Public Policy Institute discussing a report on transit-oriented development for the population 50 and older. Read more...

Life After EPA: A Video Panel Discussion
EPA's Legacy and Career Transition Committee and the EPA Alumni Association collaborated on a panel discussion about retirement, entitled "Life After EPA". A recording of that panel has now been turned into a video that is available to all for viewing on the EPA Alumni Association's website. Five alumni offer insights on coping with a range of expected and unexpected difficulties and opportunities. The panel embodies a spectrum of retirement choices, from volunteering or taking classes to pursuing a second career. While the panelists were EPA retirees, the discussion is not EPA-specific and therefore may be of interest to a wide group of persons who have retired or who are thinking of retiring.

View video.

Urban Agriculture & Improving Local, Sustainable Food Systems
Before a property can be redeveloped, contaminants must be removed, capped or contained in ways that limit exposure risks. Urban agriculture projects can help bind contaminants while providing further benefits to the property and surrounding community. An urban farm or community garden can improve the environment, reduce greenhouse emissions, and improve access to healthy, locally grown food. Other possible benefits include promoting health and physical activity, increasing community connections, and attracting economic activity.

For more information.

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IV. Building Healthy Communities - Sustainable Communities

The Building Healthy Communities for Active Aging awards recognizes communities that have excelled in strategies, planning and programs that support active aging and smart growth.

The Achievement Award, the top honor, is awarded to communities for overall excellence in building healthy communities for active aging. The Commitment Award recognizes communities that have developed and begun to initiate a specific plan to implement smart growth and active aging principles.

Communities self nominate for the award. A panel of judges selects the winners each year. Applications for 5th annual Building Healthy Communities for Active Aging the 2011 are due July 11, 2011. For more information.

Kaid Benfield's Blog
Have you seen the blogs by NRDC's Kaid Benfield? He is the Director, Sustainable Communities & Smart Growth, Washington, DC; co-founder, LEED for Neighborhood Development rating system; and co-founder of Smart Growth America coalition. He has also is the author of: Solving Sprawl (Island Press 2001), Smart Growth In a Changing World (APA Planners Press 2007), Green Community (APA Planners Press 2009); voted one of the "top urban thinkers" in 2009 poll on Planetizen.com and named one of "the most influential people in sustainable planning and development" in 2010 by the Partnership for Sustainable Communities. If you are committed to sustainable, livable and healthy communities, check out Kaid's blog and then share what's happening, what you are planning or implementing in your community. Read more...

Federal Partnership for Sustainable Development
On June 16, 2009, EPA joined with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U. S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to help improve access to affordable housing, increase transportation options, and lower transportation costs while protecting the environment in communities nationwide. Through a set of guiding livability principles and a partnership agreement that will guide the agencies' efforts, this partnership will coordinate federal housing, transportation, and other infrastructure investments to protect the environment, promote equitable development, and help to address the challenges of climate change. The USDA is also collaborating with the Partnership on many different efforts to improve rural development outcomes. For more information, read more...

EPA Aging Initiative Grant Update: The Encore Leadership Corps (ENCorps)
The Encore Leadership Corps (ENCorps) is a statewide initiative of the University of Maine Center on Aging, in partnership with the Maine Community Foundation, and with the cooperation of many other local, state, and national organizations. Grounded in the principles of smart growth and environmental stewardship, the program annually trains and supports a growing cohort of Mainers ages fifty and older throughout the state, who will then volunteer to improve the economic, environmental, and human health of their communities. Two successful projects were fortunate to have the leadership of Julia Hathaway and Jim Pierce, both ENCorps members.

Two of the livability principles are to:

Provide more transportation choices. Develop safe, reliable, and economical transportation choices to decrease household transportation costs, reduce our nation's dependence on foreign oil, improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and promote public health; and
Promote equitable, affordable housing. Expand location- and energy-efficient housing choices for people of all ages, incomes, races, and ethnicities to increase mobility and lower the combined cost of housing and transportation.

Affordable housing options are often a challenge for our elders. The 54 previous renters in a mobile home park became property owners last April. The Greystone Mobile Home Park became the second in the state of Maine to become owner occupied and is now a cooperative thanks to the efforts of Julia. Read more...

Jim Pierce is also an EnCorps Volunteer and President of Mid-coast Collaborative for Access to Transportation (MACT) has been working for seven years along with many others to make this dream come true. The Brunswick residents finally have a regularly scheduled public transportation service the — "Brunswick Explorer." The buses fit the bill: they are wheel-chair accessible and have bike racks and are hybrid electric, good for the environment, the wallet (with lower fuel consumption) and human health (reduced harmful emissions. The program hopes that people of all ages will use the bus system for daily activities, getting groceries, going to medical appointments and that other towns in Maine will move in that same direction. Read more...

To read more about ENCorps

Jane's Walk USA: In Celebration of Jane Jacobs
Get out and walk! Join Jane's Walk USA in communities across the country on May 7-8, 2011, as we celebrate the late urbanist and author Jane Jacobs. This weekend of free neighborhood walking and biking tours are led by locals for locals.

Jane Jacobs had no formal training as a planner, and yet her 1961 treatise, The Death and Life of Great American Cities, introduced ground-breaking ideas about how cities function, evolve and fail that now seem like common sense to generations of architects, planners, politicians and activists. Jacobs saw cities as integrated systems that had their own logic and dynamism which would change over time according to how they were used. With a keen eye for detail, she wrote eloquently about sidewalks, parks, retail design and self-organization.

Jane's Walks are a fun and memorable way to reconnect with your neighbors as you discover the hidden treasures of your city, one walk at a time. To help lead a Jane's Walk or to find one in your local area, please visit www.janeswalkusa.org or contact info@janeswalkusa.org.

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V. Pharmaceuticals in the Environment

Save the Date: The Drug Enforcement Administration's Second National Drug Take Back Day

What: The Second National Drug Take Back Day is a great opportunity for those who missed the first event or who have subsequently accumulated unwanted, unused prescription drugs, to safely dispose of them.

When: April 30, 2011. 10am to 2pm.

Why: This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. More than seven million Americans currently abuse prescription drugs, according to the 2009 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration's National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Drugs that are dumped down drains and toilets can end up in our lakes, streams, and watersheds. By participating in the drug take-back day you will protect public health and safety and protect the environment.

Where: Further information about the second National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, including a link to locate a collection site near you, will be posted on this website. Read more...

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VI. Intergenerational Activities

Howard County Legacy Leadership Institute for the Environment (HOLLIE)
Imagine that environmentally-concerned adults with flexible time were equipped to make significant contributions to their communities. That is happening in Maryland through an innovative volunteer program. The Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center (CBEC) partnered with the University of Maryland Center on Aging to create an environmental institute which is currently training its eighth volunteer cohort. The Howard County Legacy Leadership Institute for the Environment (HoLLIE), developed and coordinated by volunteers familiar with the CBEC program, has so far trained three cohorts. Participants experience a six-week earth system science curriculum, moving from global to local environmental problems, along with non-positional leadership training. This is followed by a six-month high-impact field placement in one of seven partner organizations that include environmental nonprofits, county recreation and parks, school system, and the local extension office.

HoLLIE has already had a tangible impact on the county. Among other achievements, Legacy Leaders have created content for the county's online environmental clearing house, coordinated volunteers for the school system's environmental education field experience, conducted strategic planning for an environmental foundation, developed a friends' group for the new nature center, engaged in advocacy, and led environmental education programs for children and adults. The Institute attracts high level volunteers and offers an inexpensive sustainable approach to meeting community environmental needs. For more information, read more...

2011 Rachel Carson Poetry, Essay, Photography and Dance Contest
Imagine that environmentally-concerned adults with flexible time were equipped to make significant contributions to their communities. That is happening in Maryland through an innovative volunteer program. The Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center (CBEC) partnered with the University of Maryland Center on Aging to create an environmental institute which is currently training its eighth volunteer cohort. The Howard County Legacy Leadership Institute for the Environment (HoLLIE), developed and coordinated by volunteers familiar with the CBEC program, has so far trained three cohorts. Participants experience a six-week earth system science curriculum, moving from global to local environmental problems, along with non-positional leadership training. This is followed by a six-month high-impact field placement in one of seven partner organizations that include environmental nonprofits, county recreation and parks, school system, and the local extension office.

The 5th Annual Rachel Carson Intergenerational Sense of Wonder Contest is underway. Teams may submit a poem, an essay, photograph or a dance video that captures the sense of wonder you see, hear, and feel in nature. Entries must be developed by a multi-generational team of two or more individuals-with at least one.

Teams will share through one of these distinct mediums their own interactions and reflections on the wonders of nature. Mixed media entries are also welcome, such as a photo accompanied with a poem or essay. Dance video entries can be of performers or capture movements and visible changes in nature from dawn to dusk.

The contest is sponsored by the U.S. EPA, the National Center for Creative Aging Creative the Dance Exchange, the Rachel Carson Council, Inc., and Generations United. For more information about the contest and to see the works of previous winners please read more...

This year, we invite entries in Spanish. Please see:
http://www.epa.gov/aging/resources/thesenseofwonder/2011_flyercarson-esp.pdf (1 pg, 195K, About PDF)
http://www.epa.gov/aging/resources/thesenseofwonder/2011-contest-entry-form-esp.pdf (2 pp, 233K, About PDF)

The deadline for entries is Friday, June 10, 2011.

Great Backyard Bird Count
Imagine that environmentally-concerned adults with flexible time were equipped to make significant contributions to their communities. That is happening in Maryland through an innovative volunteer program. The Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center (CBEC) partnered with the University of Maryland Center on Aging to create an environmental institute which is currently training its eighth volunteer cohort. The Howard County Legacy Leadership Institute for the Environment (HoLLIE), developed and coordinated by volunteers familiar with the CBEC program, has so far trained three cohorts. Participants experience a six-week earth system science curriculum, moving from global to local environmental problems, along with non-positional leadership training. This is followed by a six-month high-impact field placement in one of seven partner organizations that include environmental nonprofits, county recreation and parks, school system, and the local extension office.

What did residents from Menot, OH, Corpus Christi, TX and Stewarstown, PA share in common? What was the most frequent type of bird reported, the Crow, Blue Jay or Cardinal? Check out the results to find out the answers to these questions and more about our feathered friends. Read more...

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VII. EPA Funding Opportunities

FY2011 Community Action For A Renewed Environment (CARE) RFP
This request for proposals (RFP) announces the availability of funds and solicits proposals from eligible entities for financial assistance through the Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) competitive grant program. CARE is a unique community-based, community-driven, multimedia demonstration program designed to help communities understand and reduce risks due to toxic pollutants and environmental concerns from all sources. For more general information on the CARE program.
Deadline: March 22, 2011. Read more...(PDF) (56 pp, 191K, About PDF)

Fiscal Year 2011 Pollution Prevention Grant Program
EPA is announcing the opportunity to submit proposals under the P2 grant program. Under the authority of the Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) of 1990, EPA anticipates that approximately $4.1 million will be available to support P2 projects proposed by state agencies, state colleges or universities, federally-recognized tribes, and intertribal consortia during FY 2011. The Regions will award P2 grants and/or cooperative agreements to support state and tribal technical assistance programs that address the reduction or elimination of pollution by businesses across all environmental media: air, water and land.
Deadline: March 28, 2011. Read more...

The Environmental Justice Small Grants Program
The Environmental Justice Small Grants Program (EJSG) is designed to provide funding for eligible applicants for projects that address local environmental and public health issues within an affected community. The EJSG Program is a multi-statute program designed to help communities understand and address their exposure to multiple environmental harms and risks.
Deadline: March 31, 2011. Read more...

Extreme Event Impacts on Air and Water Quality with a Changing Global Climate
The EPA, as part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, is seeking applications proposing the development of assessments, tools and techniques, and demonstration of innovative technologies for providing information and capacity to adequately prepare for climate-induced changes in extreme events in the context of air and water quality management. A goal of this RFA is to seek a better understanding of the hazards (the extreme events) and to establish ways for climate scientists, impact assessment modelers, air and water quality managers, and other stakeholders to co-produce information necessary to form sound policy in relation to extreme events and their impact on air and water quality under a changing climate.

In addition to regular awards, this solicitation includes the opportunity for early career projects. The purpose of the early career award is to fund research projects smaller in scope and budget by early career PIs. Please see Section III of this Request for Applications (RFA) for details on the early career eligibility criteria.
Deadline: April 18, 2011. Read more...

2011 Environmental Education Grants
The purpose of the Environmental Education Regional Grant Program is to increase public awareness and knowledge about environmental issues and provide the skills that participants in its funded projects need to make informed environmental decisions and take responsible actions toward the environment. The total estimated funding for this competitive opportunity is approximately $1,943,000 nationwide (approximately $194,300 per Region). EPA expects to award a minimum of two grants per region for an expected minimum of 20 grants nationwide; the minimum award amount is $15,000 and the maximum is $100,000, subject to the availability of funds, the quality and quantity of applications received, and other applicable considerations.

Applicants must demonstrate how they will provide non-federal matching funds of at least 25% of the total cost of the project.
Deadline: Deadline May 2, 2011. Read more...

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VIII. Other Funding Opportunities

Mechanisms of Functional Recovery After Stroke (R01)
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke solicits applications from institutions/organizations that propose to find brain mechanisms to improve and develop new approaches to functional recovery after stroke.
Deadline: May 7, 2011. Read more...

Transdisciplinary Research on Fatigue and Fatigability in Aging (R01)
NIH is soliciting research grant applications on fatigue and fatigability in aging.
Deadline: May 7, 2011. Read more...

Functional Links between the Immune System, Brain Function and Behavior (R21)
The National Institute of Mental Health, solicits research grant applications to study neuroimmune molecules and mechanisms involved in regulating normal and pathological functions of the central nervous system.
Deadline: May 16, 2011. Read more...

Using Systems Science Methodologies to Protect and Improve Population Health
NIH solicits applications to apply one or more system science methodologies to public health and health care system problems and contribute knowledge that will enhance effective decision making.
Deadline: September 7, 2011. Read more...

Translational Research at the Aging/Cancer Interface (TRACI) (R01)
This announcement, issued by the National Institute on Aging, encourages research grant applications from institutions/organizations that propose translational research in the overlapping areas of human aging and cancer.
Deadline: September 7, 2011. Read more...

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IX. Other Fellowships and Opportunities

Health and Aging Policy Fellows Program
The Health and Aging Policy Fellows Program is in its fourth year. The goal of the fellowship is to create a cadre of leaders across multiple disciplines and career stages to serve as change agents to improve the lives of older adults. Supported by The Atlantic Philanthropies directed by Dr. Harold Pincus, Columbia University, in collaboration with the American Political Science Association Congressional Fellowship Program, this national program provides professionals with a demonstrated commitment to health and aging issues with a remarkable opportunity to understand and impact policy.

The program offers two different tracks:

Residential fellows work full-time in a nine-to-12-month placement (in the US Senate or House of Representatives, executive agencies, or 'think tank' organizations).
Non-residential fellows remain in their current positions while working on a specific policy project which may involve brief placement(s) throughout the year at relevant sites.

Core program components focused on an extensive orientation and retreats on health, aging and legislative issues and processes, career development, mentorship and professional enrichment are provided for fellows in both tracks.
The application deadline is May 20, 2011. Read more...

X. 2011 Calendar of Events & Meetings

March 2011

National Poison Prevention Month
http://www.poisonprevention.org/poison.htm

Women's History Month
http://womenshistorymonth.gov/

Save Your Vision Month
http://www.aoa.org/x5072.xml

Groundwater Awareness Week
March 6-12, 2011
http://www.ngwa.org/public/awarenessweek/index.aspx

Association for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE) Annual Conference
March 17-20, 2011
Cincinnati, OH
http://www.aghe.org/templates/System/details.asp?id=40634&PID=500208

World Water Day
March 22, 2011
http://www.worldwaterday.org/

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April 2011

Brownfields Annual Conference
April 3-5, 2011
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/bfconf.htm

American Public Health Week
Safety is No Accident:
Creating a Healthier Nation starts with Creating a Safer Nation
Date: April 4-10, 2011
http://www.nphw.org/nphw11/default.htm

American Planning Association Annual Conference
April 9-12, 2011
http://www.planning.org/conference/index.htm

National Parks Week
April 17-25
http://www.nationalparks.org/explore/?fa=national-park-week

Society for Human Ecology XVIIIth International Conference
Human Responsibility & Environmental Change: Planning, Process, and Policy
April 20-23, 2011
Las Vegas, Nevada
http://www.societyforhumanecology.org

Earth Day
April 22, 2011

American Society on Aging /National Council on Aging Annual Conference
April 26-30
San Francisco, CA
http://www.agingconference.org/AiA11/index.cfm

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May 2011

May Older American's Month
http://olderamericansmonth.org/

Mental Health Awareness Month
http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/may

Clean Air Month
http://www.causecast.org/news_items/8390-may-is-clean-air-month-note-breathing-is-bad-for-you

Lyme's Disease Awareness Month
http://www.lymediseaseassociation.org/

American Geriatrics Society
May 11-14
Washington, DC
http://www.americangeriatrics.org/annual_meeting/

The Friesen Conference Secretariat
May 25-26th, 2011
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
http://www.sfu.ca/fc2011

Environmental Design Research Association Annual meeting
May 25-28
Chicago, Ill
http://www.edra.org/

June 2011

Great Outdoors Month
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidential-proclamation-great-outdoors-month

Congress for New Urbanisim
June 1-4, 2011
Madison, WI
http://www.cnu.org/congresses

River Rally Network: Call for Workshops River Rally 2011
June 3-6, 2011
Charleston, South Carolina
http://www.rivernetwork.org/forms/2011-call-national-river-rally-workshops

Festival of International Conferences on Caregiving, Disability, Aging and Technology
Toronto, Canada
June 5-8, 2011
https://www.confmanager.com/main.cfm?cid=1559&nid=13257

World Oceans Day
June 8, 2011
http://www.squidoo.com/world-oceans-day

CSTE Annual Conference
Pittsburgh, PA
June 12-16, 2011
http://www.cste.org/conference/CallForTopics/tabid/375/Default.aspx

National Environmental Health Association
Columbus, Ohio
June 18-20, 2011
http://neha2011aec.org/motivation_and_inspiration.html

APHA Midyear Meeting
Chicago, Illinois
June 23-25, 2011
http://www.apha.org/midyear

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