65809 Community Association June, 2002, Meeting Minutes State of the Environment for Springfield and Greene County, 2002 Barbara J. Lucks, Chair, Environmental Collaborative, Community Partnership of the Ozarks Materials Recovery/Education Coordinator, Springfield Public Works Dept. Clay Goddard, Environmental/Community Health Planner Springfield-Greene County Health Dept. Began in the fall of 2002, and completed and published in March, 2002, this comprehensive study of local environmental issues was a project of the Springfield-Greene County Health Dept. and The Community Partnership of the Ozarks' Environmental Collaborative. This project was accomplished through collaboration between many organizations and individuals in the community who volunteered their time under the leadership of Barbara Lucks. A primary goal of the Environmental Collaborative is to improve the environmental health of Springfield and Greene County. As a follow up to the State of the Community's Health Springfield/Greene County study and report (which began in 1996), this study and report deals with factors underlying and impacting human health. A look to the environment as cause and affect upon humans is not only wise but economically prudent. The national drive for these studies is a result of the fact that over the past 20 years there has been an increase in illness in the general population due to pollution and other environmental factors. Greene County is among the first ten counties nation wide to undertake such a study and the first in the state of Missouri. This type of study is being encouraged by the National Association of County and City Health Officials who developed the framework and protocol model which was adopted by the local study group. As a result of the State of the Community's Health Springfield/Greene County study, the Health Dept. began to issue an annual Community Health Report Card in order that citizens may follow the progress of work they are doing to improve our health. As a result of this environmental study, the community should be able to monitor it's environment and set priorities toward quality of life issues. It is hoped that we will have a community where everyone is free from exposure to physical, chemical, biological or physiological threats. The Health Dept. plans to develop a report card on the environment in order that the community can evaluate progress on efforts invested to improve the environment, and therefore support better human health. It is anticipated that individuals and groups in our community will study this document and evaluate it for themselves. It is hoped that each individual will assume responsibility to determine how they can contribute to the improvement of our environment. In the fall there will be an open house event where public comment will be received. After the public comment period is compelled, an Action Plan will be formulated based on specified indicators to identify areas in need of improvement and measure progress. Included in this document is a Directory of Environmental Agencies and Organizations provided by the Springfield/Greene County Choose Environmental Excellence. It was proved for the convince of interested persons who would like to access the any of the many listed organizations. Clay Goddard discussed much of the statistical data and their implications from the study utilizing power point overhead charts and graphs and directed our attention through the document. In order to obtain a copy of the State of the Environment for Springfield and Greene County, 2002, contact Clay Goddard at (417) 864-1408 or Barbara Lucks at (417) 864-2005. The State of the Environment for Springfield and Greene County, Missouri, 2002 Specific areas of study were abstracted from the study report: 1) Population, Growth, and Urban Sprawl which covered issues such as population trends, gender, race and age composition; housing, utilities, loss of farmland, brownfields, public transit system, and the decline of our tree canopy. From the Did you know? section: * The population of Greene County in 2000 was 240,391 which was more than double the population of 1950. The population of the whole State only increased by 1.5 during the same time period. From 1990 to 2000 Greene County's population increased by 15.6% * Farms in Greene County have declined at the rate of about 23 per year since 1900 for a total of about 2300 farms. (Where will the food come from to feed Greene County fifty years from now? Where ever it comes from, it will most certainly be very expensive.) * Well positioned trees can reduce energy costs by as much as 25% * Nearly 1.5 million passengers used City Utilities' bus transit system in 2000. * Six Brownfield sites have been identified in the Jordan Creek Corridor of the Springfield downtown area. 2) Water Quality which covered issues of waster water treatment, private well water quality, municipal drinking water quality, waterborne illnesses, surface water and spring water quality, well water draw down. Case studies included fecal coliform bacteria levels in Pearson Creek, Fulbright Spring projections, and Fellows-McDaniel lakes watershed protection. Recommendations about water conservation were included. From the Did You Know? section: * By 2000, about 971 miles of sanitary sewer pipe had been installed, with an average of about 20 miles being installed each year. * Since routine testing began, there has been no reported E. coli or fecal coliform bacteria in the City's treated water. * A series of tests done on each of Greene County's 24 springs showed averaged levels of E coli exceeding the recommended standard for whole body contact. * Three major watersheds drain Greene County: the James, Sac, and Pomme de Terre River Watersheds. (Five watersheds serve the water supply for the City of Springfield: Stocton Lake, James River, Fellows Lake, McDaniel, and the Fulbright Spring Recharge area.) * According to the Missouri Dept. of Conservation, 41 fish kills have been investigated in the James River Watershed since 1980. All but five have occurred in Greene County. 3) Air Quality which included issues such as ambient air quality, local monitoring sites, mobile source air emissions, regional patterns, industrial emission, indoor air quality, and what can be done to improve air quality. From the Did You Know? section: * Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer behind tobacco * Maintenance of good indoor air quality is important as people spend an average of 90% of their time indoors. * Monitoring of ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and particulate matter are monitored by the Springfield-Greene County Health Dept. (Some sources of Carbon Dioxide are motor vehicles, industry, wood stoves/fireplaces and cigarettes. This gas is odorless, colorless and tasteless. Some of the symptoms of exposure to Carbon Dioxide are: visual impairment, reduced motor skills, decreased learning ability, headache, dizziness, nausea and or vomiting, unconsciousness and death.) * A link has been established between Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and secondhand smoke. Behavioral and cognitive problems in children have also been linked to secondhand smoke. 4) Solid Waste Management which covered issues of curbside recycling, household chemical collection, yard waste recycling, market development, the sanitary landfill, and recycling centers. From the Did You Know? section: * From 18 - 25% of customers of commercial waste hauling companies participate in their curbside recycling program. * Springfield's four recycling centers handle approximately 536,000 pounds of materials per month or 3,214 tons per year. * Estimates show that the Springfield urban service area generates between 800 and 1200 tons of solid waste per day. Springfield Sanitary Landfill receives from 300 to 400 tons of this amount daily. Residual waste is taken to out of town landfills. * Approximately 1,500,000 cubic yards of yard waste is processed at the Yard Waste Recycling Center each year. * The Springfield Household Chemical Collection Center has collected 528,000 pounds of materials since it opened in 1996. 85% of that amount has been recycled. (The SHCCC accepts: all automotive products, pesticides in all forms, mothballs, weed killers, household cleaners of all kinds, aerosol cans, art and craft materials, lighter fluid, pool chemicals, cosmetics and even shoe polish.) 5) Community Health which looked at issues concerning unoccupied and dangerous buildings and property, lead contamination, food borne illnesses, food service facility inspections, methamphetamines and the West Nile Virus. From the Did You Know? section: * Approximately three percent of housing in Greene County is at risk of having lead hazards. * 2% of all children tested recently have had elevated blood levels of lead. From 1996 to 2000 the numbers have continually decreased. (Mental retardation is one of the effects of elevated blood levels of lead.) * The CDC has identified 250 food borne illnesses. The most common found in Greene County are: campylobacteriosis, salmonellosis, shigellosis, hepatitis A and E coli. (Good hand washing practices done frequently by food preparers and servers is a must to prevent the spread of these diseases.) * Records since 1995 indicate that there have been 59 restaurant closings due to failed inspections within the incorporated limits of Springfield but no closings have been recorded outside the City limits. * In 2000, the Springfield Planning Dept. staff identified approximately 120 boarded buildings and over 150 vacant or dilapidated buildings on the City's north side. Note: Missouri has the third highest incidents of drug lab busts in the country behind California and Washington. Most of these were for the production of methamphetamines. Methamphetamin productions requires toxic materials, the residue of which remain in the immediate environment and can cause great harm to others of not removed properly. (Baby bottles or formula warmed in a microwave where meth. has been can cause harm to the infant) There should be a zero tolerance to any production of meth or other drugs! The far reaching consequences are grave to the unsuspecting among us. 6) Environmental Justice and Environmental Education which included issues of environmental justice, Environmental education programs. "Environmental justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people.... in the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies. Fair treatment means that no group of people, including racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic group should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting form industrial, municipal, and commercial operations or the execution of federal, state, local and tribal programs and policies." 1994, by Executive Order 12898 (Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations), a law was written, adopted, and designed to to set a federal goal of achieving environmental protection for all communities. From the Did You Know? section: * A wealth of environmental educational opportunities are available to the public within our community. Please consult the Springfield Area Directory of Environmental Agencies and Organizations. * The City of Springfield is working to ensure that environmental justice is acknowledge by seeking the involvement and participation of at-risk populations in redevelopment decisions starting with the Jordan Creek Corridor. * 96% of American Adults support the instruction of environmental education in schools. * The Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources reports that environmental topics comprise 30 percent of school science and social studies framework. Respectfully Submitted, Aleta Dyer Please submit corrections or additions to Aleta at jadyer@swbell.net

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