EPA National News: 1. ADMINISTRATOR WHITMAN WILL HONOR CITIZEN, INDUSTRY, AND GOVERNMENT GROUPS FOR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY, 2. EPA TO SPONSOR SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH WORKSHOPS, 3. NATIONAL POISON PREVENTION WEEK STRESSES COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
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1. ADMINISTRATOR WHITMAN WILL HONOR CITIZEN, INDUSTRY, AND GOVERNMENT GROUPS FOR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY, 2. EPA TO SPONSOR SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH WORKSHOPS, 3. NATIONAL POISON PREVENTION WEEK STRESSES COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT





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Following are some Agency developments which may interest you. If you need
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FOR RELEASE: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2003

ADMINISTRATOR WHITMAN WILL HONOR CITIZEN, INDUSTRY,
AND GOVERNMENT GROUPS FOR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY
Cathy Milbourn 202-564-7824/milbourn.cathy@epa.gov

EPA Administrator Christie Whitman will honor 21 local and state governments, industries and citizens groups for their innovative efforts in working toward the nation’s clean air goals. These award winners are being recognized at the third annual Clean Air Excellence Awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., at the Mayflower Hotel on March 20. The Clean Air Excellence Awards program recognizes organizations for using innovative concepts to improve air quality, showing that government and industry can work together to achieve a healthy environment without sacrificing economic growth.
EPA TO SPONSOR SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH WORKSHOPS

Suzanne Ackerman 202-564-7819/ackerman.suzanne@epa.gov

Following Administrator Christie Whitman’s presentation of the first “National Summit on Small Business and the Environment” for Small Business Month, EPA regions will sponsor three workshops on funding opportunities under EPA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. As stated in the President’s Small Business Plan, small businesses play a key role in America’s economy, creating two out of every three new jobs and generating about 50 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product. EPA’s SBIR program helps small businesses develop commercial ventures that improve the environment, create jobs, and contribute to U.S. technical competitiveness worldwide. The three workshops will cover proposal development and conversion of environmental inventions and innovations into commercial environmental technologies. The next SBIR request for applications will be for monitoring and control of air pollution, contaminated building cleanup, technology solutions for Western U.S. environmental issues, drinking water and wastewater treatment, solid and hazardous waste management, and pollution prevention. Interested small businesses are urged to attend one of the following SBIR Proposal Preparation Workshops:
  • March 20th - EPA Region VIII co-hosts a workshop with the Colorado Environmental Business Alliance at Red Rocks Community College in Lakewood. Contact Karen Eye at 303-554-9493, ext. 13 or see: http://www.regonline.com/?7669.
  • March 27th - EPA Region III co-hosts a workshop with the Temple University Small Business Development Center at EPA offices in Philadelphia, Pa. For more information, call 215-204-3856.
  • April 3rd - EPA Region I hosts a workshop in their Boston, Mass. offices. Call Maggie Theroux at 617-918-1613.

Additional information on EPA’s SBIR program can be found at: http://es.epa.gov/ncer/sbir/ .

NATIONAL POISON PREVENTION WEEK STRESSES COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Suzanne Ackerman 202-564-7819/ackerman.suzanne@epa.gov

EPA will observe National Poison Prevention Week from March 16 - 22 to increase awareness of the danger to children of accidental poisoning from pesticides and household products, and to empower communities to take an active role in prevention and safety education. National Poison Prevention Week was first authorized by Congress in 1961. This year’s theme is “Children Act Fast ... So Do Poisons!” because it only takes a few moments for a small child to grab and swallow a poisonous substance. Adults should carefully read labels and store hazardous household chemicals away from children at all times. A new “Poison Prevention: Read the Label First! Community Action Kit” is now available that includes materials for communities to use to heighten awareness about preventable poisonings caused by the improper use and storage of household chemicals; teach parents, pet owners, and gardeners the value of carefully reading product labels; and plan and publicize poison prevention outreach activities. The kit was developed through a grant from EPA to the National Safety Council, and is available by contacting Donald Gooding at the National Safety Council on 202-974-2496 or e-mailing gooding@nsc.org. EPA has other free publications available to parents and community organizations to inform people about potential dangers found in homes, including “Ten Tips to Protect Children From Pesticide andLead Poisonings.” All publications can be obtained by calling EPA’s Environmental Publications line at 1-800-490-9198. Additional information on Poison Prevention Week is available at: http://www.poisonprevention.org

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