The objective of this cooperative agreement is to develop a health education and voluntary institutional control program (HEVICP) to satisfy the components and protectiveness of the selected remedy in…

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded a $426,793 Project Grant to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services under the Superfund State, Political Subdivision, and Indian Tribe Site-Specific Cooperative Agreements program (CFDA 66.802). The objective of this 3-year cooperative agreement is to develop a Health Education and Voluntary Institutional Control Program (HEVICP) to satisfy the requirements of the EPA's 2012 and 2023 Records of Decision related to soil and private wells at the Southwest Jefferson County Superfund site.

The key activities to be performed include: providing health education to residents and professionals on lead exposure and poisoning prevention; coordinating public meetings on EPA response actions; assisting with obtaining residential access agreements for environmental sampling and remediation; recording and reporting blood lead screening data; conducting environmental lead risk assessments; and developing and implementing a Voluntary Institutional Control Program (VICP) to manage contaminated soil and groundwater. The grant also funds the agency's role as the point-of-contact for residents with EPA-provided water treatment units.

The objective of this cooperative agreement is to develop a health education and voluntary institutional control program (HEVICP) to satisfy the components and protectiveness of the selected remedy in the 2012 record of decision related to soil and the 2023 record of decision related to private wells for the southwest jefferson county superfund site, which is listed on the national priorities list (NPL) of the national oil and hazardous substances contingency plan.activities:the activities to be performed include the following site-specific actions: health education provide health education to families of children with an elevated blood lead level (EBL), parents with children who live in or near superfund sites or reside in pre-1978 housing, and professionals in the county such as physicians, realtors, financial institutions, contractors, daycare, WIC and head start workers; provide health education to county residents who have questions about mining-related heavy metals in private wells; provide community lead poisoning prevention activities. Coordination and public availability meetings routinely sponsor and attend coordination meetings where the health education and the voluntary institutional control programs are discussed; attend public availability meetings to discuss ongoing EPA response actions to inform communities of programs and the status of such actions. Residential access agreements assist EPA in obtaining signed access agreements for initial soil sampling and/or private well sampling and those who qualify but have not signed an access agreement for soil remediation and/or water treatment. Health assessments - recording and reporting of blood lead screening data encourage testing through education and outreach; record, report, and manage data for blood lead screenings conducted at the jefferson county health department and provide results to EPA annually or upon request; provide case management and home visits when children exhibit an EBL level greater than or equal to 3.5 micrograms per deciliter (GT;3.5 MU; G/DL). Environmental assessments ensure environmental lead risk assessments are provided by a missouri licensed lead risk assessor of all homes where children with confirmatory venous blood lead levels above the specified criteria reside; environmental assessments may also be offered for children with EBL as low as 3.5 MU; G/DL on a case-by-case basis after evaluating individual risk factors; attend required refresher courses as required or when necessary. Assess the feasibility of developing a vicp program determine feasibility of developing and implementing a vicp; may include an assessment of community willingness and program developmental need. Develop a vicp program work with the EPA and community leaders to develop and document vicp guidelines that will serve as a living document suitable to the communities in jefferson county and must meet or exceed the requirements of the EPA and the missouri department of natural resources (DNR) laws and regulations that govern the practice for identification, usage, and movement of soil and groundwater potentially contaminated from mining-related activities. Identify soil contamination and potential recontamination in collaboration with EPA, continue to explore methods and develop a means to identify soil contamination and potential recontamination. Water treatment unit communication serve as point-of-contact for residents with EPA-provided water treatment units: answering basic questions, explaining frequency of filter replacement, explain basics of how to change filters, and forwarding complaints or in-depth questions to EPA, provide annual reminders to replace water filters. Maintain database work with EPA to obtain and maintain the residential lead sites (RLS) database; maintain the RLS database by identifying properties in the county which have had lead soil contamination testing, soil REM