ATSDR Announced Notice of Funding Opportunity for APPLETREE Program | WPN World People News

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a federal public health agency, is pleased to announce a new notice of funding opportunity (NOFO)external icon, for its APPLETREE program.

This new three-year ATSDR’s Partnership to Promote Local Efforts to Reduce Environmental Exposure (APPLETREE) cooperative agreement program will fund approximately 25 state and local health departments and/or federally recognized American Indian/Alaska Native Tribal governments for a period of performance from April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2023.

Applications must be submitted electronically no later than 11:59 p.m. ET, on December 15, 2019.

Through this cooperative agreement, funded applicants will receive resources and guidance to assess and respond to site-specific issues involving exposure to hazardous substances in the environment. This includes:

•Identifying if and how people are exposed to toxic chemicals at specific sites,

•reviewing environmental and health data to identify potential health risks,

•making recommendations to prevent exposures, and

•educating affected communities and local health professionals about site contamination and potential health effects

In addition to these activities, the funded applicants will use the funds to protect children from environmental hazards by ensuring assessment of new early care and education facilities for young children. The safe placement of early care and education facilities includes a review of:

•former uses of proposed sites that may have left harmful chemicals or metals on the property (both building and land),

•possible leakage of harmful substances onto the site from nearby properties or activities,

•any naturally occurring harmful substances on site, and

•access to safe drinking water at the site.

Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention