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W E E K L Y     U P D A T E      August 8, 2016
In This Issue
NEMWI Provides Comments on International Joint Commission Report on Great Lakes Pollution
NEMWI Interns Wrap Up Summer Projects
ATSDR Action Model Toolkit Helps Communities Revision Brownfields as Healthfields

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NEMWI Provides Comments on International Joint Commission Report on PBDEs in the Great Lakes

NEMWI provided comments on the International Joint Commission's (IJC's) report, Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) in the Great Lakes. PBDEs are a group of persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic chemicals shown to adversely affect the environment and wildlife. The IJC's report characterized the pollution of the Great Lakes Basin environment by PBDEs and provided recommendations to the governments of the United States and Canada on how to manage and reduce this pollution. The IJC made the report available for public review and comment over the past month, and requested that comments focus on how the problem of PBDE contamination was characterized and the recommendations made in the report. NEMWI's comments are intended to strengthen the recommendations made in the report regarding: protection of the Great Lakes Basin from further PBDE contamination, managing and reducing existing PBDE pollution, and continued monitoring of PBDEs in environmental media.

For more information, contact Ankita Mandelia, Policy Analyst at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
NEMWI Interns Wrap Up Summer Projects
 
As NEMWI's summer intern program approached its early August completion, the team of four interns presented the preliminary findings of their research projects to members of NEMWI's staff and board of directors. Paul Selling from Georgetown University presented a three-decade overview of NEMW C oalition trends. Symone Mazzotta from Fairfield University described the state of research on r egional demographic trends and identified gaps for further study. David O'Neil from Ursinus College discussed governmental reform and the track record of emergency managers. Christy Smith from T ulane University detailed trends and gaps in Mississippi River science and organizational priorities .

Their presentations showcased the important work that our interns are undertaking to support the Institute's existing programs and develop new areas of research and policy analysis. Details about intern opportunities for fall 2016 are posted here on our website.

For more information, contact Michael Goff, President & CEO of the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
ATSDR Action Model Toolkit Helps Communities Revision Brownfields as Healthfields

The Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry's (ATSDR) Brownfields/Land Reuse Action Model Toolkit helps diverse members of the development community--officials, developers, community supporters, and residents--find ways to make health part of the renewal process. Communities can use the Action Model to identify common goals and incorporate these goals in strategic planning. The Action Model consists of four steps that involve key questions to assist with planning:
Step 1: What are the issues in the community?
Step 2: How can development address these issues?
Step 3: What are the corresponding community health benefits?
Step 4: What data are needed to measure change?
Over 25 communities have used the Action Model, which has helped ATSDR to develop public health indicators associated with redevelopment.  More details on the model and the toolkit are available here .

For more information, contact Colleen Cain, Sr. Policy Analyst at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.

NEMWI: Strengthening the Region that Sustains the Nation