Healthy Schools Campaign In the News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
Mark Bishop, Healthy Schools Campaign
312.593.5931

April 5, 2004
Chicago, IL -- The Bush Administration received an "F" from the Children's Environmental Health Network (CEHN) for how well it has protected children from environmental threats in a report released today by organizations around the nation, including the Illinois Healthy Schools Campaign.

The Report on children's environmental health was unable to give a grade higher than a C in any of the 16 different areas it investigated, such as air quality, pesticides, and mercury. In 11 areas, the reports expert reviewers found that the current Administration's decisions merited an "F," including water quality, toxic substances and wastes, and right-to-know. Five sections received a "C".

"While the federal government's No Child Left Behind mandates improvements in test scores, it misses the link between healthy buildings and school performance," said Rochelle Davis , Executive Director of the Illinois Healthy Schools Campaign. "By withholding funding for programs that support healthy learning environments, the Administration is sending a clear message that children's health and education is not a priority."

The CEHN's report ratings reflect a careful review of approximately 80 "decision points," ranging from the Administration's proposal to take mercury, a potent neurotoxicant, off of the list of hazardous air pollutants, to creating new review processes that will create unnecessary delays and barriers for implementing public health protections.

"This excellent report accurately sums up the failing grade that this Administration must be given in respect to protecting children from environmental health hazards," said Peter Orris MD, MPH   Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago , School of Public Health . "It is clear that protecting children's health is not a priority of this administration."

This report illustrates how this Administration's track record is toxic to our children. In choice after choice, they have lessened protections for children and missed opportunities to keep toxins out of our children's environment," said Dr. Lynn R. Goldman, Chair of the Children's Environmental Health Network and Professor at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. "Children are losing out to other priorities of this Administration."

Other examples of how the Administration lessened protections for children's health ranged from decisions made to weaken the New Source Review air quality decisions, allowing the continued use of a toxic pesticide found at high levels in water systems, and attempts to lessen protections under the Clean Water Act.

"Pound per pound, children breathe fifty percent more air than adults and the pollution they breathe can stunt lung growth," said Brian Urbaszewski , Director of Environmental Health for the American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago.

"With more than a quarter of children suffering from asthma in some Chicago neighborhoods, the last thing the President should be doing is gutting the New Source Review program and letting power companies rebuild dirty 1950's era coal-fired power plants without pollution controls."

CEHN Executive Director Daniel Swartz noted that the Administration is to be commended for some positive steps, such as the EPA proposal to limit pollution from off-road diesel engines, proposed improvements to the cancer risk assessment process, and supporting the international treaty to eliminate persistent organic pollutants, or POPs.

"However, most of the 'positives' we identified were either counter-balanced by a negative step of greater magnitude, or were a result of the Administration reversing itself on a bad decision after a public outcry," Swartz said. "A Rose Garden speech by the President in support of the treaty to eliminate POPs sounds great -- until you learn how the Administration was working behind the scenes to undermine the treaty."

In 2000, then-candidate Bush, in response to a questionnaire from CEHN, volunteered a strong commitment to protecting the nation's children from environmental dangers. Swartz said: "We were heartened by Bush's commitments in his election-year statement. In our earlier reports, we urged the President to increase interagency cooperation, to provide adequate resources to key programs, and to instill the philosophy of protecting children throughout the government. Unfortunately, none of these challenges were met; in fact, the reverse has happened."

One excerpt from Bush's 2000 statement reads: "Considering children's unique risks, as well as those of other uniquely vulnerable groups of people and life stages, is critical to effective environmental health and safety protection. There are still many unanswered questions about the effects of various environmental compounds on children's health. We must dig deeper. We need sound data to help us move beyond speculation and conjecture and compile the very best evidence we can on the effects of potentially hazardous exposures on children. In the meantime, we must take sensible, science-based precautions." The CEHN report concludes that: "Unfortunately, the leadership and commitment identified in those words have not been evident in this Administration. Our nation's children are at risk as a result."

This is CEHN's third report, and the first that asked experts to rate the impact of various Administration decisions and assigned a grade.

For the full report, click here. Also visit www.cehn.org for more information.

Local Health Groups Say Bush Administration Receives an "F" on Protecting Children's Health

Local Health Groups Say Bush
Administration Receives an "F"
on Protecting Children's Health