Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Daniel K. Akaka and Daniel K. Inouye announced today that the National Center for Environmental Health in the Department of Health and Human Services has awarded a grant of $95,000.00 to the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine for a program to assess health effects associated with exposures to volcanic emissions ("Vog"). 

Senator Akaka said: "Learning more about the negative health effects of vog will help us prevent and treat asthma and other respiratory problems affecting our students and keiki."

Senator Inouye added: "Health care is one of our priorities, and this grant will allow the School of Medicine to pursue research that has the potential to improve the quality of life for our local residents, especially those on the Big Island."

According to Project Director Dr. Elizabeth K. Tam, MD, the grant will fund the continuation of a program that has been studying respiratory effects of volcanic air pollution on more than 1,400 Big Island students since 2002.  It will also allow researchers to add students at Volcano School of Arts and Sciences, a charter school in Volcano town, into the research program. 

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