Public Listening Sessions

EPA held public listening sessions in six cities.

In October 2002 EPA launched an Aging Initiative to study the effects of environmental health hazards on older persons and examine the impact that a rapidly aging population will have on the environment. The Initiative will also identify model programs that will provide opportunities for older persons to volunteer in their communities to reduce environmental hazards and protect the environment for future generations.

EPA has made an effort to ensure that the final agenda includes input from the broadest base of expertise including Federal, state, local, and tribal governments, public and private organizations, professional health, aging and environmental associations, academia, business and volunteer organizations, and other stakeholders, including older Americans and their families. EPA encourages comments from all those interested in addressing environmental health hazards that affect the health of older persons. The agenda will be developed through an open, participatory process.

The National Agenda will be composed of three parts:

1. Identifying research gaps in environmental health;
2. Preparing for an aging society; and
3. Encouraging older adults to volunteer to address environmental hazards.

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EPA held public listening sessions in six cities for six consecutive weeks beginning April 3, 2003 and ending May 7, 2003. EPA's Aging Initiative has partnered with universities and area agencies on aging to hold these important listening sessions.

The listening sessions were held in the following cities:

Date	City, State
April 3, 2003	Tampa, FL	Comments
April 8, 2003	San Antonio, TX	Comments
April 15, 2003	Iowa City, IA	Comments
April 23, 2003	Pittsburgh, PA	Comments
April 29, 2003	Los Angeles, CA	Comments
May 7, 2003	Baltimore, MD	Comments

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• Comments From Public Meetings
• Summary Report of the Public Listening Session Comments (PDF) (13pp, 121K, About PDF)
• List of all participants
  • Alphabetized by person's name
  • Alphabetized by organization/affliation
  
  
• During the public listening sessions concerns were raised regarding an alternative benefits analysis incorporated in the appendix of several EPA proposed rules. The so-called "senior discount" factor that has caused so much concern has been discontinued by OMB.
  
  In its report to Congress entitled "Informing Regulatory Decisions: Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Report to Congress 2003 on the Costs and Benefits of Federal Regulations And Unfunded Mandates on State, Local and Tribal Entities," (PDF) (234 pp, 24MB) on page 147, OMB wrote:

  "The age of the affected population has also been identified as an important factor in the theoretical literature. However, the empirical evidence on age and VSL [value of statistical life] is mixed. In light of the continuing questions over the effect of age on VSL estimates, you should not use an age-adjusted factor in any analysis using VSL estimates."

  (Graham, JD (2003) Memorandum to the President's Management Council [PDF, 2 pp., 122kb],Benefit-Cost Methods and Lifesaving Rules.

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Comments From Public Meetings

Date:	Location:
Thursday, April 3 1:30-3:30 p.m.	Auditorium University of South Florida College of Public Health 13201 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard Tampa, Florida Co-Sponsors: University of South Florida College of Public Health West Central Florida Area Agency on Aging

Comments from the Tampa Listening Session

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Date:	Location:
Tuesday, April 8 1:30-3:30 p.m.	University Auditorium University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio 7703 Floyd Curl Drive San Antonio, Texas Co-Sponsors: University of Texas Science Center at San Antonio Bexar County Area Agency on Aging

Comments from the Texas Listening Session

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Date:	Location:
Tuesday, April 15 1:30-3:30 p.m.	Second Floor Ballroom Iowa Memorial Union The University of Iowa Corner of Jefferson and Madison Streets Iowa City, Iowa Co-Sponsors: The University of Iowa College of Public Healthand The University of Iowa Center on Aging The Heritage Area Agency on Aging

University of Iowa News Release

Comments from the Iowa Listening Session

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Date:	Location:
Wednesday, April 23 2- 4 p.m.	Pittsburgh Athletic Association Pennsylvania Room, First Floor 4215 Fifth Avenue (Oakland area) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Co-Sponsors: University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health Allegheny Area Agency on Aging

Allegheny Department of Human Services Pittsburgh Senior News [PDF, 2 pp., 5kb]

Comments from the Pittsburgh Listening Session

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Date:	Location:
Tuesday, April 29 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.	Grand Horizon Room, 3rd Floor Covel Commons Sunset Village on the UCLA Campus Los Angeles, California Co-Sponsors: UCLA Graduate School of Public Health UCLA Center on Aging City of Los Angeles Department on Aging Los Angeles County Area Agency on Aging

Comments from the Los Angeles Listening Session

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Date:	Location:
Wednesday, May 7 1:30-3:30 p.m.	Auditorium School of Nursing University of Maryland Baltimore 655 West Lombard Street (corner of Lombard and Penn) Baltimore, Maryland Co-Sponsors: University of Maryland-Baltimore School of Medicineand Center for Research on Aging University of Maryland Baltimore School of Nursing Baltimore Commission on Aging and Retirement Education

Comments from the Baltimore Listening Session

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