HANDOUTS

• Agenda
• Share the Health slide copies
• Share the Health flyer

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
Tom Gallagher, Director, Office of Community Liaison (OCL), Office of the Director (OD), National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Co-Chair, Community Liaison Council (CLC), welcomed members and guests.

Dr. Gallagher introduced Chris Williams, the newly assigned reporter from the Gazette.

PRESENTATIONS

Presentation on NIH Hazardous Waste Permit
by Kenny Floyd, Acting Director, Division of Environmental Protection, OD, Office of Research Facilities, NIH

Dr. Gallagher introduced Kenny Floyd, Acting Director, Division of Environmental Protection (DEP), OD, Office of Research Facilities (ORF), NIH, who said the purpose of this presentation was to provide an overview of the NIH Hazardous Waste Permit, which is scheduled to be renewed every five years with the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). In addition, he wanted to inform the CLC about the processes and procedures undertaken at NIH Building 21, the Controlled Hazard Substance Facility. Mr. Floyd introduced Charlyn Y. Lee DEP, OD, ORF, NIH, Project Officer on the hazardous waste contract. In addition, Donald M. Wilson, Chief, Waste and Resource Recovery Branch, DEP, NIH, OD, ORF, and Catherine A. Ribaudo, of the Radioactive Materials Control Branch, Division of Radiation Safety, offered responses to CLC representatives' questions about aspects of the permit and hazardous waste management.

Ms. Lee said that this permit renewal contained only minor changes from that submitted previously, including the removal of waste streams that no longer were generated, modifications in the list of emergency contacts, a list of off-site NIH installations, and updates on the NIH facility and associated drawings. She explained that the renewal process included a tentative determination by the Maryland Department of the Environment, which had been published in the Gazette and Montgomery Journal on March 10 and 17, 2004, and a public comment period, which would close May 3, 2004. Ms. Lee said the entire draft of the permit was available for review at the Montgomery County Library's Bethesda Branch at 7400 Arlington Road and the MDE [MDE address: 1800 Washington Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21230. Telephone: 410-537-3000].

In addition, Ms. Lee reviewed the documents and information required by the MDE in the permit, including NIH's waste analysis plan, personnel training, contingency plan, closure plan, inspection schedules and logs, and facility operations records. Ms. Lee said that a copy of the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) was maintained at the facility. She noted the emergency response contingency plans and the training, roles, and responsibilities of NIH personnel, who received training under requirements set forth by the U. S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), and other requirements based on the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency's EPCRA [Emergency Planning & Community Right to Know Act].

Ms. Lee presented a slide show noting the main functions and components of the Controlled Hazardous Substance Facility and information about the short-term storage and treatment of materials collected daily from the NIH Campus and received from off-site NIH installations. She noted the extensive hazard prevention and physical, safety, and security features associated with Building 21. In addition, she noted that Building T26 was used for mixed waste processing. Ms. Lee presented information about the on-site treatment methods of waste materials, including ultraviolet peroxidation, activated carbon filtration, and acid-base neutralization.

Ms. Lee noted that the NIH DEP provided oversight for all procedures. Mr. Wilson added that the NIH Division included 4 NIH personnel, a supervisor, and 23 contract employees involved with these operations. Mr. Schofer asked about the certification of personnel who classified hazardous materials. Mr. Wilson said that contract employees held degrees in chemistry and/or in related science fields and that they worked under NIH oversight.

Questions and Discussion

Permit Contents and Regulations
Ginny Miller, Wyngate Citizens Association and CLC Co-Chair, and Ralph Schofer, Maplewood Citizens Association, asked about the format of the permit, a list of hazardous materials treated at the NIH, and whether any of the changes were detailed in the document. Ms. Lee said the two-inch thick document would take about one hour to read and noted its contents. Mr. Wilson said that the permit was in the format of a regulatory outline and that it would be difficult to identify the changes and updates. Mr. Floyd said that the addendum to the permit provided information as well. Ms. Miller wondered whether any regulations had been loosened and Morton Goldman, Luxmanor Citizens Association, asked whether there had been any substantial changes to what had been included in the Master Plan. Mr. Wilson said that neither were the changes in the permit substantial nor had there been a loosening of regulations. Harvey Eisen, Edgewood Glenwood Citizens Association, wanted to know whether there had been any incidents related to the operation of the hazardous waste facility. Ms. Lee replied that the NIH never had activated the contingency emergency plan. Mr. Wilson added that there had been no incidents.

Collection Characteristics and Treatment of Waste
Nancy Hoos, Sonoma Citizens Association, and Mr. Schofer asked about the characteristics and nature of the hazardous waste and emissions. Mr. Floyd said there were hardly any emissions and that 90% of the materials arrived in containers that were not opened. Ms. Lee said that there were chemicals and mixed waste, consisting of chemicals and a small amount of radioactive material, brought to the facility. She noted that collected materials were identified, characterized, and tracked before shipping. Ms. Lee said that items treated on site in Building 21 received ultraviolet peroxidation or other small-scale treatments. She said that chemists made determinations about the contents of the waste and processed them appropriately.

Eleanor Rice, Locust Hill Civic Association, and Lucy Ozarin, Whitehall Condominium Association asked about the packaging of these materials. Ms. Lee said that absorbent material, vermiculite was placed around bottles and flammable materials in containers. She noted that each container received a MDE waste code and that items are tracked through shipping papers. Mr. Oberlander asked about spillage. Mr. Goldman noted that absorbent materials needed to be sufficient to soak up spillage, to several times the volume of the contents of bottles or other containers. Mr. Floyd added that all containers are double packaged.

George Oberlander, Huntington Parkway Citizens Association, Lesley Hildebrand, Huntington Terrace Citizens Association, and Mr. Schofer asked about the nature and disposal of radioactive materials. Ms. Ribaudo replied that a small amount of this material was included in mixed waste. She noted that in 2003 there had been only one shipment of radioactive/mixed waste for disposal. Ms. Ribaudo reported that none was high level radioactive material and that short-lived radioactive material decays to non-radioactive. Mr. Schofer was curious about californium (Cf). Ms. Ribaudo said that this radioactive element had been recycled in the past; however, she had recently learned that Cf would no longer be needed for research at the NIH. Mr. Schofer asked whether radioactive materials injected into patients traveled in human excrement into the sewer system. Ms. Ribaudo said that this waste was not collected and that the MDE permitted its release into the sewer system. Mr. Wilson added that since the last permit was issued there had been a decrease in the amount of radioactive waste coming to the facility for disposal.

Transportation of Hazardous Materials
Mr. Oberlander asked why waste was taken from other installations to the NIH and for an estimate of the incoming truckloads involved. Ms. Lee responded that the permit to handle waste was licensed to the Building 21 location and there were no hazardous waste facilities at the 17 off-site NIH installations. Mr. Wilson said that when researchers call, the team collects material in approximately 20-25 pickups per day. He said that 60 to 70 30- or 50-gallon containers were shipped out per day. Ms. Miller asked where the waste was sent. Ms. Lee said that Clean Harbors facilities in Laurel and Baltimore accepted transfer of the waste for ultimate treatment and disposal. Ms. Hoos wondered whether terrorists might be interested in obtaining these materials. Ms. Lee said that the NIH has its own security and various containment systems. She noted that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has set forth regulations and a security plan.

Tom Robertson, Parkwood Residents Association, asked about protection and safety when materials are in transit. Ms. Lee replied that any transporter must undergo an audit and a safety and compliance review. Mr. Wilson added that those contractors involved in transport have to be DOT trained and that in the State of Maryland, drivers had to have commercial driver's licenses (CDL).

Dr. Gallagher thanked Ms. Lee, Mr. Floyd, Ms. Ribaudo, and Mr. Wilson for presenting their information.

Presentation on Project Updates and Vehicle and Pedestrian Traffic at the South Drive and Old Georgetown Road Intersection
by Stella Serras-Fiotes, Office of Research Facilities Development and Operations, Office of the Director, NIH

A.M. and P.M. Vehicle Traffic
Ms. Serras-Fiotes said she learned that the Maryland State Highway Administration (MSHA) had taken a count in February associated with traffic problems at the intersection of NIH's South Drive and Old Georgetown and Greentree Roads. She said they found no problems with the afternoon rush hour westbound from South Drive to Greentree Road. However, she said the MSHA found operational problems going eastbound in the morning rush hour from Greentree Road toward Old Georgetown Road. She reported that the MSHA found there were damaged loop detectors associated with the left turn lane from Old Georgetown Road to enter Greentree Road, and another operational problem involved a no right turn on red sign and the short right-turn lane on Greentree. Ms. Serras-Fiotes said that she had no information about when MSHA would repair the loop detector.

Ms. Serras-Fiotes noted that the South Drive entrance had been undergoing construction, but now it had two lanes open. Ms. Serras-Fiotes said that she had inspected this area and found no current problems and that she would keep monitoring this intersection regularly. Although the MSHA had noted significantly higher eastbound traffic on Greentree Road and westbound left turns from Old Georgetown Road during the afternoon rush hour, Ms. Serras-Fiotes said the MSHA had determined that the exit situation from the Campus at South Drive needed no correction.

Pedestrian Striping Zone
Ms. Serras-Fiotes explained that the NIH would need to work with the County or the State of Maryland to correct problems reported by Ms. Hildebrand confronting pedestrians using crossings at South Drive. Ms. Serras-Fiotes said that the striping, indicating pedestrian passage, led from curb to curb and not to the curb cuts that allowed bicycles, wheelchairs, or baby strollers to cross without impediment. She suggested that one solution would be to install curb cuts on each side of the pedestrian island, and another would be to move the striping so it connected the existing curb cuts. Ms. Hildebrand said that another matter regarded the location of the push button to activate the pedestrian crossing light in a position where cyclists had to dismount in order to reach it. Ms. Serras-Fiotes said that she would ask Tom Hayden of the Division of Facilities Planning to meet Ms. Hildebrand to review the situation.

Presentation on Share the Health
by Walter Mitton, Community Relations Specialist, Office of Community Liaison, OD, NIH

Dr. Gallagher commented on the outstanding effort of Walter Mitton in organizing this year's Share the Health. He predicted a diverse crowd and hoped for a large turnout of 5,000 to 10,000 attendees. He said the event would be a good showcase for informing the public about the contributions of the NIH.

Mr. Mitton referred to a Share the Health handout and flyer that was distributed in the meeting materials. He presented a slide show highlighting features of the highly interactive web site, which he said had been created by Palladian Partners, Inc. Mr. Mitton said that all age-groups would be welcome to attend the event being held on April 24, 2004, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Montgomery Blair High School on University Boulevard in Silver Spring. He pointed out three different zones on the web site, each of which contained activities that had been developed especially for kids, teens, and adults. Mr. Mitton noted that the information on the web site could be accessed in Spanish as well as English. He said that volunteers had provided translation services to create this information. Mr. Mitton displayed the registration portion of the web site and remarked that he hoped participants would register online in order to help obtain a count for planning the event. He said that there also would be registration at the event.

Mr. Mitton said that there was a 27-person planning committee of Institute representatives who had suggested and followed-up on activities and topics for age-appropriate demonstrations, workshops, and seminars. He noted activities of particular interest to various age groups, including participatory sessions on yoga, Tai Chi, Reiki, and weight lifting, acupuncture demonstrations, derma scans, and blood pressure, body fat, and vision screenings. Mr. Mitton said there would be sports clinics using the school's outdoor track and other activities including a rock-climbing wall and a Moon Bounce. He noted the 20- to 30-minute seminars were planned to be discussion driven rather than lectures. Mr. Mitton described hands-on sessions including mini labs in which participants could obtain their DNA report cards taken from their fingerprints, learn to balance a centrifuge, and test the pH of a substance to determine whether it was an acid, a base, or neutral and safe to touch.

Ms. Rice wanted to know if elementary schools and senior centers had received information or handouts with website information. Mr. Mitton said that information has been disseminated and there would be media public service announcements by Channel 7 TV and live coverage of the event by HOT 99.5 FM radio. Debra Liverpool, YMCA, Bethesda-Chevy Chase/Ayrlawn, announced that 27 metropolitan YMCAs were holding a Healthy Kids Day on April 3, 2004. She believed that she could bring in lots of children for Share the Health. In addition, Ms. Liverpool hoped that she could get together with the OCL to involve the YMCA kids in the 2005 Share the Health.

Although she thought parking would be an issue if there were a large turnout, Ms. Miller recalled that St. Bernadette's Church had offered its nearby parking lot for overflow parking. On the day of the event, Mr. Mitton said there would be a free shuttle bus provided by Priority One from the Silver Spring Metro Station and he noted that the school was situated on the Metro bus line.

Mr. Robertson asked what the CLC members might convey to their neighborhood associations. Mr. Mitton asked to be sent any neighborhood e-mail address lists and said that he would distribute information. In addition, Mr. Mitton said there was a press release that provided details about the event. Mr. Schofer offered to read the press release at a local meeting where the topic, appropriately named, was Consumer-Driven Health Care.

Dr. Gallagher said this health event would showcase what the NIH is about, and that he hopes to take this event on the road to get the word out.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Dr. Gallagher reported that he had been invited to sit in on a telephone conversation between Congressman Chris Van Hollen and NIH Director, Dr. Elias Zerhouni, on the topic of non-employee access to Metro via the NIH Campus. He noted that everyone was doing the best they could to find a way—whether legislative or legal—to address this issue. Dr. Gallagher said that access to the Campus was not restricted at this time because the fence and gates would not be operational until April or later.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:30 and CLC members and guests were invited to a reception to enjoy light refreshments.

ACTION ITEMS

• Ms. Serras-Fiotes said that she would ask Tom Hayden to meet Ms. Hildebrand to review the placement of the pedestrian crossing button at South Drive and Old Georgetown Road.
  
• Ms. Liverpool, YMCA, wanted to involve the Y kids this year and to plan for next year's Share the Health with the OCL.
  
• Mr. Schofer offered to read the Share the Health press release at the local meeting of the Harvard Business School Alumni Club.
  
• Dr. Ozarin asked to be provided with emergency exit information from the meeting room in Natcher Center

CLC Members Present

• Lorraine Bell, Palladian Partners, Inc.
• Amy Blackburn, OCL, OD, MI, NIH
• Harvey Eisen, Ph.D., Edgewood Glenwood Citizens Association
• Tom Gallagher, Ph.D., OCL, OD, NIH
• Morton Goldman, Sc.D., Luxmanor Citizens Association
• Jeanne Goldstein, Montgomery County Civic Federation
• Lesley Hildebrand, Huntington Terrace Citizens Association
• Nancy Hoos, Sonoma Citizens Association
• Debra Liverpool, YMCA, Bethesda-Chevy Chase/Ayrlawn
• Marilyn Mazuzan, Town of Oakmont
• Ginny Miller, Wyngate Citizens Association
• Walter Mitton, OCL, OD, NIH
• George Oberlander, Huntington Parkway Citizens Association
• Lucy Ozarin, M.D., Whitehall Condominium Association
• Eleanor Rice, Locust Hill Civic Association
• Tom Robertson, Parkwood Residents Association
• Sharon Robinson, OCL, OD, NIH
• Ralph Schofer, Maplewood Citizens Association
• Randy Schools, Recreation & Welfare Association, NIH
• Stella Serras-Fiotes, Office of Research Facilities Development and Operations
• Deborah Snead, Bethesda-Chevy Chase Services Center
• J. Paul Van Nevel, NIH Alumni Association

Guests

• Anthony Clifford, ORF, NIH
  
• Kenny Floyd, Division of Environmental Protection (DEP), OD, NIH
  
• Howard Hochman, ORF, OD, NIH
  
• Joan Kleinman, U.S. Congressman Van Hollen's Office
  
• Charlyn Lee, DEP, MH, NIH
  
• Cathy Ribaudo, DRS, NIH
  
• David Rosenbaum, CHER
  
• Wendy Rubin, DRS, NIH
  
• Chris Williams, Gazette
  
• Don Wilson, DEP, OD, NIH