Region 8 EJ Showcase Community: Salt Lake City, UT

Grants & Programs Topics

EJ Showcase Communities by Region

Overview
Successes
History

Overview

EPA Region 8 is working with six neighborhoods in central and west Salt Lake City, as the focus of a Children’s Environmental Health and Environmental Justice initiative. These neighborhoods include: Glendale, Jordan Meadows, Poplar Grove, Rose Park, State Fairpark and Westpointe. The neighborhoods were selected based on the presence of several environmental risk factors, as well as the community's support and past participation in addressing environmental issues. EPA is working closely with the community and other federal, state and local agencies to identify children's exposure to contaminants from multiple pathways and will develop and apply tools to address those issues. The State of Utah has developed a tracking system that will provide baseline health and environmental data and help the partnership achieve results.

Successes

Developed a project process model entitled “Pathway Towards a Healthier Community” to guide project efforts.
Completed a community environmental health needs assessment.
Compiled neighborhood-specific environmental and health data and prepared a map of environmental features as a communication/analytical tool.
Mobilized a core group of state, county, and city government agencies and local non-profit and community organizations.
Held a kick-off event and children’s environmental health fair attended by approximately 250 people.

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History

EPA Region 8, together with state, county, city, non-profit, and community organizations, is working with nine neighborhoods in central and west Salt Lake City on a community-based Children’s Environmental Health and Environmental Justice initiative. The goal of the project is to make a positive difference to the environmental health of children through collaboration and community problem solving in the following neighborhoods:

Glendale,
Jordan Meadows,
Poplar Grove,
Rose Park,
State Fairpark,
Westpointe,
Downtown/Rio Grande,
Capitol Hill, and
People’s Freeway/Ballpark.

Participating organizations developed a custom project process model entitled ‘Pathway to a Healthier Community’ to guide their efforts. After mobilizing a core group of participants, the project is now moving into the community environmental health assessment phase and Region 9 will be engaging with the community to understand their concerns, priorities, and assets related to children’s environmental health in their neighborhoods. At the same time, Salt Lake Valley Health Department, Utah Department of Environmental Quality and EPA will be compiling environmental and environmental health data for the area. Upon completion of this phase in late spring, the participants will begin setting priorities for collaborative actions based on the results of the assessment.

For more information or to become involved, please contact Jaslyn Dobrahner (dobrahner.jaslyn@epa.gov) at 303-312-6252.