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EPA Region 6 Releases First Air Monitoring Data from Eden Gardens Fundamental Elementary School in Shreveport, Louisiana

Release Date: 10/29/2009
Contact Information: Dave Bary at 214-665-2200 or r6press@epa.gov

(Dallas, Texas – October 29, 2009) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 6 announced today the first set of air toxics monitoring data from Eden Gardens Fundamental Elementary School in Shreveport, Louisiana, has been posted on the agency’s Web site.

The Schools Air Toxics Monitoring Initiative, which is monitoring 63 schools in 22 states, is designed to help EPA and state environmental agencies understand whether long-term exposure to toxics in the outdoor air poses health concerns for children and staff at schools, as well as residents in the surrounding community.

The data is posted at https://www.epa.gov/schoolair/schools.html

EPA Region 6 is currently monitoring at eight schools in the region that were selected as part of the initiative. The first results show that levels of hazardous air pollutants at Eden Gardens Fundamental Elementary are well below levels of short-term concern. EPA scientists warn against drawing conclusions at this point as the study is designed to determine whether long-term, exposure poses health concerns for children and staff. Once monitoring is complete, the full set of results from all of the schools will be analyzed to evaluate the potential for health concerns related to long-term exposure of hazardous air pollutants. EPA will post this analysis to the Web once it is complete.

Outdoor air at each of the schools will be monitored for approximately 60 days, and air quality monitors will take a minimum of ten daily samples during the sampling period.

Other schools being monitored in EPA Region 6 are IC Evans Elementary School, Burkburnett, Texas; San Jacinto Elementary/Deer Park Junior High School, Deer Park, Texas; Temple Elementary School, Diboll, Texas; Young Scholars Academy, Houston, Texas; NW Harllee Elementary School, Dallas, Texas; and Lamkin Elementary School, Cypress, Texas.

More about activities in EPA Region 6: https://www.epa.gov/region6

EPA audio file is available at https://www.epa.gov/region6/6xa/podcast/oct2009.html