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For more information on this project, contact Brande Kempf, PACE EH Coordinator, or Bill Sirmans, Environmental Health Director at the Santa Rosa County Health Department.

 SANTA ROSA COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
May 2006 PACE EH Progress Report
Submitted by: Brande Kempf, Grant Administrator / PACE Coordinator

Welcome and Introduction

 Kathleen DeVoreJones, Administrator
 Bill Sirmans, Environmental Manager
 Carl Mohrherr, Ph. D., CSP, CHMM
 University of West Florida, Center for Environmental Diagnostics & Bioremediation
 Doug Kemper, Director The Zoo Gulf Breeze
 Ken Walker, General Manager Holley Navarre Water System

Thank you to local businesses for donations

 AM South Bank
 Navarre United Methodist Church
 Office Depot
 Publix
 Regions Bank
 Santa Rosa County Health Department
 Special Thank You to Chrystal Everson, Environmental Specialist, SRCHD

Attendees were asked to fill out a survey and an anonymous questionnaire. This data collected tonight will help in identifying environmental concerns for the community.

PACE-EH- What it Stands for
Protocol for Assessing Community Excellence in Environmental Health

PACE-EH Grant Coordinator
Brande Kempf Grant Administrator/PACE Coordinator for the SRCHD

PACE Coordinator is to be the facilitator and the voice when others can not be. To be the “guiding light” for the residents of Holley-Navarre. The purpose for the grant money is to fund a system for the process of the PACE program. Obtain funding for the resolution that YOU the Community deem your Environmental Priority, address issues that the community Identifies. IT is what “we decide not I.”

The following agencies have been invited to tonight’s meeting:

 Congressman Jeff Miller, US Senate
 Congressman Greg Evers, State Senate
 Gordon Goodin, County Commissioner
 FDEP
 University of West Florida Environmental Div.
 Holley Navarre Fire Department
 Holley Navarre Water Systems
 Gulf Power
 SRC Planning & Zoning
 SRC Mosquito Control
 SRC Environmental Control
 TEAM Santa Rosa
 University of West Florida Environmental Div.
 Navarre Press
 North West Florida Daily News
 Pensacola News Journal
 WEAR TV 3

Background

 PACE-EH was Developed in 1995 by the National Association of County and City Health Officials
 PACE-EH was Designed to be Adaptable to the community
 New to Santa Rosa County
 State and Nation Wide
 Help received – ten fold- from Statewide PACE Liaison, Samuél Brobbey, Jr.
 Many guidelines and pilot sites available at website on http://www.doh.state.fl.us/environment/programs/PACE-EH/PACE-EH.htm 
www.naccho.org/topics/environmental/CEHA.cfm

Purpose

 Identify Environmental Health Issues at the Community Level
 Environmental Health Data Gathering
 Promote Leadership
 Involve the Community
 Educate and Establish a Stronger Tie between the Community and the Health Department
 Address Issues of Environmental Justice
 Identify Connections among the Health Status, Affected Populations, Exposure Factors, and Environmental Agents/Conditions, Contributing Factors and Behaviors, and Public Health Protection Factors for Selected Environmental Health Issues

Speakers were introduced to allow residents’ knowledge of information available to the public.

UWF speaker Carl Mohrherr stated that there are funds available for testing local ponds for fish and mercury exposure. They also have other grant funds avalaible such as sewage run off in the East Bay area.

Doug Kemper, Director for The Zoo, shared information on local concerns on snakes and rats. Mr. Kemper also stated that they have partnered with Gulf Power to help build a snake exhibit for the process of teaching information in the community and allowing local 6th grade classes to add their resources to their Science curriculum. Jamie the Bat Keeper spoke of how bats are good for the area by helping to keep the mosquito population down.

Ken Walker, General Manager of Holly Navarre Water Systems, spoke of how they too are concerned of the containments of the land fill, not so much for our generation but for the future generations. States he will personally take samples and deliver them to the NWFWMD . For now he is not concerned about the wells as much as he is concerned about the water quality. He also stated that the PACE program could utilize the board room for any and all up coming meetings. Mr. Walker also spoke of his interest in participation in our Community Health Assessment Team.

Establish Community Environmental Health Assessment Team
Team composition is important to ensure that needed resources, perspectives, and representatives are engaged

Work together to create a shared vision, goals and objectives for the identified project

Define goals and objectives for the identified project. We need members to step up to be part of our CEHA team.

Brande Kempf states “I am here to Form a partnership with local and state level agencies to work together. It is WE that will determine our concerns, not I. We must address this at the local level and work our way up. If I have to travel to Tallahassee to get answers I will, but we must gather our data first and take baby steps. This is not a legal battle; this is an Environmental Issue that has direction. Our goal is to find that resolution.

Open Forum “Speaking Guidelines”

 One Person speaks at a time
 5 minute limit discussion
 Everyone has a chance to be heard
 Everyone has the right to be heard
 We are all here for the same reason….. Environmental Improvement!!

OPEN FORUM /: Residents spoke of the following concerns:
Major Environmental Concerns stated from the residents unanimously – landfill pollution problem. Fire at Coyote landfill started Oct. 2005. An odor started disrupting lives, and making people sick, pollution of private wells, DEP detected dioxins, violating permit and state laws. Residents feel that regulators are just “passing the buck” and “turning the other cheek” when it comes to the residents concerns. The air monitoring around the landfill is not being regulated, the smell is horrible and gets into peoples homes even if they do not open their doors and windows. Neighbors have moved out of the area due to the landfill issues. Other residents stated that they are unable to turn on their heat and cool in their homes due to the noxious odors it brings into their home.

Residents have personally contacted Charley Cleary, State Senator, Ray Samson, State Rep. and FDEP regarding this issue. All correspondence has been ignored. East River was pristine and in great quality before the issues at the landfill Concerns of odor getting into house, effecting health, aesthetic issues, water quality. Residents state that DEP found Benzene and Arsenic in their wells but DEP chose to ignore their concerns. What about the wetland issues for East River? What about the fish populations being killed, what are we doing about that?

Female Resident - she can not give that water to her livestock. Her vet says that is why her animals have problems. Water is filling in the pits at the landfill, what are they doing to that water? Where is it coming from? She has health problems now since the fires in October 2005 and is now on an inhaler. Another Female- said concern is who has to pay for the medical bills for those with no insurance, what about the kids living and growing up near that site? Who has to die before someone notices what is happening around here.

Bill Sirmans- EH Manager stated that we need to have residents determine how many times they have made trips to the doctor since October 2005 that were related to the fires and help provide the health department with documentations to help in the PACE process of finding a resolution. I.e. sleeping issues, respiratory issues, health concerns, female issues/concerns, pregnancy issues or lack there of, etc.

Female resident - Concern is landfill- has documented proof from her physician that her health issues stem from the landfill. She use to be an avid singer and now can hardly speak with out a raspy voice. Nerver had health problems before October 2005. She has had sever nose bleeds and sores that wont heal. Has lost several animals due to respiratory issues. Concerned that much of the debris from the landfill has warnings on it that state “not to be burned” and what is being done now since those items were burned? Health issues have increased 100% since October 2005 when the fire started.

Another resident stated “We need more people to be proactive approach to keeping materials out of the landfill.”

 Next Meeting will be Held….Tuesday June 6 @ 6:30 SRCHD Holley Navarre Water Systems Board Room to establish and finalize a CEHA team and address other PACE Tasks set forth.

***Data obtained from the survey is still be complied and will be available at the next community meeting.
 

June, 2006

Media Coverage

June 1, 2006 - Health Program to tackle Coyote Landfill