FUNDING AVAILABILITY FOR HEALTHY HOMES RESEARCH PROGRAM OVERVIEW

    Purpose of the Program. To fund research to improve methods for
detecting and controlling residential environmental health and safety
(EHS) hazards. The purpose of the Healthy Homes Initiative is to
develop, demonstrate and promote cost effective, preventive measures to
correct multiple safety and health hazards in the home environment
which produce serious diseases and injuries in children.
    Available Funds. Approximately $1.5 million.
    Eligible Applicants. Academic and not-for-profit institutions
located in the U.S., State and local governments, and Federally-
recognized Indian tribes are eligible to apply. For-profit firms also
are eligible; however, they are not allowed to earn a fee.
    Application Deadline. May 17, 2001.
    Match. None required.

Additional Information

    If you are interested in applying for funding under this program,
please review carefully the General Section of this SuperNOFA and the
following additional information.

I. Application Due Date, Application Kits, Further Information, and
Technical Assistance

    Application Due Date. Submit an original and four copies of your
completed application on or before 12:00 midnight, Eastern time, on May
17, 2001, at the address shown below.
    See the General Section of this SuperNOFA for specific procedures
that you must follow for the form of application submission (e.g.,
mailed applications, express mail, overnight delivery, or hand
carried).
    Address for Submitting Applications. For Mailed Applications. The
address for mailed applications is: Department of Housing and Urban
Development, Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control, 451
Seventh Street, SW, Room P3206, Washington, DC 20410.
    For Overnight/Express Mail or Hand Carried Applications. The
address for applications that are hand carried or sent via overnight/
express mail delivery is: HUD Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard
Control, Suite 3206, 490 L'Enfant Plaza, SW, Washington, DC 20024. Hand
carried applications will be accepted at this address (490 L'Enfant) up
until 5:00 pm on the application due date.
    After 5:00 pm on the application due date, hand carried
applications will be accepted until 12:00 midnight, in the South Lobby
of HUD Headquarters, 451 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20410.
    For Application Kits. You may obtain an application kit from the
SuperNOFA Information Center at 1-800-HUD-8929. Persons with speech or
hearing impairments may call the Center's TTY number at 1-800-HUD-2209.
When requesting an application kit, please refer to the Healthy Homes
Research grant program. Please be sure to provide your name, address
(including zip code), and telephone number (including area code).
    For Further Information and Technical Assistance. You may contact:
Ms. Ellen Taylor, Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control, at
the address above; telephone (202) 755-1785, extension 116, or Ms.
Karen Williams, Grants Officer, extension 118 (these are not toll-free
numbers). Hearing- and speech-impaired persons may access the above
telephone number via TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Information
Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339.
    Satellite Broadcast. HUD will hold an information broadcast via
satellite for potential applicants to learn more about the program and
preparation of the application. For more information about the date and
time of the broadcast, you should consult the HUD web site at http://
www.hud.gov.

II. Amount Allocated

    Approximately $1.5 million will be available to fund research
proposals in FY 2001. Grants or cooperative agreements will be awarded
on a competitive basis according to the Rating Factors described in
Section V(B). HUD anticipates awarding three to five grants ranging
from approximately $200,000 to approximately $600,000.

III. Program Description; Eligible Applicants; Eligible Activities

    (A) Program Description. Background. In the FY 2001 Budget, HUD
received a third year of funding to continue the Healthy Homes
Initiative (sometimes referred to as the ``Initiative'' or ``HHI'')
that protects children from housing conditions responsible for multiple
diseases and injuries. The Initiative departs from the more traditional
approach of attempting to correct one hazard at a time (e.g., asbestos,
radon). In April 1999, HUD submitted to Congress a preliminary plan
containing a full description of the Initiative. This description
(Summary and Full Report) is available on the HUD website at
www.hud.gov/offices/lead.
    In addition to deficiencies in basic housing facilities that may
impact health, changes in the U.S. housing stock and more sophisticated
epidemiological methods and biomedical research have led to the
identification of new and often more subtle health hazards in the
residential environment (e.g., indoor air quality hazards). While such
hazards will tend to be found disproportionately in housing that is
substandard (e.g. structural problems, lack of adequate heat, etc.),
such housing-related environmental hazards may also exist in housing
that is otherwise of good quality. Appendix A to this Healthy Homes
Research program section of the SuperNOFA briefly describes the
housing-associated health and injury hazards HUD considers key targets
for intervention. Appendix B to this Healthy Homes Research program
section of the SuperNOFA lists the references that serve as the basis
for the information provided in this Healthy Homes Research section of
this SuperNOFA.
    HUD is interested in promoting approaches that are cost-effective
and efficient and that result in the reduction of health threats for
the maximum number of residents for the long run, and in particular
low-income children. The overall goals and objectives of the HHI are:
    (1) Mobilize public and private resources, involving cooperation
among all levels of government, the private sector, and community-based
organizations to develop the most promising, cost-effective methods for
identifying and controlling housing-based hazards.
    (2) Build local capacity to operate sustainable programs that will
continue to prevent and, where they occur, minimize and control
housing-based hazards in low and very low income residences when HUD
funding is exhausted.
    (3) Affirmatively further fair housing and environmental justice.
HUD recognizes that there are many key scientific and implementation
questions related to this Initiative, some of which were articulated in
the HHI Preliminary Plan. With this NOFA, HUD hopes to advance the
recognition and control of residential environmental health and safety
hazards and more closely examine the link between housing and health.
    (B) Eligible Applicants. Academic and not-for-profit institutions
located in the U.S., State and local governments and Federally-
recognized Indian tribes are eligible under all existing
authorizations. For-profit firms also are eligible; however, they are
not allowed to earn a fee (i.e., no profit can be made

[[Page 11876]]

from the project). Federal agencies and Federal employees are not
eligible to submit applications. The General Section of the SuperNOFA
provides additional eligibility requirements.
    (C) Eligible Activities. (1) General Goals and Objectives. The
overall goal of this research is to gain knowledge to improve the
efficacy and cost-effectiveness of methods for evaluation and control
of environmental health and safety hazards in the home. Through the
Healthy Homes Initiative, HUD is assessing and promoting new risk
reduction techniques and research on the control of key hazards
described in Appendix A. Objectives to be addressed by these projects
are:
    (a) Investigation of the epidemiology of housing-related hazards
and illness and injury.
    (b) Development and assessment of low-cost test methods and
protocols for identification and assessment of housing-related hazards.
    (c) Development and assessment of cost-effective methods for
reducing or eliminating housing-related hazards.
    (d) Evaluation of the effectiveness of housing interventions and
public education campaigns, and barriers and incentives affecting
future use of the most cost-effective strategies.
    (f) Investigation of the environmental health effects on children
living in deteriorated housing and the impact on their development and
productivity.
    A table of examples of current Healthy Homes and lead-related
research projects being funded by HUD can be found in Appendix C.
    (2) HUD is interested in the following research topics:
    (a) Evaluation of residential Environmental Health and Safety (EHS)
hazard control methodologies.
--Controlling excess moisture and dust, and improving indoor air
quality (e.g., controlling combustion products) have been identified as
key areas in the HHI Preliminary Plan.
    (b) Low-cost analytical techniques for the rapid, on-site
determination of environmental contaminants of concern (e.g.,
bioaerosols, pesticides, allergens).
--Establish and validate any necessary procedures, such as extraction
and/or digestion, that would work well with the field device/procedure.
--Examine old technology (e.g., colorimetric tests, titrimetric
procedures) as well as newer techniques.
--Consider the safety and environmental impacts of the procedure,
particularly as used in the field.
    (c) New or Novel Methods of EHS Hazard Evaluation or Control, or
other areas of research that are consistent with the overall goals of
this research program section of the SuperNOFA.
--Identify and evaluate new methods and/or techniques for EHS hazard
control in the residential environment.
--Identify materials and/or procedures that may be used for abatement
or for interim controls.
--Show the potential utility of these methods for hazard control and
risk reduction.
--Evaluate critical elements and potential weaknesses of the methods or
techniques, and address how to minimize the effect of each critical
element and/or eliminate or mitigate each weakness.
--Demonstrate where and how these methods have been applied and tested,
and/or perform demonstration activities.
--Illustrate the results obtained, and the costs involved.
--Recommend cost-effective changes to the Program for inclusion in
future HUD Healthy Homes Initiative grants.
--Additional ideas will be considered with an open mind toward novel
techniques and applications.
    Although HUD is soliciting proposals for research on these specific
topics, the Department will also consider funding applications for
research on topics which are relevant under the overall goals and
objectives of this research, as described above. In such instances, the
applicant should describe how the proposed research activity addresses
these overall goals and objectives.
    Applicants should consider the efficiencies that might be gained by
working cooperatively with some of the recipients of HUD Healthy Homes
and Lead Hazard Control grants, who are widely distributed throughout
the U.S. Information on current grantees is available at www.hud.gov/
offices/lead.
    You may address one or more of the research topic areas within your
proposal, or submit separate applications for different topic areas.
Projects need not address all of the objectives within a given topic
area.

IV. Program Requirements.

    (A) Applicable Requirements. Please refer to Section II of the
General Section of the SuperNOFA, Requirements and Procedures
Applicable to All Programs. The threshold requirements are listed in
Section II.B of the General Section of this SuperNOFA.
    (B) Certifications and Assurances. In addition to the
certifications mentioned in the Section II(G) of the General Section of
the SuperNOFA, you must comply with the following:
    (1) All relevant State and Federal regulations regarding exposure
to and proper disposal of hazardous materials.
    (2) Any blood lead testing, blood lead level test results, and
medical referral and follow-up for children under six years of age will
be conducted according to the recommendations of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Preventing Lead Poisoning in Young
Children, (See Appendix B of this research program section of the
SuperNOFA).
    (3) HUD research grant funds will not replace existing resources
dedicated to any ongoing project.
    (4) Laboratory analysis covered by the National Lead Laboratory
Accreditation Program (NLLAP) will be conducted by a laboratory
recognized under the program.
    (5) Human research subjects will be protected from research risks
in conformance with Federal Policy for the Protection of Human
Subjects, codified by HUD at 24 CFR part 60.
    (6) The requirements of OSHA (e.g., 29 CFR part 1910 and/or 1926,
as applicable), or the State or local occupational safety and health
regulations, whichever are most stringent, will be met.
    (C) Period of Performance. The period of performance cannot exceed
36 months from the time of award.

V. Application Selection Process

    (A) Submitting Applications for Grants. Applications that meet all
of the threshold requirements will be eligible to be scored and ranked,
based on the total number of points allocated for each of the rating
factors described below in Section V(B) of this program section of the
SuperNOFA. Your application must receive a total score of at least 65
points to remain in consideration for funding.
    Awards will be made in rank order, within the limits of funding
availability.
    You may address more than one of the research topic areas within
your proposal, or submit separate applications for different topic
areas. Projects need not address all of the objectives within a given
topic area. While you will not be penalized for not addressing all of
the specific objectives for a given topic area, if two applications for
research in a given topic have equal scores, HUD will select the
applicant whose project addresses the most objectives.
    You are encouraged to plan projects that can be completed over a
short time period (e.g., 12 to 24 months from the date of award) so
useful information generated from the research can be available for
policy or program

[[Page 11877]]

decisions and disseminated to the public as quickly as possible.
    Regarding the amount to be awarded to the selected applicants,
please refer to the Negotiations section in the General Section of this
SuperNOFA.
    (1) Use of Residual Funds. In the selection process, HUD reserves
the right to offer partial funding to any or all applicants. If you are
offered a reduced grant amount, you will have a maximum of seven (7)
calendar days to accept such a reduced award. If you fail to respond
within the seven day limit, you shall be considered to have declined
the award.
    (B) Rating Factors. The factors for rating and ranking applicants,
and maximum points for each factor, are provided below. The maximum
number of points to be awarded is 100. The EZ/EC bonus points described
in the General Section of the SuperNOFA do not apply to this Research
NOFA.

Rating Factor 1: Capacity of the Applicant and Relevant
Organizational Experience (20 Points)

    This factor addresses the extent to which you have the ability and
organizational resources necessary to successfully implement your
proposed activities in a timely manner. The rating of you, the
``applicant,'' will include any sub-grantees, consultants, sub-
recipients, and members of consortia that are firmly committed to the
project (generally, ``subordinate organizations''). In rating this
factor HUD will consider the extent to which your application
demonstrates:
    (1) The capability and qualifications of the principal investigator
and key personnel (10 points). Qualifications to carry out the proposed
study as evidenced by academic background, relevant publications, and
recent (within the past 10 years) relevant research experience.
Publications and research experience are considered relevant if they
required the acquisition and use of knowledge and skills that can be
applied in the planning and execution of the research that is proposed
under this program section of this SuperNOFA.
    (2) Past performance of the research team in managing similar
research (10 points). Demonstrated ability to successfully manage
various aspects of a complex research study in such areas as logistics,
research personnel management, data management, quality control,
community research involvement (if applicable), and report writing, as
well as overall success in project completion (i.e., research completed
on time and within budget). You should also demonstrate that your
project would have adequate administrative support, including clerical
and specialized support in areas such as accounting and equipment
maintenance.

Rating Factor 2: Need/Extent of the Problem (15 Points)

    This factor addresses the extent to which there is a need for your
proposed program activities to address documented problems, target
areas or target groups. In responding to this factor, you should
document in detail how your research would make a significant
contribution towards achieving some or all of HUD's stated goals and
objectives for one or more of the topic areas described in Sections III
(A) and (C)(2)(a)-(c) of this program section of the SuperNOFA.
    (1) Your rating will be based on the scope and completeness of your
documentation which should include available data linking housing-based
hazards to disease or injuries to children. Examples of data that might
be used to demonstrate need include:
    (a) Rates of childhood illnesses or injuries (e.g., asthma, burns)
that could be caused or exacerbated by exposure to conditions in the
home environment and/or rates of environmentally-related disease or
adverse health effects (e.g., hypertension, elevated blood lead levels)
that would be addressed by your research;
    (b) Unavailability of other Federal, State or local funding or
private sector resources that could be, or is used, to address the
problem. This includes current research projects for which funding will
be terminated or significantly reduced in the next 12 months.
    (c) Data documenting affected groups or areas that are
traditionally underserved or have special needs.
    (2) If your application addresses needs that are in the
Consolidated Plan, Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (AI),
court orders or consent decrees, settlements, conciliation agreements,
and voluntary compliance agreements, you will receive more points than
applicants that do not relate their program to identified need.
    (3) In addition, if you are seeking funding for ``other'' research,
as is described in section III(C)(2)(c), you must document the
importance and need for the research with respect to addressing the
overall goal of this research program, and providing measurable
positive impact on children's health.

Rating Factor 3: Soundness of Approach (45 Points)

    This factor addresses the quality of your proposed research plan.
Specific components include the following:
    (1) Soundness of the study design (25 points). The project
description/study design must be thorough and feasible, and reflect
your knowledge of the relevant scientific literature. You should
include a plan for analyzing and archiving data. You should approach
your study design as a project with a goal, some activities with
associated tasks, a time frame, and an associated cost.
    (2) Quality assurance mechanisms (8 points). You must describe the
quality assurance mechanisms which will be integrated into your
research design to ensure the validity and quality of the results.
Areas to be addressed include acceptance criteria for data quality,
procedures for selection of samples/sample sites, sample handling,
measurement and analysis, and any standard/nonstandard quality
assurance/control procedures to be followed. Documents (e.g.,
government reports, peer-reviewed academic literature) which provide
the basis for your quality assurance mechanisms should be cited.
    (3) Project management plan (5 points). The proposal should include
a management plan that provides a schedule for the completion of major
activities, tasks and deliverables, with an indication that there will
be adequate resources (e.g., personnel, financial) to successfully meet
the proposed schedule. Projects with a duration of 24 months or less
will be awarded more points in this category than projects with a
longer duration.
    (4) Project Evaluation (5 points). You are required to identify and
discuss the specific methods you will use to measure progress towards
your goals, track and report results of your research, and evaluate the
effectiveness of your project:
    (i) Discuss the performance goals for your project and identify
specific outcome measures;
    (ii) Describe how the outcome information will be obtained,
documented, and reported; and
    (iii) Identify the major milestones for your project, and describe
how your progress towards these milestones will be tracked, recorded
and reported.
    (5) Budget Proposal (2 Points). Your budget proposal should
thoroughly estimate all applicable direct and indirect costs, and be
presented in a clear and coherent format in accordance with the
requirements listed in the

[[Page 11878]]

General Section of this SuperNOFA. HUD is not required to approve or
fund all proposed activities. Your budget should be submitted in the
format recommended; an electronic spreadsheet is available on HUD's
website, www.hud.gov/offices/lead. You must thoroughly document and
justify all budget categories and costs (Part B of Standard Form 424A)
and all major tasks, for yourself, sub-recipients, partners, major
subcontractors, joint venture participants, or others contributing
resources to the project. Your budget proposal should be activity and
task related.

Rating Factor 4: Leveraging Resources (10 Points)

    Your proposal should demonstrate that the effectiveness of the HUD
research grant funds are being increased by securing other public and/
or private resources or by structuring the research in a cost-effective
manner, such as integrating the project into an existing research
effort. Resources may include funding or in-kind contributions (such as
services, facilities or equipment) allocated to the purpose(s) of your
research. Staff and in-kind contributions should be given a monetary
value.
    You should provide evidence of leveraging/partnerships by attaching
to your application the following: letters of firm commitment,
memoranda of understanding, or agreements to participate from those
entities identified as partners in the research efforts. Each letter of
commitment, memorandum of understanding, or agreement to participate
should include the organization's name, proposed level of commitment
(with monetary value) and responsibilities as they relate to specific
activities or tasks of your proposed program. The commitment must also
be signed by an official of the organization legally able to make
commitments on behalf of the organization.

Rating Factor 5: Comprehensiveness and Coordination (10 Points)

    You should describe how the results of your proposed research
efforts will support planning, policy development, implementation of
healthy homes programs, and/or public education in the area of
residential EHS hazard control or in accordance with the goals and
operations of the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing
(PATH) (refer to Section VI(E) of the General Section of the
SuperNOFA). If your application involves a particular community, it
should relate to the community's Consolidated Plan and Analysis
Impediments to Fair Housing Choice. In addition, you should also
address the extent to which your research could be used to expand fair
housing choice and to affirmatively further fair housing.

VI. Application Submission Requirements

    (A) Applicant Data. Your application must contain the items listed
in this Section (VI(A)). These items include the standard forms,
certifications, and assurances listed in the General Section of the
SuperNOFA that are applicable to this funding (collectively, referred
to as the ``standard forms''). The standard forms can be found in
Appendix B to the General Section of the SuperNOFA. The remaining
application items that are forms (i.e., excluding such items as
narratives), referred to as the non-standard forms can be found as
Appendix D to this program section of the SuperNOFA: The items are as
follows:
    (1) Transmittal Letter that identifies what the research program
funds are requested for, the dollar amount requested, and the applicant
or applicants submitting the application. If two or more organizations
are working together on the research, a primary applicant must be
designated.
    (2) Checklist and Submission Table of Contents (see Appendix D).
    (3) The name, mailing address, telephone number, and principal
contact person of the prime applicant. If you have consortium
associates, sub-grantees, partners, major subcontractors, joint venture
participants, or others contributing resources to your project, similar
information must be provided for each of these entities.
    (4) Completed Forms HUD-2880, Applicant/Recipient Disclosure/Update
Report; Certification Regarding Lobbying; and/or SF-LLL, Disclosure of
Lobbying Activities, where applicable.
    (5) Completed Standard Forms SF-424, 424M, 424A, 424B, and other
certifications and assurances listed in the General Section of the
SuperNOFA and in Section VII(B) of this program section of the
SuperNOFA.
    (6) A detailed total budget with supporting cost justification for
all budget categories of the Federal grant request. Use the budget
format discussed in Section V(B) Rating Factor 3:5, above. (See
Appendix D.)
    (7) A two-page (maximum) abstract containing the following
information: The project title, the names and affiliations of all
investigators, and a summary of the objectives, expected results, and
study design described in the proposal.
    (8) A project description/narrative statement addressing the rating
factors for award of funding under this program section of the
SuperNOFA. The narrative statement must be numbered in accordance with
each factor for award (Rating Factors 1 through 5). The response to the
rating factors should not exceed a total of 25 pages for each research
topic area. Any pages in excess of this limit will not be read.
    (9) Any important attachments, appendices, references, or other
relevant information may accompany the project description, but must
not exceed twenty (20) pages for the entire application. Any pages in
excess of this limit will not be read.
    (10) The resumes of the principal investigator and other key
personnel. Resumes shall not exceed three pages each, and are limited
to information that is relevant in assessing the qualifications of key
personnel to conduct and/or manage the proposed research.

VII. Corrections to Deficient Applications

    The General Section of the SuperNOFA provides the procedures for
corrections to deficient applications.

VIII. Environmental Requirements

    In accordance with 24 CFR 50.19(b)(1) and (5) of the HUD
regulations, activities assisted under this program are categorically
excluded from the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act
of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321) and are not subject to environmental review
under the related laws and authorities.

IX. Authority

    These grants are authorized under sections 1051 and 1052 of the
Residential Lead Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992, which is
Title X of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992, sections
501 and 502 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1970, and the
Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and
Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001, Public Law 106-377,
approved October 27, 2000.

Appendix A

    The following briefly describes the housing-associated health
and injury hazards HUD considers key targets for intervention:
    Allergens and asthma: Experts estimate that 14 million Americans
have asthma, with an associated annual cost of $14 billion. Asthma
is now recognized as the leading cause of school and work absence,
emergency room visits and hospitalization. For

[[Page 11879]]

sensitized children, exposure to antigens from dust mites, certain
pets, and cockroaches has been associated with more severe asthma.
There is a preponderance of evidence showing a dose-response
relationship between exposure and prevalence of asthma and
allergies; some evidence also indicates that exposure to antigens
early in life may predispose or hasten the onset of allergies and
asthma. Dust mites have been identified as the largest trigger for
asthma and allergies. Cockroach allergens appear to be excessive in
30-50% of inner-city housing and affect 5-15% of the population,
whereas dust mite appears to be the dominant allergen in other
environments.
    Interventions known to have beneficial effects include
installation of impervious mattress and pillow covers, which can
reduce allergen exposure by 90%. Other dust mite control measures
include dehumidification, laundering bedding, and removal of carpets
and other dust sinks. Cleaning carpets with tannic acid solution has
also been demonstrated to greatly reduce dust mites. Asthma
prevention program costs have been estimated at about $500 per unit,
which includes about $150 for educational interventions.
    Asbestos: Asbestos is a mineral fiber that has been used
commonly in a variety of building construction materials and
household products for insulation and as a fire-retardant. The
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Consumer Product
Safety Commission (CPSC) have banned most asbestos products.
Manufacturers have also voluntarily limited uses of asbestos. Today,
asbestos is most commonly found in older homes: in pipe and furnace
insulation materials, asbestos shingles, millboard, textured paints
and other coating materials, and floor tiles. Elevated
concentrations of airborne asbestos can occur when asbestos-
containing materials (ACM) are disturbed by cutting, sanding or
other remodeling activities. Improper attempts to remove these
materials can release asbestos fibers into the air in homes,
increasing asbestos levels and endangering people living in those
homes. The most dangerous asbestos fibers are too small to be
visible. After they are inhaled, they can remain and accumulate in
the lungs. Asbestos can cause lung cancer, mesothelioma (a cancer of
the chest and abdominal linings), and asbestosis (irreversible lung
scarring that can be fatal). Most people with asbestos-related
diseases were exposed to elevated concentrations on the job; some
developed disease from exposure to clothing and equipment brought
home from job sites. As with radon, dose-response extrapolations
suggest that lower level exposures, as may occur when asbestos-
containing building materials deteriorate or are disturbed, may also
cause cancer.
    Intact asbestos-containing materials are not a hazard; they
should be monitored for damage or deterioration and isolated if
possible. Repair of damaged or deteriorating ACM usually involves
either sealing (encapsulation) or covering (enclosure) it. Repair is
usually cheaper than removal, but it may make later removal of
asbestos more difficult and costly. Repairs should be done only by a
professional trained and certified to handle asbestos safely and can
cost from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars; removal can be
more expensive.
    Combustion products of heating and cooking appliances: Burning
of oil, natural gas, kerosene, and wood for heating or cooking
purposes can release a variety of combustion products of health
concern. Depending upon the fuel, these may include carbon monoxide
(a chemical asphyxiant), oxides of nitrogen (respiratory irritants),
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (e.g., the carcinogen
benzo[a]pyrene), and airborne particulate matter (respiratory
irritants). Carbon monoxide, an odorless gas, can be fatal. Nitrogen
dioxide can damage the respiratory tract, and sulfur dioxide can
irritate the eyes, nose and respiratory tract. Smoke and other
particulates irritate the eyes, nose and throat, and can cause lung
cancer.
    Improper venting and poor maintenance of heating systems and
cooking appliances can dramatically increase exposure to combustion
products. Experts recommend having combustion heating systems
inspected by a trained professional every year to identify blocked
openings to flues and chimneys; cracked or disconnected flue pipe;
dirty filters; rust or cracks in the heat exchanger; soot or
creosote build-up; and exhaust or gas odors. Installing a carbon
monoxide detector is also recommended; however, such a detector will
not detect other combustion by-products.
    Insect and rodent pests: The observed association between
exposure to cockroach antigen and asthma severity has already been
noted above. In addition, cockroaches may act as vehicles to
contaminate environmental surfaces with certain pathogenic
organisms. Rodents can transmit a number of communicable diseases to
humans, either through bites, arthropod vectors, or exposure to
aerosolized excreta. In addition, humans can become sensitized to
proteins in rodent urine, dander and saliva. Such sensitization may
contribute to asthma severity among children. Insect and rodent
infestation is frequently associated with substandard housing that
makes it difficult to eliminate. Treatment of rodent and insect
infestations often includes the use of toxic pesticides which may
present hazards to occupants (see below). Integrated pest management
(IPM) for rodents and cockroaches, which reduces the use of
pesticides, is estimated to cost approximately $150 per unit. IPM
control measures include sealing holes and cracks, removing food
sources and use of traps.
    Lead: Exposure to lead, especially from deteriorating lead-based
paint, remains one of the most important and best-studied of the
household environmental hazards to children. Although blood lead
levels have fallen nationally, a large reservoir of lead remains in
housing. The most recent national survey, conducted from 1991-94,
showed that nearly one million U.S. preschoolers still have elevated
blood lead levels. Overall, the prevalence rate among all children
under six years of age is 4.4%. Among low-income children living in
older housing where lead-based paint is most prevalent, the rate
climbs to 16%; and for African-American children living in such
housing, it reaches 21%.
    HUD estimates that 64 million dwellings have some lead-based
paint, and that 20 million have lead-based paint hazards. Of those,
about 3.6 million have young children and of those, about 500,000
units have inadequate cash flow to respond to lead-based paint
hazards. Costs can range anywhere from $500 to $15,000 per unit.
Corrective measures include paint stabilization, enclosure and
removal of certain building components coated with lead paint, and
cleanup and ``clearance testing'', which ensures the unit is safe
for young children.
    Mold and moisture: An analysis of several pulmonary disease
studies estimates that 25% of airways disease, and 60% of
interstitial lung disease may be associated with moisture in the
home or work environment. Moisture is a precursor to the growth of
mold and other biological agents, which is also associated with
respiratory symptoms. An investigation of a cluster of pulmonary
hemosiderosis (PH) cases in infants showed PH was associated with a
history of recent water damage to homes and with levels of the mold
Stachybotrys atra (SA) in air and in cultured surface samples.
Associations between exposure to SA and ``sick building'' symptoms
in adults have also been observed. Other related toxigenic

[[Page 11880]]

fungi have been found in association with SA-associated illness and
could play a role. For sensitive individuals, exposure to a wide
variety of common molds may also aggravate asthma. Addressing mold
problems in housing requires coordination among the medical, public
health, microbiological, housing, and building science communities.
    The cost of mold/moisture-related intervention work (e.g.,
integrated pest management, clean and tune furnace, remove debris,
vent clothes dryer, cover dirt floor with impermeable vapor barrier)
is a few hundred dollars, unless major modification of the
ventilation system is needed. In Cleveland, mold interventions,
including repairs to ventilation systems and basement flooring, in
the most heavily-contaminated homes range from $500-$5,000, with
some costs also being dedicated to lead hazard control
simultaneously through its lead+asthma program.
    Pesticide residues: According to the EPA, 75 percent of U.S.
households used at least one pesticide product indoors during the
past year. Products used most often are insecticides and
disinfectants. Another study suggests 80 percent of most people's
exposure to pesticides occurs indoors and that measurable levels of
up to a dozen pesticides have been found in the air inside homes.
The amount of pesticides found in homes appears to be greater than
can be explained by recent pesticide use in those households; other
possible sources include contaminated soil or dust that migrates in
from outside, stored pesticide containers, and household surfaces
that collect and then release the pesticides. Pesticides used in and
around the home include products to control insects (insecticides),
termites (termiticides), rodents (rodenticides), molds and fungi
(fungicides), and microbes (disinfectants). In 1990, the American
Association of Poison Control Centers reported that some 79,000
children were involved in common household pesticide poisonings or
exposures. In households with children under five years old, almost
one-half stored at least one pesticide product within reach of
children. Exposure to chlorpyriphos (CP), a commonly used
organophosphate insecticide, in the prenatal and early postnatal
period may impair neurodevelopment. While CP is a biodegradable
pesticide, substantial persistence of CP in house dust has been
demonstrated. Exposure to high levels of cyclodiene pesticides,
commonly associated with misapplication, has produced various
symptoms, including headaches, dizziness, muscle twitching,
weakness, tingling sensations, and nausea. In addition, EPA is
concerned that cyclodienes might cause long-term damage to the liver
and the central nervous system, as well as an increased risk of
cancer.
    There are available data on hazard evaluation methods and
remediation effectiveness regarding pesticide residues in the home
environment.
    Radon progeny: The National Academy of Sciences estimates that
approximately 15,000 cases of lung cancer per year are related to
radon exposure. Epidemiologic studies of miners exposed to high
levels of radon in inhaled air have defined the dose response
relation for radon-induced lung cancer at high exposure levels.
Extrapolation of these data has been used to estimate the excess
risk of lung cancer attributable to exposure to radon gas at the
lower levels found in homes. These estimates indicate that radon gas
is an important cause of lung cancer deaths in the U.S. Excessive
exposures are typically related to home ventilation, structural
integrity and location.
    Radon measurement and remediation methods are well-developed,
and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that every
home be measured for radon. EPA estimates that materials and labor
costs for radon reduction in an existing home are $800-$2500.
Including radon resistant techniques in new home construction costs
$350-$500, and can save up to $65 annually in energy costs,
according to the EPA.
    Take home hazards from work/hobbies and work at home: When the
clothing, hair, skin, or shoes of workers become contaminated with
hazardous materials in the workplace, such contaminants may
inadvertently be carried to the home environment and/or an
automobile. Such ``take-home'' exposures have been demonstrated, for
example, in homes of lead-exposed workers. In addition, certain
hobbies or workplaces located in the home may provide an especially
great risk of household contamination.
    Control methods include storing and laundering work clothes
separately, and showering and changing before leaving work, or
immediately after arriving home. Once a home becomes contaminated,
cleaning floors and contact surfaces and replacing furnishings may
be necessary to reduce exposures.
    Unintentional injuries/fire: Unintentional injury is now the
leading cause of death and disability among children younger than 15
years of age. In 1997, nearly 7 million persons in the United States
were disabled for at least 1 full day by unintentional injuries
received at home. During the same year, 28,400 deaths were
attributable to unintentional home injuries, of which 1800 occurred
among children 0-4 years of age. Among young children, three types
of events accounted for more than \3/4\ of deaths: fires/ burns,
drownings, and mechanical suffocation. Falls and poisoning are the
next most common.
    Home visitation protocols have been shown to be effective in
reducing exposure to such hazards. The ``add-on'' cost of injury
prevention measures, when combined with other housing interventions
are estimated at about $100 per unit. This includes the cost of some
injury prevention devices, such as smoke alarms, electrical socket
covers, etc.

Appendix B--Relevant Publications and Guidelines

    To secure any of the documents listed, call the listed telephone
number (generally, the telephone numbers are not toll-free).
    Regulations: 1. Worker Protection: OSHA publication--Telephone:
202-693-1888 (OSHA Regulations) (available for a charge)--Government
Printing Office--Telephone: 202-512-1800 (not a toll-free number):

--General Industry Lead Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1025 (Document Number
869022001124). Can be downloaded from the Internet without charge
from www.osha-slc.gov/OshStd_data/1910_1025.html.
--Lead Exposure in Construction, 29 CFR 1926.62, and appendices A,
B, C, and D (Document Number 869022001141). Can be downloaded from
the Internet without charge from www.osha-slc.gov/OshStd_data/
1926_0062.html.
    2. Waste Disposal: 40 CFR parts 260-268 (EPA regulations)
(available for a charge)--Telephone 1-800-424-9346, or, from the
Washington, DC, metropolitan area, 1-703-412-9810 (not a toll-free
number). Can be downloaded from the Internet without charge from
www.epa.gov/docs/epacfr40/chapt-I.info/subch-I/.
    3. Lead; Requirements for Lead-Based Paint Activities in Target
Housing and Child-Occupied Facilities; Final Rule: 40 CFR part 745
(EPA) (Lead Hazard Standards, Work Practice Standards, EPA and State
Certification and Accreditation Programs for those engaged in lead-
based paint activities)--Telephone: 1-202-554-1404 (Toxic Substances
Control Act Hotline) (not a toll-free number). Can be downloaded
from the Internet without charge from www.epa.gov/opptintr/lead/
index.html.
    4. Requirements for Notification, Evaluation and Reduction of
Lead-Based Paint Hazards in Federally Owned Residential Property and
Housing Receiving Federal Assistance; Final Rule: 24 CFR part 35,
subparts A through R, published September 15, 1999, at Federal
Register pages 50201 through 50231(HUD)--Telephone: 1-800-424-LEAD
(National Lead

[[Page 11881]]

Information Center). Can be downloaded from the Internet without
charge from www.hud.gov/lea/leadwnlo.html or www.epa.gov/lead/
leadbase.htm.
    5. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Lead; Identification of
Dangerous Levels of Lead; Final Rule at 66 FR 1205-1240, January 5,
2001. TSCA Hotline: 202-554-1404 (not a toll-free number). Can be
downloaded from the Internet without charge from www.epa.gov/lead/
leadhaz.htm.
    Guidelines: 1. Guidelines for the Evaluation and Control of
Lead-Based Paint Hazards in Housing; HUD, June 1995, and amended
September, 1997. (Available for a charge)--Telephone: 800-245-2691.
Can be downloaded from the Internet without charge from www.hud.gov/
lea/leadwnlo.html.
    2. Preventing Lead Poisoning in Young Children; Centers for
Disease Control, October 1991: Telephone: 888-232-6789.
    3. Screening Young Children for Lead Poisoning: Guidance for
State and Local Public Health Officials, November 1997; Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Telephone: 888-232-6789. Can
be downloaded from the Internet without charge from www.hud.gov/lea/
leadwnlo.html.
    Reports and Articles: 1. Putting the Pieces Together:
Controlling Lead Hazards in the Nation's Housing, (Summary and Full
Report); HUD, July 1995 (available for a charge)--Telephone 800-245-
2691. Can be downloaded from the Internet without charge from
www.hud.gov/lea/leadwnlo.html.
    2. The Healthy Homes Initiative: A Preliminary Plan (Summary and
Full Report); HUD, July 1995. Can be downloaded from the Internet
without charge from www.hud.gov/lea/leadwnlo.html.
    3. Institute of Medicine. Indoor Allergens. Assessing and
Controlling Adverse Health Effects. National Academy Press.
Washington, D.C. 1993.
    4. Mott L., Our Children at Risk. Natural Resources Defense
Council. Washington, D.C. 1997. Can be ordered from the Internet
from www.nrdc.org
    5. Rom W.N., Ed. Environmental and Occupational Medicine.
Little, Brown and Co., Boston. 1992.
    6. President's Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and
Safety Risks to Children. Asthma and The Environment: An Action Plan
to Protect Children. Washington, D.C. 1999. Eliminating Childhood
Lead Poisoning: A Federal Strategy Targeting Lead Paint Hazards.
Washington, D.C., 2000. Can be downloaded from the Internet without
charge from www.epa.gov/children.
BILLING CODE 4210-32-P