In June 2009, the Delaware General Health District launched an 18-month study of local residents’ environmental health concerns and priorities with the Health District’s new PACE-EH committee. PACE-EH stands for Protocol for Assessing Community Excellence in Environmental Health, a process promoted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The local Health District was among 10 communities which piloted PACE for the CDC in 1998. That project identified four priorities for local residents – green space, litter prevention and recycling, surface water quality, and environmental education for youth. The Health District and community partners have worked since then to address those concerns. That work has included creation of the Delaware Environmental Education Partnership, inspections of home sewage treatment systems in cooperation with the Ohio EPA, and creation of a litter reporting hotline at the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office.

Environmental Health Assessment Coordinator Susan Sutherland of the Health District staff will facilitate the PACE project. Sutherland is known as one of the nation’s experts on the PACE process and has appeared on a CDC satellite broadcast to share her expertise. For further information contact Jesse Carter, public information officer, at 740-203-2085 www.delawarehealth.org.