Puerto Rico Storm Victims Report Waits of Over Five Hours on Calls to FEMA

Long hold times contacting the Federal Emergency Management Agency are just one challenge emerging as the nation responds to Hurricane Fiona, which swamped the commonwealth last month, along with Hurricane Ian’s devastating hit to Florida.

Government Executive [Author: Kery Murakami]

HHS Extends Monkeypox Emergency Declaration, Expands Covered Providers

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra last week extended for 10 years his Aug. 4 public health emergency for monkeypox under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act and authorized additional providers to administer vaccines and therapeutics under the emergency declaration. The original declaration was effective through Dec. 31.

American Hospital Association

Climate Change Made Global Summer Droughts 20 Times More Likely

Drought that stretched across three continents this summer — drying out large parts of Europe, the United States and China — was made 20 times more likely by climate change, according to a new study.

PBS News Hour [Author: Drew Costley]

Laboratories of Experimentation: Local Governments at the Forefront of Advancing Workers' Rights

The webinar hosted by the Harvard Labor and Worklife Program and Local Progress Impact Lab will explore the growing role of local government in advancing and protecting workers' rights. Discussions on passing and enforcing cutting-edge local workplace laws, creating permanent city-level labor enforcement agencies, setting up worker boards to make and advise on local policies, and leveraging the cities’ role to drive labor improvement. The event will be held on October 12, 2022, at 4:00 p.m. EDT.

Event Registration

Dispatches from the Future: Future Forces Shaping Work and Health

Rachel Maguire, Research Director at the Institute for the Future (IFTF), will provide highlights from IFTF’s research into how the changing nature of work is influencing the health of individuals, families, and communities over the coming decades. The event will be held on October 21, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. EDT.

Event Registration

Request for Information: Environmental Justice Scorecard Feedback

In this Request for Information (RFI), the White House is seeking public input on the vision, framework, and outcomes for the first version of the Environmental Justice Scorecard. This RFI was informed by an initial set of recommendations that the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council (WHEJAC) provided earlier this year. The public can continue to submit comments on the vision, framework, and outcomes of the Environmental Justice Scorecard until Thursday, November 3, 2022.

Regulations.gov

One Florida Community Built to Weather Hurricanes Endured Ian With Barely a Scratch

The community is located 30 miles inland to avoid coastal storm surges. Power lines to homes are all run underground, where they are shielded from high winds. Giant retaining ponds surround the development to protect houses from flooding. As a backup, streets are designed to absorb floodwaters and spare the houses.

NPR [Author: Scott Neuman]

State Opioid Settlement Money Now Being Distributed

Nearly $400 Million will be distributed to organizations working to prevent and treat opioids dependence in Colorado. The state will release money every year for the next 18 years. Some fear the money won't be enough for the long term needs of opioid treatment and prevention.

CBS Colorado

U.S. Shift Away From Coal Hits Tribal Community in New Mexico

Realities of shuttering the San Juan plant are setting in for surrounding communities, including the Navajo Nation, where poverty and joblessness already are exponentially higher than national averages. Hundreds of jobs are evaporating along with tens of millions of dollars in annual tax revenue used to fund schools and a community college.

AP News [Author: Susan Montoya Bryan]

U.S. Department of Labor announces selection of OSHA Training Institute Education Centers

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced the addition of a new organization to its OSHA Training Institute Education Center network and the renewal of 25 existing education centers. OSHA Training Institute (OTI) Education Centers are non-profit organizations that offer training courses on OSHA standards and occupational safety and health topics to workers and employers across the country.

OSHA Trade Release

With New American Rescue Plan Funding, HHS Expands and Strengthens the Community and Public Health Workforce

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), awarded more than $266 million in American Rescue Plan funding to grow the community and public health workforce. HRSA is awarding $225.5 million to 83 grantees as part of the Community Health Worker Training Program, which is a new multiyear program that will support training and apprenticeship to support an estimated 13,000 community health workers.

HHS News Release

READOUT: At U.S. Department of Labor, Workers’ Voice Summit Stresses Collaboration in Addressing Workers’ Rights Concerns

The three-day summit hosted by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), focused on trends affecting workers and the need to foster open dialogue to identify workplace problems and find solutions. Participants also discussed the benefits of advancing equity and making the department more accessible to underserved workers and their advocates.

OSHA Readout

NIOSH Storm, Flood, and Hurricane Response Materials

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Hurricane Key Messages for Employers Workers and Volunteers provides information to help protect the health and safety of those providing recovery assistance in the days following a hurricane. The document provides key messages associated with to the multiple hazards related to storms, floods and hurricanes. These messages are also available in Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese. Learn more on the NIOSH Storm/Flood and Hurricane Response page.

Hurricane Key Messages for Employers Workers and Volunteers Document

NIOSH Storm/Flood and Hurricane Response page

Recovery-Ready Workplace Resource Hub

The Department of Labor’s (DOL) Employment and Training Administration launched the Recovery-Ready Workplace Resource Hub with information and resources for businesses, unions, and others exploring the benefits of becoming recovery-ready workplaces. The hub was developed with support from numerous federal partners and will be updated and expanded over time.

DOL

Homeowner’s and Renter’s Guide to Mold Cleanup After Disasters

This document was developed by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It summarizes basic procedures for mold remediation after flooding and other disasters.

EPA

Tenure-Track Assistant Professor Position in Environmental Health Sciences

The School of Public Health at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor is seeking a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences.

Job posting

The Deep South Center for Environmental Justice is Seeking an Experienced Network Coordinator

The Deep South Center for Environmental Justice (DSCEJ) is seeking a Network Coordinator for the newly re-launched National Black Environmental Justice Network (NBEJN) who is self-driven and detail-oriented with a demonstrated passion for justice and equity. The Network Coordinator will be responsible for a variety of professional activities to build relationships, trust, and alignment with NBEJN members; coordinate working groups; design, coordinate, and implement campaigns, and conduct qualitative and quantitative evaluations of programs and activities.

Job Posting

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