Organochlorines in New York and the Hudson River: Sources, Environmental Distribution, and Health Risks

Community Outreach

Activities

Community Water Quality Testing

Through ongoing community and government partnerships, the Outreach Core facilitates community water quality testing and conducts outreach regarding combined sewer overflows (CSOs) in the lower Hudson. The Outreach Core facilitated the collaboration between the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and The River Project, a community organization, to successfully transfer water quality testing technology to the community. The Outreach Core developed a field laboratory at The River Project and provided training and materials. Together, we selected students from the community to conduct water quality experiments. The data is relevant to the increased interest in the use of the lower Hudson River for recreational activities. Research conducted in this field laboratory will be used to quantify the water quality in a well-used, shore recreational area during a variety of conditions, such as following a rainfall and during low and high tides. The water quality data will be available to the community who use the river for recreation.

K-12 Educational Activities

In collaboration with our community partner, The River Project, the Outreach Core supports a community-based Marine Sciences Internship Program. To date, the Outreach Core has supported 15 high school students per year in the internship program, with research topics ranging from plant ecology to tracking and mapping dispersion patterns in the estuary and its relationship to pollutant transport. Interns also perform direct community outreach by leading tours of the River Project's facilities, as well as presenting their research findings to the community during seminars held on-site. We also host lab tours and "Superfund Science" workshops for local schools and community groups.

Assist Scientific Projects in Interactions with Community

Outreach Core staff assist in recruitment of participants for the Urban Anglers Study (Project 5). Additionally, scientific investigators and the Outreach Core collaborated with community partners to hold a community seminar on exposure to persistent chemicals through local Hudson River fish consumption. In 2004, outreach staff worked directly with investigators from project 5 to successfully translate the methodology and preliminary results of the Urban Angler's Study into an interactive presentation for middle school and high school students in New York City. Using this model of education through collaboration with our scientific investigators, we aim to create school and community presentations based on Mount Sinai SBRP research projects.

Direct Community Outreach

The Community Outreach Core develops informational brochures, factsheets, and presentations on topics relevant to communities affected by the Hudson River. These outreach materials reach Hudson River residents directly to answer questions and to provide updates on study progress. Outreach is done through flyers and mailings, attendance at community fairs and events, maintenance of the community section of the SBRP Web site, and sponsoring of community meetings and seminars.