The Office of Cancer Awareness and Environmental Assessment along with the Commissioner works closely with the Cancer Awareness Task Force, created by Steve Levy. 

This Task Force meets several times a year and helps to develop priorities and goals for the County in terms of addressing Cancer Awareness issues. 

An initiative of the County Executive, the Cancer Awareness Task Force is composed of anti-cancer advocates, medical care organizations, cancer researchers and County staff in the Department of Health Services and Environment and Energy.

Five focus areas of the Task Force are:

·          Education on Prevention

·          Detection

·          Patient Care/Access to Care

·          Environmental Links

·          Special population’s diverse communities

Links

Cancer Awareness Task Force

Cancer Awareness Links - Provides Information on Cancer, the Environment, Health, Sun Safety and Tobacco.

My Physical Activity Tracker  - A printable sheet that allows you to set your cardio or aerobic and strength training goals for the week.

Play it Safe in the Sun  - A guide for parents to promote sun safety for their children.  

Responsibilities

This Office was created in 2006 in order to:

• Coordinate studies and programs designed to uncover the cause of breast cancer and other cancers on Long Island
• Coordinate all studies and programs designed to uncover links between the environment and incidents of breast and other cancers on Long Island
• Work with private groups, research facilities, hospitals and other governmental entities to secure Federal and State funding for studies of the causes of breast and other cancers on Long Island and a determination of any links between environment and incidents of cancer on Long Island
• Review, analyze, explain and summarize for the benefit of public information and educational purposes any breast cancer incident maps prepared for Long Island
• Coordinate the Brownfield programs to encourage remediation, restoration and re-use

The Office of Cancer Awareness and Environmental Assessment also researches issue identified by the Task Force, sets agendas, and prepares minutes.  Follow up often involves legislation which then may be pursued at the County level.

Environmental Assessments that are conducted in the Office involve investigating environmental contamination and the potential risks posed by exposure to those contaminants.  This work requires very close coordination with the Department of Health Services, Division of Environmental Quality, as well as with the New York State Departments of Health and Environmental Conservation.  It is necessary to have knowledge in toxicology, EPA guidance for eco-risk assessment, health risk assessment protocols for Superfund, soil screening guidance, soil gas guidance, pesticide registration process, New YorkState risk assessment procedures for the Brownfields program, the New York State Cancer Surveillance Improvement Initiative and ATDSR health assessment methodology.  Some examples of the projects that have been worked on include the Bay Shore Manufactured Gas Plant, Vector Control Long Term Plan, and Brookhaven National Laboratory Cleanup of the Peconic River.

The Pesticide Community Advisory Committee (CAC) meets almost monthly and oversees the implementation of the phase out of pesticides on County property.  The CAC works very closely with Cornell Cooperative Extension, who conducts trials and attempt to find non-pesticide alternatives to control pests.  The Committee must approve special use exemptions for those circumstances where there are no alternatives to a pesticide and there is a need to control the pest (e.g. termites).  Each year the CAC prepares an Annual Report that is distributed to all Departments and Legislators.  Outreach is becoming an important component to the work of the CAC as we hope to extend our knowledge base to other municipalities in Suffolk County.

Since the creation of the Department of Environment and Energy, there is now a focal point for the Brownfields Program.  This involves coordination between Real Estate, the Treasurer’s Office, Planning, Health Services and the Law Department for remediation, restoration, and re-use.

On-going Activities

Safe and Sustainable Procurement Policy

Working closely with anti-cancer advocates and other Departments, we were successful in adopting a Safe and Sustainable Procurement Policy.  Through a joint and cooperative effort, Suffolk County is once again a leader in setting an example to purchase commodities that are safer, thereby promoting a healthier workplace and environment.

For specific target categories of commodities, Suffolk County will seek to purchase those commodities that do not contain a priority substance of concern, which includes those substances that are considered a potential carcinogen, reproductive toxin, endocrine disruptor or a radioactive substance. 

Target commodities include:

·          Automobile maintenance products and services

·          Paper products (required to meet recycled content specifications)

·          Landscaping products and services

·          Paints , coating products, and services

In another initiative, Suffolk County will be working with Dr. John Kovach at Stony Brook University to seek funding for a study looking at the possible role of metals, such as cadmium, in the causation of breast cancer.

Pesticide CAC

We were successful in amending the local law pertaining to the pesticide phase out; acknowledging the Department of Environment and Energy’s responsibility in overseeing the implementation of the pesticide phase out.  The Chair of the Pesticide CAC was changed to the Commissioner of the Department of Environment and Energy (or his/her designee) and a membership position for Health Services was created.  The Office of Cancer Awareness and Environmental Assessment remains the designee and chairs this committee.  The CAC has been successful in recommending alternatives to pesticides in:

·          Greenhouses

·          Vegetation control along highways and to control poison ivy

·          Reducing the use of pesticides on Golf Courses

·          Control unwanted roosting birds and rodents

·          Controlling stinging bees or indoor pests such as ants      

The Suffolk County Vector Control Long Term Plan was adopted in March of 2007.  The Office of Cancer Awareness and Environmental Assessment provided technical support in interpreting the health and ecological risk assessment that was prepared by an outside consultant.  Presentations were made to the Council on Environmental Quality and the Suffolk County Legislature’s Health Committee.  Previously an in depth toxicological literature review was prepared for the vector control pesticides that were under consideration.

Homestead Asyst

Homestead Asyst Task Force: As an active member of the Homestead Asyst Task Force, created by Legislator Viloria-Fisher, the Office of Cancer Awareness and Environmental Assessment has been providing input on a public information and education strategy to encourage residents to care for their lawns and gardens using minimal pesticides and fertilizers.  This Task Force has been working closely with the County Executive’s Office in developing recommendations on the use of fertilizers in Suffolk County in a manner that reduces environmental impact.  

Tick Management

The Office is also a member of the Tick Management Task Force which has just begun meeting.  This Task Force was created by Resolution 1123-2006 to study the effects of the tick population and tick-related diseases and to develop a comprehensive needs assessment.

MGP Workgroup

The Office of Cancer Awareness and Environmental Assessment has been closely involved in the investigation of potential exposure pathways related to former manufactured gas plants, such as the one in Bay Shore and Sag Harbor.  Working closely with the Division of Environmental Quality in the Department of Health Services, groundwater, indoor air and soil vapor data are evaluated for potential public health risks.  The Office has a major role in risk communication with the community through public meetings and correspondence.

Peconic Cleanup

The Office of Cancer Awareness and Environmental Assessment, through risk evaluations, helped to justify the need and direct the extent of clean-up of sediments along the Peconic River.  This contamination was a concern because it resulted in fish and other wildlife contamination.  A health risk evaluation determined that consumption of contaminated fish was a health concern.  The Office is currently monitoring the sediment and fish data that are being collected subsequent to the cleanup to ensure that health risks are diminished.

Prevention/Wellness Fair

On May 29th, 2008 the first Prevention/Wellness Fair was held at the H. Lee Dennison Building for County employees.  Free screenings, health and fitness related information was made available.  We are looking forward to holding another Fair in the future.