Environmental Health Policies

 

 


Assume the role of an environmental advocate who is attempting to persuade government officials to enforce or revise a public policy relating to a hazardous environmental setting that puts community health at risk. You will prepare a narrated PowerPoint presentation to present your case.

Instructions
Use the Internet to identify an environmental hazard, the public policy enacted to address it, and specific populations at risk of harm. 
Analyze the effectiveness of the policy in protecting community health and safety.   
Using Kaltura, record a five-minute PowerPoint presentation directed at a governing body.
Your presentation should advocate your stance on a specific public health policy, such as the need for increased public awareness, enforcement of the existing policy, or the need to revise and improve the policy. 
Use the speaker's notes to write your script and capture relevant APA citations.
Refer to these helpful links as you prepare your presentation:
Environmental Health NewsLinks to an external site..
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)Links to an external site..
Using KalturaLinks to an external site..
Guidelines for Effective PowerPoint Presentations [PPTX]Links to an external site..
Capella University Library: PowerPoint PresentationsLinks to an external site..
Be sure to review the assignment rubric before submitting your presentation to ensure that you have met all criteria.
Requirements
You will be graded on how well you accomplish the following:

Describe the health impacts of an environmental hazard.
Provide evidence to support the positive or negative effect of a public policy on the quality of the environment in a community.
Advocate for a specific position related to increasing the effectiveness of an environmental policy on the health of a community.
Provide a rationale for advocating for specific populations at risk from an environmental hazard.
Anticipate the response of community members to changes in an environmental health policy.
Include a brief discussion of how community members might respond to your suggested changes and how the governing body could plan to address those responses before any changes are made.
 

Sample Answer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Presentation Script: Advocating for Stronger Lead Policy

 

Hello. I'm taking on the role of an environmental advocate to prepare a narrated PowerPoint presentation. The goal is to persuade a governing body to strengthen public policy regarding a critical environmental hazard: lead contamination in drinking water.

The script below is designed for a five-minute presentation, structured with clear headings and speaker's notes (including APA citations for key facts) as requested. The chosen hazard is lead in public water systems, exemplified by the national issue highlighted by the Flint water crisis and the governing policy is the U.S. EPA's Lead and Copper Rule (LCR).

 

💻 PowerPoint Presentation Script: Enforcing and Revising the Lead and Copper Rule

 

 

Slide 1: Title Slide

 

Slide ContentSpeaker's Notes/Narration (Approx. 30 seconds)
Title: A Generation at Risk: The Urgent Need to Enforce and Revise the Lead and Copper RuleGood afternoon, esteemed members of the governing body. My name is [Your Name], and I am here today as an environmental advocate to discuss a silent, ongoing crisis that is poisoning our communities: lead contamination in public drinking water.
Subtitle: Advocating for Community Health and Safety Through Policy ReformThe health of our community, especially our most vulnerable residents, hangs in the balance. We must take immediate and decisive action to address the systemic failures that allow this hazard to persist.
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🗣️ Presentation Script: Advocating for Stronger Lead Policy

 

Hello. I'm taking on the role of an environmental advocate to prepare a narrated PowerPoint presentation. The goal is to persuade a governing body to strengthen public policy regarding a critical environmental hazard: lead contamination in drinking water.

The script below is designed for a five-minute presentation, structured with clear headings and speaker's notes (including APA citations for key facts) as requested. The chosen hazard is lead in public water systems, exemplified by the national issue highlighted by the Flint water crisis and the governing policy is the U.S. EPA's Lead and Copper Rule (LCR).

 

💻 PowerPoint Presentation Script: Enforcing and Revising the Lead and Copper Rule

 

 

Slide 1: Title Slide

 

Slide ContentSpeaker's Notes/Narration (Approx. 30 seconds)
Title: A Generation at Risk: The Urgent Need to Enforce and Revise the Lead and Copper RuleGood afternoon, esteemed members of the governing body. My name is [Your Name], and I am here today as an environmental advocate to discuss a silent, ongoing crisis that is poisoning our communities: lead contamination in public drinking water.
Subtitle: Advocating for Community Health and Safety Through Policy ReformThe health of our community, especially our most vulnerable residents, hangs in the balance. We must take immediate and decisive action to address the systemic failures that allow this hazard to persist.
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Slide 2: The Hazard and its Devastating Health Impacts

 

Slide ContentSpeaker's Notes/Narration (Approx. 60 seconds)
Environmental Hazard: Lead in Public Drinking Water InfrastructureOur aging water infrastructure, particularly lead service lines (LSLs) connecting water mains to homes, is the primary source of this contamination, exacerbated by insufficient water treatment.
Vulnerable Populations: Children, Pregnant Women, and Low-Income CommunitiesThe populations most at risk are children under six and unborn fetuses. Children absorb lead more easily, and the effects are devastating and irreversible. Low-income and marginalized communities often have the oldest infrastructure and face systemic disinvestment, disproportionately bearing this burden (National Partnership for Women & Families, 2023).
Health Impacts: Irreversible Neurological DamageEven low levels of lead exposure can cause: * Reduced IQ and learning disabilities, * Behavioral problems (e.g., ADHD), * Slowed growth and development, and in adults, * Hypertension and reproductive issues (CDC, 2024). This is a public health emergency with lifelong consequences.
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Slide 3: Analysis of the Current Policy: The LCR

 

Slide ContentSpeaker's Notes/Narration (Approx. 90 seconds)
Existing Policy: The U.S. EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule (LCR, 1991, Revised 2024)The existing federal policy, the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR), was established to control lead and copper in drinking water. It mandates corrosion control and public notification if an Action Level of 15 parts per billion (ppb) is exceeded in more than 10% of taps sampled.
Policy Effectiveness: Inadequate & FlawedUnfortunately, the LCR has proven to be grossly ineffective in protecting public health, as demonstrated by the tragic crisis in Flint, Michigan. Key flaws include: * Action Level (15 ppb) is too high: The EPA admits there is no safe level of lead, yet 15 ppb is used as the threshold for action. * Flawed Sampling: The rule’s testing protocols, which often exclude the highest-risk homes or allow for 'pre-flushing' water, underestimate the true level of contamination. * Slow Service Line Replacement: The requirement for lead service line replacement (LSLR) is too slow and often places the financial burden on homeowners, especially in low-income areas (EPA, 2024).
Evidence of Failure: Flint and BeyondFlint showed us that bureaucratic inaction and weak regulation lead to catastrophe. Many other cities, including Newark and parts of Chicago, continue to grapple with high lead levels, a clear indication that the LCR, even with recent revisions, is not a sufficient preventative measure.

 

Slide 4: Our Advocacy: A Call for Enforcement and Revision

 

Slide ContentSpeaker's Notes/Narration (Approx. 90 seconds)
Advocacy Stance: Revise and Rigorously Enforce the LCRI am advocating for a decisive two-part approach: full enforcement of immediate LSL replacement and strong revision of the LCR to prioritize primary prevention.
Key Policy Recommendations:1. Mandate a Zero-Lead Goal: The LCR's Action Level must be lowered to 10 ppb immediately, moving toward the Maximum Contaminant Level Goal of zero as quickly as possible. 2. Fund and Expedite 100% Lead Service Line Replacement: Local governing bodies must secure federal and state funding—such as through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund—to ensure 100% of LSLs are replaced within 10 years, with zero cost to homeowners, prioritizing schools, daycares, and homes in environmental justice communities (NCSL, 2025). 3. Improve Public Transparency: Require water systems to publish a publicly accessible, verified inventory of all LSLs and to immediately notify all residents of any test result above 5 ppb, not just 15 ppb.
Rationale for Prioritization: The ethical imperative is clear. Children’s developing brains cannot wait. Prioritizing low-income and minority communities is a crucial step toward achieving environmental justice and rectifying the historical failures of disinvestment. 

 

Slide 5: Anticipating Community Response and Planning

 

Slide ContentSpeaker's Notes/Narration (Approx. 60 seconds)
Community Response: Anticipating ConcernsWe must anticipate and plan for the community's response. Positive responses will come from residents relieved by the promise of clean water and health protection. However, we will also face deep-seated distrust from communities—like those in Flint—who have been previously betrayed. There will also be inconvenience and concern during the mandatory pipe replacement work.
Governing Body Action Plan: Building Trust and Minimizing DisruptionOur plan to address these concerns must focus on transparency and support: * Trust Building: Establish a community advisory board with genuine decision-making power. * Clear Communication: Pre-emptively share detailed, easy-to-understand information about replacement schedules and temporary increased lead risks during construction. * Mitigation: Provide free, certified water filters and replacement cartridges to all affected households until replacement is complete. * Health Services: Allocate funds for long-term health monitoring and educational support for exposed children.
Conclusion: The cost of inaction far outweighs the cost of remediation. Let us choose health, justice, and the future of our children.