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6611 ANNUAL WORKPLAN 1984-85 DIVISION: Staff of Office of Ilealth Protection Robert A. Arnott, Assistant Director I. MISSION The Office of Health Protection seeks to protect the natural environment and the health of the people of Colorado through maintaining envlroDlllental quality and through the prevention and COntrol of disease by coordinating efforts to preserve the quality of the air and water, control the effects of radiation and hazardous and toxic wastes, maintain standards of sanitation and the safety of consumer products, and through surveillance and control of disease. The central staff provides leadership and coordination for the six divisIons of the Office of Health Protection. II. PROBLEM STATEMENT 1. Resources to provide the public with essential environmental and healttl protection services are not adequate. Additional resources are needed. 2. ~~ny toxic substances are not adequately controlled and represent a threat to citizens of the state. Uncontrolled toxic substances can cause a wide variety of both acute and chronic human health illnesses. 3. Better understanding of the complex relationships of environmental health problems and their related causative factors Is needed. MOre knowledge of these cause and effect relationships would assist in resolVing environmental problems and help in establishing programmatic priorities. 4. Solid waste is not properly, safely, and uniformly managed resulting in a potential for waste-associated human impacts. 5. Groundwater is a precious resource. It is needed for human consumption. agric~lture, and business uses. Groundwater can serve as a vehicle for pollutant transfer to humans. animals, and agriculture commodities. A coordinated regulatory framework Is needed to assure a healthy, clean~ and safe groundwater supply. 6. TIle Rocky ~~untain Arsenal is one of many sources of environmental pollution which threatens environmental well being and long-term human health. Contamination from this specific source and many other potential contamination sites must be controlled and corrected. 7. Direction of statewide and local environmental and health protection efforts Is not as planned nor coordinated as effectively as possible. Some specific management Issues include 1) lack of common direction for state and local programs; 2) lack of standardized terms and definitions; 3) lack of commonly agreed performance standards for public health programs; 4) inconsistent and fragmented evaluation mechanisms. B. There is a lack of knowledge and awareness by the general public, affected groups, and businesses about environmental health protection issues. Awareness and knowledge levels need to be increased. -2- - ..' .... - -) ...., - ,.." . ~ .... ... .... .. .. .'... ..>