Collaborative Projects with State Environmental Health Experts
EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) works with the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) to advance our shared mission. This mission is to protect the public's health from environmental threats and hazards and to advance health and environmental equity for all.
EPA works with state partners on collaborative projects that focus on integrating environment and public health, through our Memorandum of Agreement. This page provides an overview of the collaborative projects. Additional information on the projects can be found on the EPA-ECOS-ASTHO Annual Accomplishment Reports page.
One Health
Since 2021, ASTHO, ECOS, and the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) have been partnering to promote and advance the One Health approach. They have hosted webinars, workshops, and an ongoing community of practice to focus on the environmental pillar of One Health and missions relevant to EPA, ECOS, ASTHO, and AFWA.
In 2023, ECOS and ASTHO developed four case studies of state agencies applying the One Health approach to tackle environmental challenges. The case studies include lead in Idaho, harmful algal blooms in New Jersey, fish tissue monitoring in Georgia, and PFAS in Wisconsin.
Sharing Lessons Learned on Resilience and Vulnerability to Complex Disasters
In 2022, ECOS and ASTHO hosted two listening sessions on resilience and vulnerability to complex disasters or environmental events with multiple interacting impacts. The summary document highlights lessons learned and offers a path forward for states and co-regulators.
- ASTHO - Lessons on State Resilience and Vulnerability to Complex Disasters
- ECOS - Lessons on State Resilience and Vulnerability to Complex Disasters
In 2024, ASTHO and ECOS partnered to gather information at regional listening sessions and share best practices for state and territorial health and environmental agency resiliency planning. Based on those discussions, ASTHO and ECOS developed a summary to assist health and environmental agencies in their planning process, with an emphasis on resiliency planning in communities with environmental justice concerns.
COVID in Wastewater Issue Brief
In 2020, ECOS and ASTHO created an issue brief summarizing activities and results in three states to introduce the use of SARS-CoV-2 monitoring in wastewater as an early warning system for increased infections in communities.
PFAS Risk Communication Hub
ECOS and ASTHO compiled existing tools, materials and strategies for a per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) Risk Communication Hub. Specifically, the PFAS Risk Communication Hub contains guidance materials for risk communication (toolkits, fact sheets, templates) and a collection of state and federal resources.
Case Studies on State-Level Risk Communication of PFAS and HABs
In 2018, ECOS and ASTHO interviewed health and environmental agency staff about risk communication strategies and lesson learned for PFAS or harmful algal blooms (HABs). The case studies are compiled on both ECOS’s and ASHTO’s websites.
Wildfire Smoke: A Guide for Public Health Officials
The Wildfire Smoke Guide provides states and local communities information to prepare for smoke events. When wildfire smoke is present, the guide provides information to communicate health risks and take measures to protect the public. ORD partnered with ECOS and ASTHO from 2016 to 2017 to "test drive" the guide and use their experience to provide input for the 2019 updated Guide.