Beatriz Barraza-Roppé, President of Environmental Health Coalition’s Board of Directors, was recently named to the advisory boards of two agencies addressing children’s health and the environment.

In October, Roppé was selected by the environmental ministers of Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. as one of nine members of the Expert Advisory Board on Children’s Health and the Environment. The three ministers work together through the Montreal-based North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation in addressing environmental issues of common concern. For a period of two years, the Expert Advisory Board will advise the CEC on issues concerning children’s health and the environment.

"There is growing concern over environmental hazards confronting the health and development of our children," said Janine Ferretti, Executive Director of the CEC. "Progress on these issues is going to take the combined efforts of our best and brightest across North America. So I am very pleased with the appointments of these obviously very highly qualified experts. I think it reflects the great importance the ministers attach to this initiative."

Roppé also was selected by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to serve as a member of the Children’s Health Protection Advisory Committee (CHPAC). The CHPAC was established in accordance with provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act to assist EPA in the development of regulations, guidance, and policies to address children’s environmental health. The Committee will work with EPA to expand the understanding of children’s vulnerabilities to environmental health risks and exposures, and increase public education and community outreach on children’s environmental health issues.

"I look forward to the challenges the next two years will bring," Roppé said. "Children’s health and protection from environmental hazards needs to be our top priority."