EnviroBytes, a Summary of Issues and Events for weeks ending June 17, 2011 and June 24, 2011 EPA OFFERS ADVICE TO HELP ASTHMATICS DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS EPA's asthma program is offering useful advice to asthma sufferers and other vulnerable populations to reduce their exposure to asthma triggers and prevent unnecessary admission to hospitals and emergency rooms. Asthma affects 25 million people in the United States and one out of every 10 school-age children. It helps to keep aware of rising air pollutant levels through EPA's Air Quality Index website (_http://www.airnow.gov/_ (http://www.airnow.gov/) ) and limit strenuous outdoor activities when pollution levels are high. For more information, go to _http://www.epa.gov/reg3artd/asthma/asthma.htm_ (http://www.epa.gov/reg3artd/asthma/asthma.htm) and _http://www.epa.gov/asthma/awm/_ (http://www.epa.gov/asthma/awm/) . EPA IMPROVES INFORMATION ON TOXICITY AND EXPOSURE TO INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS EPA announced the release of two new chemical safety databases to improve public access to the toxicity and safety of chemicals. _ToxCastDB_ (http://actor.epa.gov/actor/faces/ToxCastDB/Home.jsp) (data from screening 1,000 chemicals) facilitates prioritizing chemicals requiring further testing. _(ToxRefDB)_ (http://actor.epa.gov/toxrefdb/faces/Home.jsp) (30 years of animal toxicity studies) provides data on exposure statistics including amounts found in food, drinking water, air, dust, indoor surfaces and urine. They are connected through the _ACToR_ (http://actor.epa.gov/) online resource that collects, links and compares data on more than 500,000 chemicals from more than 500 public sources. FEDERAL RADON ACTION PLAN BRINGS AWARENESS OF THE DANGERS OF RADON TO LOW-INCOME FAMILIES EPA joined forces with other federal agencies to reduce exposure to radon -- a naturally occurring, invisible and odorless radioactive gas -- to protect Americans from the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers and of an estimated 21,000 deaths each year. The Federal Action Plan promotes awareness of radon's dangers to approximately 7.5 million buildings and homes and helps low-income families protect their homes and loved ones. For more information, go to _http://www.epa.gov/radon/action_plan.html_ (http://www.epa.gov/radon/action_plan.html) EPA EXTENDS PUBLIC COMMENT ON A PROPOSED DRAFT RULE TO REDUCE MERCURY AND OTHER TOXIC POLLUTION FROM POWER PLANTS On June 21, EPA extended the comment period on the proposed draft mercury and air toxics standards rule by 30 days from July 5 to Aug. 4 while not altering the final issuance of the standards in November 2011. More than half of all coal-fired power plants already use widely available pollution control technologies to meet the standards and protect public health. The remaining roughly 44 percent of coal-fired plants are also expected to follow suit to reduce pollutants, prevent heart attacks, and premature deaths. For more information, go to _http://epa.gov/airquality/powerplanttoxics/_ (http://epa.gov/airquality/powerplanttoxics/)