Speaker(s)

H Kenneth Hudnell, PhD

Description

You often need to reach across scientific disciplines, engage the public, get legislation enacted, and interact with agencies and industry to solve some of the world’s greatest problems. This presentation will describe the ongoing effort to protect health and aquatic ecosystems from the looming crisis of toxigenic freshwater harmful algal blooms (FHABs). FHABs are rapid and massive expansions of phytoplankton populations, particularly cyanobacteria, many of which produce some of the most potent toxins known. Humans can be exposed to the toxins, cyanotoxins, in drinking and recreational waters. Cyanotoxins also harm wildlife, domestic animals, and aquatic biota. Even bloom die-offs are dangerous; high levels of cyanotoxins are released to the water column, and cell decay depletes the dissolved oxygen in the water, causing fish kills. The incidence of FHABs is increasing due to excessive nutrient inputs to freshwater, decreasing water flow rates and increasing temperatures, each of which is related to global climate change. We must develop ways to prevent, control and mitigate FHABs to protect health, ecosystems and economies.

Dr. Ken Hudnell served as a neurotoxicologist at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for 23 years conducting studies of adverse human health effects caused by exposures to environmental pollutants. The last dozen years he focused on biotoxins, toxic substances produced by tiny organisms. The last 6 years he led an interagency effort to address the FHAB problem. Dr. Hudnell assembled an interdisciplinary committee that organized an international conference on FHABs, explained the problem to White House Committees, edited and co-authored a book on the state of FHAB science and research needs, and co-authored a FHAB report mandated by Congress. During that time he realized that it would be better to prevent and suppress FHABs to prevent illness than to continue investigating the effects of cyanotoxins on sick people. He requested that the EPA develop a National FHAB Research Plan to obtain the scientific data needed to successfully meet the FHAB challenge. Dr. Hudnell resigned from the EPA when the Agency declined to develop the Research Plan because “no one was making them do it.”

Dr. Hudnell visited legislators and staff in Washington, DC, on several occasions to explain the FHAB problem and the need for Federal legislation that mandates the EPA develop the Research Plan. Without the Research Plan, the Agency cannot get the data needed to establish Federal policy and develop FHAB risk management strategies. As a Professor at the University of North Carolina’s Institute for the Environment, and Director of Science at SolarBee, Inc., he collaborates with many types of engineers and scientists to discover ecologically sustainable methods to control FHABs. He provided testimony to Congress on the FHAB problem and need for Federal legislation in 2008. He helped draft the proposed legislation, and leads an informal coalition of over 500 scientists, water body managers and other interested parties that is petitioning Congress to introduce and enact the Freshwater Harmful Algal Bloom Research and Control Act (FHAB Act) of 2009. You can join the coalition and help us avert this crisis by visiting the website http://www.FreshwaterHABlegislation.com.

Sound science is needed to establish risk management policy that will protect human health and ecologies, and sustain the environment. Scientists used to think that all they needed to do was the sound science, and that the rest would take care of itself. However, that is not always the case. Sometimes you need to expand your own horizons and abilities to help accomplish great things. In many cases, as with FHABs, it takes a combination of an interdisciplinary team of scientists, a coalition to advocate for policy development, engagement with Congress, and interaction with agencies and industry to make the world a better place. Often you will find that the journey of doing your best to improve the world by helping to bring about policy based on sound science has made you a more fulfilled and very happy person.

Conference

National Science Teachers Association 2010 National Conference
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Convention Center, March 2010