What: The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a public health agency of the U.S. Department Health and Human Services, announced today the availability of the draft public health consultation "Exposure Assessment of Airborne Nickle and other Metal Particulates from Historic Smelter Operations at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant."

The health consultation was to determine whether airborne metals released from Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) smelter operations were present offsite at concentrations of public health concern. The consultation was performed in response to community concerns about possible exposure to airborne metals from PGDP and is part of ATSDR activities at its Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant site in Paducah, Kentucky.

ATSDR found that metal particulates from PGDP smelter operations were below levels of health concern and no adverse health effects were likely to area residents or to Western Kentucky Wildlife Management Area workers.

When: The draft public health consultation will be available for public review and comment on or about December 3, 2001. The public comment period will run until December 28, 2001.

Where: The health assessment will be available for public review and comment on or about December 28, 2001, at the following repositories:

The health consultation also may be accessed on ATSDR's website: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Written comments or requests for a copy of the health consultation should be sent to:

Chief Program Evaluation, Records and Information Services Branch
ATSDR
1600 Clifton Road, NE (MS E-60)
Atlanta, Georgia 30333

Comments received during the public comment period will be logged and become part of the administrative record for the health consultation. Comments (without indication of who made them) and responses will be included in an appendix to the final document. Although names of those who have submitted comments will not be included in the final health consultation, they are subject to release under the Freedom of Information Act.

Background: ATSDR public health assessments and health consultations report information about hazardous substances in the environment and evaluate whether exposure to those substances in the past, present or future could harm people in the area. They identify health studies or other activities that might be needed and make recommendations to other government agencies, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state and local health and environmental departments, concerning actions to protect public health.

For More Information: Community members seeking information on the procedures or the content of this public health consultation should contact ATSDR Health Assessor Mark Evans toll free, at 1-888-42-ATSDR (1-888-422-8737). Callers should refer to the "Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant". ATSDR Senior Regional Representative Bob Safay in Atlanta also may be called for information at (404) 562-1782.