The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, today released the final version of its public health assessment regarding the former Nansemond Ordnance Depot (FNOD) National Priorities List (NPL) site in Suffolk, near Norfolk, Va.

FNOD is a former U.S. military facility where handling, processing and decommissioning of ordnance items (military weapons and ammunition) once occurred. Public health assessments are required by Congressional mandate for all proposed and listed NPL sites.

In the past, exposures to TNT and lead in soil were high enough to result in adverse health effects; ATSDR therefore classifies FNOD as a past public health hazard. At present, community members are not in contact with contaminants at levels high enough to result in health effects; therefore, ATSDR currently classifies the site as no apparent public health hazard. In the future, residential development is likely at the site; therefore, without proper cleanup or land use controls to prevent exposure to contaminants in soil or groundwater, the site could pose a future public health hazard.

ATSDR has made recommendations including continuing soil clean-up activities, testing soil, addressing physical hazards, following ordnance and explosives clearance procedures and educating potential landowners and occupants about possible hazards.

A limited number of copies of the public health assessment are available to community members at the following repositories:

Tidewater Community College
Portsmouth Campus Library
700 College Dr. Norfolk, VA 23510

Norfolk Corps of Engineers
803 Front St.
Portsmouth, VA 23701

Community members seeking information on the procedures or the content of the PHA may contact ATSDR Health Assessors Jill Dyken or Barbara Cooper, toll free, at 1-888-422-8737. Regional Representative Tom Stukas also may be contacted at 215-814-3142. Callers should refer to the Former Nansemond Ordnance Depot site in Suffolk, Va.