The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has issued for review and public comment a public health assessment (PHA) for the Idaho National Engineering & Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) site.

The public comment period is from July 3 through August 5. The purpose of this PHA is to evaluate potential sources of contamination associated with INEEL and to identify potential exposure pathways in the surrounding communities.

ATSDR's review of available information indicates that, under normal operating conditions, INEEL poses no past, current or future apparent public health hazard for the surrounding community.

After evaluating available environmental information, ATSDR has drawn the following conclusions:

• No site-related contaminants are currently accessible to the public, on or off site, at levels known to cause adverse health effects.
• Elevated levels of volatile organic compounds have been detected in certain INEEL drinking water wells in the past. However, no contamination has migrated to off-site drinking water supplies. ATSDR determined that drinking from INEEL's water supply would not harm workers.
  
• Elevated county cancer rates (as compared to state averages) were probably the result of random variability because there did not appear to be consistent increases within the counties.
  
• Fission products reaching the atmosphere as a result of the 1961 SL-1 reactor accident did not cause any health problems as 99.99 percent was contained in the reactor building.

On the basis of its assessment, ATSDR recommends the following actions:

• If future sampling data or land use modifications change exposure scenarios, ATSDR would review those data and respond appropriately.
  
• Where needed and requested, undertake an environmental health education program to provide information to communitymembers on the health outcome data presented in the INEEL PHA.

The public health assessment may be reviewed at the following repositories:

Madison Library District
73 North Center
Rexburg, ID 83440

David O. McKay Library
Acquisitions Department
MCK 240
BYU-IDAHO
Rexburg, ID 83460-0405

Idaho Falls Public Library
457 Broadway
Idaho Falls, ID 83402

Marshall Public Library
113 South Garfield
Pocatello, ID 83204

Department of Energy
Idaho Field Office
Public Reading Room
1776 Science Center
Idaho Falls, ID 83415

Community members are encouraged to provide ATSDR with written comments on the PHA. Comments must be submitted in writing by August 5, 2003. Mail comments to:

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

Comments received during the public comment period, without the submitters' names, and ATSDR's responses to the comments will appear in an appendix to the final public health assessment. Names of those who submit comments, however, will be subject to release for requests made under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act.

Community members seeking information on the procedures or the content of the PHA, or copies of the document, may contact Dawn O'Connor, community involvement specialist, or Michael Brooks, health communications specialist, in Atlanta, toll free at 1-888-422-8737. Callers should refer to the Idaho National Engineering & Environmental Laboratory site.