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 public comment version of its public health assessment for the Eglin Air Force Base (AFB) site in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.

ATSDR was petitioned to investigate certain areas on Eglin Air Force Base. The resulting public health assessment was based on site visits, meetings with community members and reviewing environmental data collected by the base and regulators.

After studying the available data, ATSDR concludes:

1. Exposure via the air pathway to contaminants resulting from activities such as prescribed burns and wildfires could pose a short-term hazard from the burning of plant materials. For those exposed, this could cause short-term adverse health effects such as burning, itching or watery eyes; nausea; difficulty breathing and asthma-like symptoms. To address this situation, ATSDR recommends that Eglin AFB continue notifying potentially affected community members whenever prescribed burns are scheduled.
2. Contaminants in Tom's Bayou, Weekly Pond and Pocosin Pond are at levels below health concern. Therefore, eating fish or contact with the water of these bodies of water presents no apparent public health hazard.
3. Exposure to groundwater contaminants via private drinking water wells poses no past, present or future public health hazard. Contaminated groundwater from the C-6 Radar Facility is not reaching off-base residential wells. ATSDR recommends long-term groundwater monitoring to ensure contaminants do not migrate to areas where people use groundwater wells.
4. Physical access to the Herbicide Exposure Unit (DP-09 and SS-25) and Hardstand 7 (SS-26) is restricted by locked gates, fences, security personnel and/or topography. Because people are not exposed to herbicide contaminants at these two sites, there is no past, present or future public health hazard.
5. Physical access to the Isotope Burial Area, Test Area C-64 and Test Area C-74L is restricted by locked gates, fences and security personnel. Because people are not exposed to contaminants at these sites, the areas pose no past, present or future public health hazard.

The health assessment is available for public review and comment at the following locations:

Okaloosa-Walton Community College
Niceville Campus/ Learning Resource Center
100 College Blvd., East
Niceville
Eglin Air Force Base (AFB), Technical Library
203 W. Eglin Blvd., Suite 3000
Eglin Air Force Base
Eglin AFB AAC/EMR
207 N. Second St., Building 216
Eglin Air Force Base
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Twin Towers Office Building
2600 Blair Stone Road
Tallahassee, Fla

The public comment period ends February 19, 2003. ATSDR welcomes comments from the public. Send written comments to the following address:

Chief, Programs, Evaluation, Records and Information Services Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
ATSDR Mailstop E-32
1600 Clifton Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30333

Comments received during the public comment period will be logged into the administrative record of the health assessment. Public comments and ATSDR's responses will be included in an appendix to the final health assessment when it is released. Although the names of those who submit comments will not be included in the final health assessment, the names are subject to release in response to requests made under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act.

Community members seeking information on the procedures or the content of the public health assessment should contact ATSDR's Senior Regional Representative Bob Safay, in Atlanta, at (404) 562-1782. Or, call ATSDR toll-free at 1-888-42-ATSDR
(1-888-422-8737). Please mention you care calling about the Eglin Air Force Base site.