The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, today is releasing a draft public health assessment (PHA) for the Libby Asbestos National Priorities List (NPL) Site in Libby, Montana.

The PHA was required by Congressional mandate since the site was proposed and subsequently listed on the NPL. In the document, ATSDR consolidates existing site information to evaluate the public health implications of past and present exposures to asbestos in the community.

The document will be available for public comment at a local repository on or around January 2, 2003. The findings of the PHA also will be presented to the community (planned for the February 13, 2003, Libby Community Advisory Group meeting). The public comment period will close approximately 30 days after that, on March 14, 2003.

On the basis of the available environmental, health outcome and exposure information and community concerns, ATSDR concludes the following:

1. People in the Libby area were exposed to hazardous levels of asbestos in the past.
2. People in the Libby area have elevated levels of disease, and death, associated with exposure to asbestos.
3. People might still be exposed to hazardous levels of asbestos near current source areas. These levels might be especially hazardous to sensitive populations, including people who have been exposed for many years already, smokers, and young children.
4. The exact level of risk associated with low-level exposure to asbestos cannot be determined because of uncertainties in the analysis and toxicology of Libby asbestos. However, continuing exposure to Libby asbestos poses an unacceptable risk to residents and workers who have already been exposed for many years.

1. Continue to investigate and clean up the site to reduce or remove continuing sources of Libby asbestos.
   
2. Conduct a toxicological investigation of the risks associated with low-level exposure to asbestos, specifically with the chemical makeup and fiber size of Libby asbestos. This investigation is necessary to ensure that site clean-up levels remain protective.
   
3. Conduct health education for the community, especially concerning smoking and asbestos.
   
4. Create a registry to track the health of former workers, their household contacts, and residents exposed to Libby asbestos.
   
5. Continue to provide information to the community about the hazards of Libby asbestos.
   
6. Continue to provide information to the local medical community on how to diagnose and treat asbestos-related diseases.

The PHA will be available for public review and comment from December 30, 2002, to March 14, 2003, at the following repositories:

Lincoln County Library Information Center
220 W. 6th Street 501 Mineral Avenue
Libby, Montana

Written comments may be sent to the following address:

Chief, Program Evaluation, Records and Information Services Branch
ATSDR, 1600 Clifton Road, NE,
Mailstop E-32
Atlanta, Georgia 30333

Comments received during the public comment period will be logged and become part of the administrative record for the PHA. 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 document, they will be subject to release under the Freedom of Information Act.

Community members who would like more information about the PHA may contact Jill Dyken, ATSDR health assessor, in Atlanta, toll free, at 1-888-422-8737. Callers should mention the Libby Asbestos NPL Site. Regional Representative Dan Strausbaugh may be contacted in Helena at 406-457-5007.