What: The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, recently released its final public health assessment on the Willow Grove site in southeastern Pennsylvania. This site contains two adjacent military installations, the U.S. Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base and the U.S. Air Force Air Reserve Station.

On the basis of a review of available environmental information, ATSDR determined that no contaminants were present on or near the site at levels of public health concern. ATSDR recommends that the Navy and Air Force consult with ATSDR if future monitoring or site investigations identify pathways of contaminant exposure that might result in adverse health effects.

The following is a summary of ATSDR's conclusions on contamination of environmental media (e.g., air, water, soil):

Groundwater:Contaminants detected in the station's water supply wells and in private wells near the site were below levels associated with adverse health effects. No contaminants attributable to the site have been found in nearby community supply wells. ATSDR supports Navy and Air Force efforts to implement groundwater treatment technologies, operate the treatment system serving the station's water supply system and conduct ongoing environmental monitoring. The Navy and the Air Force will continue to conduct or investigate remedial actions to prevent current and future contamination of drinking water supplies.

Surface soil: Most areas of surface-soil contamination are inaccessible to the public; therefore, no exposures occur at these locations. Station residents and/or the public may come into contact with contaminated surface soil at the two recreational areas near the Ninth Street Landfill and at the off-site Aircraft Mishap site, but the contaminant concentrations are below levels expected to result in illness or harm from exposures during past, current or future recreational activities.

Surface water or sediment: Most areas of surface water and sediment contamination are inaccessible to the public; therefore, no exposures areoccurring. Exposures may occur at the recreational pond located near the Ninth Street Landfill and at nearby streams, but the levels of contamination are below those expected to result in illness or harm from exposures during past, current or future recreation activities. The Navy and the Air Force, however, will continue to conduct or plan remedial actions necessary to address sources of contamination on the site.

Fish consumption: Steams within the site boundaries are intermittent and, therefore, do not support an edible fish population. Consumption of fish caught in off-site creeks downstream from the site poses no apparent public health hazard. The concentrations of contaminants found on the site are expected to disperse in the creeks to levels too low to cause accumulation in fish at levels of health concern.

Community members who wish to review the final public health assessment for the Willow Grove site will find the document at the following repositories:

Written comments about the document should be mailed to:

Chief, Program Evaluation, Records and Information Services Branch
ATSDR, 1600 Clifton Road, NE, Mailstop E-56
Atlanta, GA 30333

To request a copy of the public health consultation, call 1-888-42-ATSDR (1-888-422-8737 and ask for the Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, final public health consultation.

For more information: Community members who would like more information may contact Jeff Kellam, ATSDR environmental health scientist, toll-free, at 1-888-42-ATSDR (1-888-422-8737). Mention the Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, site when calling the toll-free number). You also may contact Tom Stukas, ATSDR regional representative in Philadelphia, at (215) 814-3142.