Atlanta - The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, announced today the release of the final version of its public health assessment for the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant (LCAAP) in Independence, Missouri.
ATSDR prepared this public health assessment to evaluate exposure pathways and to respond to community concerns about past, current, and potential future off-site exposures to contaminants originating at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant. After evaluating available information, ATSDR found that contaminant releases from the facility do not pose a public health hazard to the community around the plant. Because releases of small amounts of contaminants to groundwater and to air have occurred in the past, but at levels that would not be expected to present a public health hazard, ATSDR has categorized this site as a "No Apparent Public Health Hazard."
Public health assessments report information about hazardous substances in the environment and evaluate whether exposure to those substances in the past, present or future could harm people in the area. They identify health studies or other activities that might be needed and make recommendations to other government agencies, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and state and local health and environmental departments, concerning actions to protect public health.
The final version of the health assessment will be made available for public review on or about August 20, 2001, at the following repositories:
| Mid Continent Public Library |
Lake City Army Ammunition Plant |
| Blue Springs South Branch |
Intersection of Hwys 7 & 78, Building 5 |
| 2220 South 7 Highway |
Independence, MO 64051-0250 |
| Blue Springs, MO 64014 |
|
Comments received during the public comment period have been logged and are now part of the administrative record for the health assessment. Comments (without indication of who made them) and responses have been included in an appendix to the final health assessment.
Community members seeking information on the procedures or the content of the health assessment should contact Jeff Kellam, ATSDR environmental health scientist, toll free, at 1-888-42-ATSDR (1-888-422-8737). Callers should refer to the "Lake City Army Ammunition Plant site." The ATSDR Regional Representative, Denise Jordan-Izaguirre, also may be called for information at (913) 551-1310 in Kansas City.
Members of the news media are requested to make an appointment to interview ATSDR staff. Please call Mike Groutt or John Florence, ATSDR Office of Policy and External Affairs, at (404) 498-0070.