What: The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, today announced the availability of its draft public health assessment for the Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC), in Warminster, Pennsylvania. ATSDR is releasing this public health assessment as a draft for public comment.
The Naval Air Warfare Center site was placed on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Priorities List -the NPL- based on a potential for contaminants from the site to affect groundwater and surface water in the area. ATSDR prepared the public health assessment as part of its Congressional mandate to assess every site included on the NPL.
The document provides the results of ATSDR's assessment of available environmental data for the site to evaluate exposure pathways and to address community concerns about past, current, and potential future exposures to contaminants originating at NAWC. ATSDR evaluated the potential for contaminants in groundwater, surface soil, surface water, and sediment to reach people and possibly affect their health. Based on this evaluation, ATSDR concluded that no public health hazards are present at the site. However, exposure to low levels of contaminants is possible, and ATSDR has made recommendations to further protect public health.
When: The draft public health assessment will be available for public review and comment on or about October 15, 2001. The public comment period for the health assessment will run until November 15, 2001.
Where: Copies of the document are available at the following repository:
Bucks County Library
150 South Pine Street
Doylestown, PA 18901
Contact: Jan Dickler at (215) 348-9081, ext. 112
How: Members of the public are encouraged to send their written comments to:
Chief, Program Evaluation, Records and Information Services Branch
ATSDR
1600 Clifton Road, NE, Mailstop E-56
Atlanta, Georgia 30333
Background: ATSDR is a public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ATSDR's mission is to prevent exposure and adverse human health effects and diminished quality of life associated with exposure to hazardous substances from waste sites, unplanned releases, and other sources of pollution present in the environment.
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 (EPA) and state and local health and environmental departments, concerning actions to protect public health.
Comments received during the public comment period will be logged and become part of the administrative record for the health assessment. Comments (without indication of who made them) and responses will be included in an appendix to the final health assessment. Although names of those who have submitted comments will not be included in the final health assessment, they are subject to release under Freedom of Information Act.
For More Information: Community members seeking information on the procedures or content of the health assessment should contact Charles Grosse, ATSDR environmental health scientist, toll free, at 1-888-42-ATSDR (1-888-422-8737). Callers should refer to the "Naval Air Warfare Center site in Warminster, Pennsylvania." ATSDR Regional Representative Tom Stukas also may be called for information at (215) 814-3142 in Philadelphia.