What: 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 Washington Navy Yard (WNY), in Washington, D.C.
Based on current available information, ATSDR concludes that:
- groundwater does not pose a public health hazard since groundwater underlying, and near, the Washington Navy Yard is not used for domestic water supplies.
- the infrequent, short-duration exposure to chemical contaminants in surface water and sediment poses no apparent public health hazard.
- while past exposure to lead-contaminated soil may have posed a public health hazard, current and potential future exposures are minimal, and pose no apparent public health hazard.
- the consumption of local fish could pose a public health hazard, and the advisory issued by the Washington, D.C., Department of Public Health warning against consuming fish from the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers should continue to be observed. Additional signs urging people to adhere to the advisory may be needed at key public access points along the Anacostia River, and the National Park Service should improve the visibility of the fishing advisory signs in Anacostia Park.
When/Where: The final version of the public health assessment will be available for public review on or about March 11, 2002, at the following repositories:
District of Columbia Public Library District of Columbia Dept. of Health
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library Environmental Health Div.
901 G Street, N.W., Room 417 Toxic Substances Branch
Washington, D.C. 20001-4599 51 N Street, N.E.
Phone: 202/727-1111
Phone: 202/535-2270
HQ NDW Washington Navy Yard (Code N2) Atlantic Division, Code 1822
1014 N Street S.E., Suite 320 1510 Gilbert Street
Washington Navy Yard, D.C. 20374-5001 Norfolk, VA 23611-6287
Phone: 202/433-6388
Phone: 757/322-4811
Background: 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.
In preparing public health assessments, ATSDR health assessors rely on various sources of information: environmental data, health data, and reports of community concerns. Environmental data detail the chemicals at a site and indicate their potential pathways to reach humans. Health data include reports of injury, disease or death in the community, as well as information on the known human effects of chemicals at the site. Reports of community concerns document the public's descriptions of how the site affects their health and quality of life.
The public health assessment was originally released as a draft for public comment in September 2001. ATSDR publishes documents in this manner in order to give members of the community an opportunity to review the agency's findings, ask questions, provide comments, or discuss additional information which may be pertinent to the health assessment. No public comments were received for this document.
For more information: Community members seeking information on the procedures or content of the health assessment should contact ATSDR Health Assessor Laura Frazier, toll free, at 1-888-42-ATSDR (1-888-422-8737). Callers should refer to the "Washington Navy Yard" when asking to speak with a Health Assessor. ATSDR Regional Representative Thomas Stukas also may be called for information at (215) 814-3142 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Members of the news media are requested to make an appointment to interview ATSDR staff. Phone Mike Groutt or John Florence, in the ATSDR Office of Policy and External Affairs, at (404) 498-0070.