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 availability of the draft version of its Focused Public Health Assessment, Soil Pathway Evaluation, for Isla de Vieques, Puerto Rico.

ATSDR prepared this health assessment to evaluate whether soil on the island was a health hazard to residents. ATSDR analyzed environmental data gathered by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Navy, various contractors for the Navy, and Servicios Cientificos y Technicos, Inc.

The assessment concludes that the soil on Vieques will not harm the health of adults or children, including those who might touch or swallow the soil. (Fact sheet attached.)

Why: ATSDR prepared this public health assessment in response to a request from a resident of the island. The petitioner expressed concern that the health of island residents might be affected by potential releases of hazardous substances as a result of Navy bombing activities. The requestor asked ATSDR to evaluate whether contamination from the bombing range could reach people, and if it could cause health problems.

When: The soil pathway evaluation public health assessment will be available for review on or about October 26, 2001.

Where: Copies of the public health assessment will be available for public review and comment at the following repositories:

The public comment period for the health assessment is from October 26, 2001, through
December 31, 2001. Please send written comments to:

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

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 document. Although names of those who have submitted comments will not be included in the final health assessment, they will be subject to release under the Freedom of Information Act.

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 also identify other activities that might be needed to better understand the health effects associated with the site.

Public health assessments also make recommendations to other government agencies, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 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. These sources may include: 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 can include reports of injury, disease, or death in the community, as well as information on the known health 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.

For more information: Community members seeking information on the procedures or the content of this public health assessment should contact ATSDR Health Assessor Mark Weber, toll free, at 1-888-42-ATSDR (1-888-422-8737). Callers should refer to the "Vieques site." ATSDR Senior Regional Representative Artie Block also may be called for information at (212) 637-4307 in New York.