What: The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Public Health Assessment for the Brick Township Investigation (also known as the Brick Township Autism Investigation) is available for public comment through May 22, 2000.
Where: The public health assessment is available for review at the following repository:
Brick Branch of the Ocean County Library
301 Chambers Bridge Road
Brick, New Jersey 08723
Telephone: (732) 477-4513
How: Written comments regarding the document can be sent to the following address:
Chief, Program Evaluation, Records and Information Services Branch
ATSDR
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: ATSDR prepared the health assessment in response to community concerns about the number of autism cases in Brick Township. ATSDR was asked to look for possible environmental explanations.
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 (U.S. EPA) and state and local health and environmental departments, concerning actions to protect public health.
For More Information: Community members seeking information on the procedures or the content of this public health assessment should contact ATSDR Environmental Scientist Robert Knowles or Community Involvement Specialist Lafreta Dalton, toll free, at 1-888-42-ATSDR (1-888-422-8737).
Callers should refer to the "Brick Township site" when asking to speak with someone in the Division of Health Assessment and Consultation. The ATSDR Regional Representative, Tom Mignone, also may be called for information at (732) 906-6931 in Edison, New Jersey.