Note to Correspondents: ATSDR Senior Regional Representative Richard Kauffman will be available to answer questions from the news media related to ATSDR's Health Consultations for the Coeur d'Alene River Basin on Thursday, May 25, at 4:00 p.m. in the Interview Room at the Coeur d'Alene Inn. For more information about this media availability, please contact Kathy Skipper or Mike Groutt, ATSDR Office of Policy and External Affairs, at (404) 639-0501.
Atlanta - 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 release of two health consultations for the Coeur d'Alene River Basin.
ATSDR's Health Consultation for the Coeur d'Alene River Basin/Common Use Areas was prepared in response to a request from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to determine if EPA Early Action Levels for specific chemicals found in the Basin are protective of human health. ATSDR evaluated the data for the common use areas with respect to use by vacationers as well as for use by local residents.
The Health Consultation for the Coeur d'Alene River Basin, Basin-Wide Residential Properties contains the results of ATSDR's evaluation of 80 residential properties in the basin. ATSDR evaluated the lead levels in soil, indoor dust, and tap water samples at residential properties where children were or could be present.
The health consultations will be available for public review on or about May 25, 2000, at the following repositories:
Harrison City Hall
100 Frederick Street,
Harrison, ID
Contact: Sheila Gustin at (208) 689-3212
North Idaho College Library
1000 Garden Avenue
Coeur d'Alene, ID
Contact: Ann Johnston at (208) 769-3355
Spokane Public Library
906 West Main Avenue
Spokane, WA
Contact: Dana Dalrymple at (509) 626-5336
Wallace Public Library
415 River Street
Wallace, ID
Contact: Bernie Ludwick at (208) 752-4571
Environmental Protection Agency
Coeur d'Alene Field Office
1910 Northwest Boulevard, Suite 208
Coeur d'Alene, ID
Contact: Dick Martindale at (208) 664-4588
An ATSDR health consultation provides advice on specific public health issues related to actual or potential exposure to hazardous substances. ATSDR prepares about 1,000 health consultations every year. Most of the requests come from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and from state and local health and environmental departments.
For more information about the procedures or the content of the health consultations, contact Richard Kauffman, ATSDR Senior Regional Representative, at (206) 553-2632 in Seattle. ATSDR Health Assessor Deborah Boling can also be contacted for information, toll free, at 1-888-42-ATSDR (1-888-422-8737) in Atlanta.