The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will be conducting a health investigation of residents in Dakota City and South Sioux City, Nebraska. ATSDR conducts health investigations in communities where people are exposed to hazardous substances in the environment. These health investigations examine the relationships between exposure to hazardous substances and adverse health effects.

ATSDR became involved in Dakota City/South Sioux City as a result of an Exposure Investigation conducted in 1995. The Exposure Investigation Report released by ATSDR in December 1997 concluded that the community was being exposed to potentially harmful levels of hydrogen sulfide and total reduced sulfur that could result in adverse health effects.

In 1999, ATSDR funded the placement of 16 hydrogen sulfide monitors in Dakota City and South Sioux City to collect additional hydrogen sulfide data. This data will be used to evaluate airborne hydrogen sulfide in support of the health investigation.

The health investigation is scheduled to begin in March 2000. Public meetings will be conducted by ATSDR in Dakota City/South Sioux City in February 2000. The meetings will explain the health investigation including how residents will be recruited to participate. Future announcements will be made to give more details about the public meetings.

Community members seeking general information about the public health investigation should contact ATSDR Community Involvement Specialist Ruby Palmer, toll free, at 1-888-422-8737. Callers should refer to the "Dakota City Health Investigation." ATSDR Senior Regional Representative Denise Jordan-Izaguirre in Kansas City can also be called for information at (913) 551-1310.