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 that two health consultations for the Deer Lodge, Montana, area (part of the Milltown Reservoir Sediments Superfund site) will be available for public review and comment beginning October 4, 2000.

ATSDR prepared the health consultations in response to a request from Deer Lodge and Powell County officials to clarify earlier agency recommendations related to arsenic exposure at two sites-Arrow Stone Park and the trestle area just west of downtown. Local officials expressed concern to ATSDR that, due to recent development of Arrow Stone Park, the EPA Risk Assessment used in the previous assessment of the site might no longer be sufficient to represent activities at the park. Based on available information, ATSDR determined that current activities at Arrow Stone Park may result in exposures to arsenic that are at levels of potential health concern. ATSDR determined that additional soil sampling is needed to characterize current arsenic levels at the park.

ATSDR was also asked to look at the trestle area because of concerns that children from nearby neighborhoods play and swim in the area on a regular basis. ATSDR assessed the hazards posed by the site based on this potential for frequent exposure, and the possibility that very young children play in the area. Based on this scenario, ATSDR has determined that arsenic concentrations in the trestle area are high enough to cause health concern for acute exposures for 2- and 3-year old children and for intermediate and acute exposures for children exhibiting pica behavior (children who eat dirt and other non-food items). ATSDR has recommended that action be taken to reduce arsenic levels at the site.

An ATSDR health consultation provides conclusions and recommendations 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 EPA and state and local health and environmental departments.

The health consultations will be available for public review and comment on or about October 4, 2000, at the following repositories:

The public comment period for the health consultations will run from October 4 until November 13, 2000.  Please send written comments to:

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 consultation. Comments (without indication of who made them) and responses will be included in an appendix to the final health consultation. Although names of those who have submitted comments will not be included in the final health consultation, they are subject to release under the Freedom of Information Act.

Community members seeking information on the procedures or the content of this health consultation should contact ATSDR Health Assessor Jill Dyken, toll free, at 1-888-42-ATSDR (1-888-422-8737). Callers should refer to the "Deer Lodge site" when asking to speak with Dr. Dyken in the Division of Health Assessment and Consultation. The ATSDR Regional Representative, Glenn Tucker, also may be called for information at (303) 312-7010 in Denver.

For more information about arsenic and health effects related to exposure, please visit the ATSDR Web site, at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov, and click on the ToxFAQs.