ATSDR Releases Public Health Assessment For Mather Air Force Base

Monday, October 16, 2000
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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 release the final version of its public health assessment for Mather Air Force Base near Sacramento, California.

ATSDR prepared the public health assessment to address potential health concerns related to contamination from hazardous substances released into the environment while the base was in operation from 1918 until 1993. ATSDR scientists evaluated the extent of groundwater contamination both on and off the base, as well as contaminated soil, surface water and sediments in on-base drainage areas. ATSDR scientists determined how people on and off the base could be exposed and defined the potential impact to public health.

Based on a comprehensive evaluation of exposures to site contamination, meetings with the public and a detailed review of environmental sampling data from the Air Force, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the California Department of Health Services, ATSDR concludes that past, current and potential future exposures to hazardous substances released from Mather Air Force Base do not present a public health hazard.

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 identify health studies or other activities that might be needed and make recommendations to other government agencies, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and state and local health and environment departments, concerning actions needed to protect public health.

Public health assessments rely on three sources of information: environmental data, health outcome data and community concerns. Environmental data detail the chemicals at a site and provide an indication of potential pathways for human contact.

Health outcome data include reports of injury, disease or death in the community, as well as information on the known human 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.

The health assessment will be made available for public review on or about October 16, 2000, at the following repositories:

Mather Air Force Base 
Conversion Agency Library
10503 Armstrong Avenue
Mather, CA 95655-4120
(916) 364-4009
Rancho Cordova Community Library
9845 Folsom Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95827


Comments received during the public comment period have been documented and are now part of the administrative record for the health assessment. Comments (without indication of who made them) and responses have been included in an appendix to the final health assessment.

Community members seeking information on the procedures or content of the health assessment should contact ATSDR Toxicologist Scott Sudweeks, toll free, at 1-888-42-ATSDR (1-888-422-8737). The ATSDR Regional Representatives in San Francisco, Gwen Eng at (415) 744-2193 or Dan Strausbaugh at (415) 744-1774, also may be contacted for information. Callers should refer to "Mather Air Force Base" when contacting ATSDR.


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Page last reviewed: October 16, 2000