ATSDR Releases Public Health Assessment for Naval Support Activity, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania

Cumberland County, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania

Thursday, April 18, 2002

What: 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 availability of the public comment version of its health assessment for the Naval Support Activity in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

ATSDR prepared the public health assessment to evaluate the potential for environmental contaminants from the site to cause harm to human health. ATSDR conducted a thorough evaluation of available environmental monitoring data and the ways people might be exposed to contamination. The primary contaminants of concern identified included: lead and arsenic in surface soil; polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in sediment and fish; and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in groundwater.

Based on a review of available information, exposure to groundwater poses No Public Health Hazard. Exposure to on-site surface soil, and surface water/sediment poses No Apparent Public Health Hazard. ATSDR also concludes that the consumption of locally caught fish posed an Indeterminate Public Health Hazard in the past, but should pose no Public Health Hazard for people who adhere to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's limited fish consumption advisory for rainbow trout.

When/Where: The draft health assessment will be available for public review and comment on or about March 13, 2002, at the following repository:

Mechanicsburg Area Library 51 West Simpson Street Mechanicsburg, PA 17055

The public comment period for the health assessment will end April 22, 2002.

How: This public health assessment is being published as a draft for public comment. The public comment period is intended to give members of the community an opportunity to review ATSDR's findings, ask questions, provide comments, or discuss additional information which may be pertinent to the health assessment. Following the public comment period, all comments which have been received will be reviewed and will be addressed in a final version of the public health assessment.

Please send written comments to:

Chief, Program Evaluation, Records and Information Services Branch ATSDR 1600 Clifton Road, NE, Mailstop E-56 Atlanta, Georgia 30333

Background: 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 US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state and local health and environmental departments, concerning actions to protect public health.

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 health assessment. Although names of those who have submitted comments will not be included in the final health assessment, they are subject to release under the Freedom of Information Act.

For More Information: Community members seeking information on the procedures or content of the health assessment should contact Jeff Kellam, ATSDR environmental health scientist, toll free, at 1-888-42-ATSDR (1-888-422-8737). Callers should refer to the "Naval Support Activity-Mechanicsburg site" when calling the toll free number. ATSDR Regional Representative Tom Stukas also may be called for information at (215) 814-3142 in Philadelphia.

Members of the news media are requested to make an appointment to interview ATSDR staff. Phone Mike Groutt or John Florence, in the ATSDR Office of Policy and External Affairs, at (404) 498-0070.

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Related News Releases For Cumberland County, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania

 

Releases Public Health Assessment For Naval Support Activity, Mechanicsburg
Release Date: Friday, March 15, 2002
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 availability of the public comment version of its health assessment for the Naval Support Activity in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

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