PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT
TOBYHANNA ARMY DEPOT
COOLBAUGH TOWNSHIP, MONROE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
ATSDR has evaluated environmental routes of exposure using information collected during the remedial investigation process. The following is a summary of the conclusions reached by ATSDR from this evaluation.
1. The public does not come in contact with the contaminated soil and groundwater in AOC #4 of OU-1. Even if individuals had been exposed, the levels of contamination and duration of potential exposures were not sufficient to result in adverse health effects. The contaminants are naturally attenuating; therefore, no remediation is planned. AOC #4 poses no apparent health hazard.
2. The drinking water in individual off-post Tobyhanna residential wells was contaminated with TCE and PCE. The levels of these contaminants and duration of potential exposures were not sufficient to produce adverse health effects. The source of contamination has been removed. The drinking water in off-post residential wells poses no apparent health hazard.
3. The soil in OU-1 AOC #7 was contaminated with TCE and PCE. These contaminated soils were located in an open area of infrequent use by depot staff. The available information suggests that in the past there may have been infrequent incidental exposure by installation personnel to the low levels of soil contaminants found in AOC #7. Soils in AOC #7 contributing to groundwater contamination were removed in 1995. Therefore, AOC #7 poses no apparent health hazard.
4. All contaminated material and soil has been removed from OU-2. The area adjacent to the electric transformers of OU-2 has been and is still used solely for commercial purposes. The extent of potential exposure by workers is unknown, but it is assumed that any exposure would be of short duration; therefore, OU-2 poses a no apparent health hazard.
5. Decontamination of Building 10-C and S-90, OU-3, has been completed. Since the buildings comprising OU-3 are only used for commercial purposes they pose no apparent health hazard.
6. To date, the Inactive Landfill has no route of human exposure for the contaminants, therefore it poses no apparent health hazard.
7. The Oakes Swamp Disposal Area has no route of human exposure for the contaminants, therefore it poses no apparent health hazard.
8. The fish in Barney's Lake/ Hummler Run are not used for subsistence, therefore they pose no apparent health hazard.
9. The former artillery ranges on-post are properly fenced and have warning signs, therefore it they do not pose a physical hazard.
10. The former artillery ranges off-post have warning signs posted, but may pose a physical hazard to hunters and the public in areas A and B.
The public health action plan (PHAP) for Tobyhanna Army Depot contains a description of actions to be taken by ATSDR and/or other governmental agencies at and in the vicinity of the site subsequent to the completion of this public health assessment. The purpose of the PHAP is to ensure that this public health assessment not only identifies public health hazards, but provides a plan of action designed to prevent adverse human health effects that would result from any exposure to contaminants in the environment.
Completed Actions
1. As of June 1991, the residents of Tobyhanna with contaminated drinking water wells were connected to a TYAD on-post potable water well.
2. As of 1995, the U.S. Army has removed the contaminated soil, the source of groundwater contamination, in AOC #7 of Operable Unit One.
3. As of September 1994, all contaminated soil and material have been removed from Operable Unit Two.
4. As of 1993, decontamination of Operable Unit Three had been completed.
5. The remnants of debris along the banks of Oakes Swamp have been removed.
6. The on-post former artillery ranges are fenced and have warning signs posted.
7. The off-post former artillery ranges have warning signs posted.
Actions Planned
1. The Army will continue to collect and analyze water samples from drinking water and monitoring wells. They will also monitor for VOCs of potential concern.
2. If needed, the Army will provide access to TYAD's water supply if any residential well is found to have become contaminated in the future by the TYAD plume.
3. The Army will continue to perform quarterly groundwater sampling of all monitoring wells around the inactive landfill.
4. The Army will complete a report on the remediation of Oakes Swamp.
5. The Army will continue to remove any identified UXO.
6. An EE/CA has been proposed by the USACOE for the former artillery ranges, areas A, B, and C.
7. The findings of this PHA were reviewed by the other Divisions of ATSDR and no follow-up health activities are recommended for TYAD at this time. If additional information becomes available that may indicate a public health risk, this information will be evaluate by ATSDR.
Amanda K. Dunnick, M.P.H.
Environmental Health Scientist
Federal Facilities Assessment Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
W. Mark Weber, Ph.D.
Geologist
Federal Facilities Assessment Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Edward Gregory, Ph.D.
Demographer
Federal Facilities Assessment Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
REFERENCES
Environmental Resources Management, Inc. (ERM), 1995, Draft Final. Tobyhanna Army Depot,
Monitor/Residential Well Sampling Program and Verification Studies, Technical Report, Elin
A009, US Army Environmental Center, December 12, 1995.
Environmental Resources Management, Inc. (ERM), 1997, Draft. Tobyhanna Army Depot,
Remedial Investigation, AOC #1 - Inactive Sanitary Landfill, Technical Report, Elin A009, US
Army Environmental Center, February 5, 1997.
ERM Program Management Company (ERM), 1996, Personal communication with Ann Baines,
October 15, 1996.
ERM Program Management Company (ERM), 1997, Public Health Assessment Comments, April 2, 1997.
Environmental Science and Engineering, Inc. (ESE), 1988, Update of the Initial Installation
Assessment of Tobyhanna Army Depot, US Army Toxic and Hazardous Materials Agency, January 1988.
Environmental Science and Engineering, Inc. (ESE), 1990, Public Involvement and Response Plan
for Tobyhanna Army Depot, Document No. DAC-45-87-C-0115, US Army Toxic and Hazardous
Materials Agency, February 1990.
Environmental Science and Engineering, Inc. (ESE), 1991a, Remedial Investigation/Feasibility
Study at Tobyhanna Army Depot, Final Remedial Investigation Addendum, Vol. I, Document No.
DAAA15-88-D-0003, US Army Corps of Engineers, Toxic and Hazardous Materials Agency,
November 8, 1991.
Environmental Science and Engineering, Inc. (ESE), 1991b, Remedial Investigation/Feasibility
Study at Tobyhanna Army Depot, Draft Final Endangerment Assessment Report, Vol. I,
Contract No. DAAA15-90-00017, US Army Corps of Engineers, Toxic and Hazardous Materials
Agency, November 15, 1991.
Environmental Science and Engineering, Inc. (ESE), 1991c, Remedial Investigation/Feasibility
Study at Tobyhanna Army Depot, Draft Final Feasibility Study Report for the Areas A and B
Operable Unit, Vol. I, Document No. DAAA15-90-00017, US Army Corps of Engineers, Toxic
and Hazardous Materials Agency, November 15, 1991.
Environmental Science and Engineering, Inc.(ESE), 1991d, Remedial Investigation/Feasibility
Study at Tobyhanna Army Depot, Final Remedial Investigation Addendum, Vol. II, Document
No. DAAA15-88-D-0003, US Army Corps of Engineers, Toxic and Hazardous Materials
Agency, May 20, 1991.
OHM Remediation Services Corp. (OHM), 1996, Final Report for Area "B" Soil Removal
Action, Tobyhanna Army Depot, Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania, Contract No. DACW45-94-D-0005,
US Army Corps of Engineers, April 17, 1996.
Proposed Remedial Action Plan (PRAP), Operable Unit #3, Tobyhanna Army Depot, December 1995.
Rock Island, US Army Corps of Engineers, Personal Communication with Charles Gillet, December 16, 1996.
TYAD, Personal communication with Craig Coffman, Installation Restoration Program Manager,
Tobyhanna Army Depot, July 8, 1996.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), 1995, Archives Search Report, Conclusions and
Recommendations for the former Tobyhanna Artillery Range, September 1995.
U.S. Army Environmental Hygiene Agency (USAEHA), 1993, Hazardous Waste Management
Study No. 37-26-J740-93, Sampling, Evaluation, and Closure Certification for Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act Closure, Buildings S-90 and 10C, Tobyhanna Army Depot, PA,
Volume I, 12 April - 19 May 1993.
Figure 2 - Location of Areas of Concern
Figure 3 - Location of On-site Water Wells
Figure 4 - Location of Off-site Water Wells
| Total persons |
6,756 |
| Total area, square miles |
85.74 |
| Persons per square mile |
79 |
| % Male |
50.0 |
| % Female | 50.0 |
| % White |
93.1 |
| % Black |
4.1 |
| % American Indian, Eskimo, or Aleut |
0.2 |
| % Asian or Pacific Islander |
1.3 |
| % Other races |
1.3 |
| % Hispanic origin |
5.8 |
| % Under age 10 |
17.2 |
| % Age 65 and older |
13.0 |
Table 2: HOUSING DATA, COOLBAUGH TOWNSHIP
| Households* |
2,429 |
| Persons per household |
2.77 |
| % Households owner-occupied |
77.7 |
| % Households renter-occupied |
22.3 |
| % Households mobile homes |
3.5 |
| % Persons in group quarters |
0.5 |
| Median value, owner-occupied households, $ |
104,400 |
| Median rent paid, renter-occupied households, $ |
485 |
Source: Census of Population and Housing, 1990: Summary Tape File 1A (Pennsylvania)
[machine-readable data files]. Prepared by the Bureau of the Census. Washington, DC: The
Bureau [producer and distributor], 1991.
Table 3: COMPLETE EXPOSURE PATHWAYS *
|
PATHWAY |
CONTAMINANTS | EXPOSURE PATHWAYS ELEMENTS | TIME | COMMENTS | ||||
| SOURCE | ENVIRONMENTAL MEDIA |
POINT OF EXPOSURE |
ROUTE OF EXPOSURE |
EXPOSED POPULATION | ||||
| Tobyhanna Drinking Water Wells |
TCE & PCE | AOC #7: drums, soil contamination |
Groundwater | Tap Water in 24 Tobyhanna DW wells |
Ingestion Inhalation Dermal |
approx. 65 people |
minimum 1981- 1987 |
Residents on bottled water in 1987. Source removed in 1995. |
* Contaminant concentrations were low and not of public health concern.
Next Section Table of Contents
