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For Immediate Release: March 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 Air Facility on Adak Island, Alaska.

Naval Air Facility, Adak Island, was listed on the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) National Priorities-or Superfund-List in May 1994 based on indications that there was contamination in multiple areas on-base which could affect people, wildlife, and the environment.

ATSDR gathered information from site visits, reviewed available environmental data, and talked with community members about health concerns. ATSDR identified 12 potential situations where people on the island could be exposed to chemical or physical hazards. Of those situations, three are considered to present public health hazards at this time and require intervention to reduce the hazard - exposure to lead in tap water in Sandy Cove and Eagle Bay homes, physical hazards posed by debris, Rommel stakes, and possible unexploded ordnance throughout the downtown area, and physical hazards in the remote areas of the island.

When/Where: The draft health assessment will be available for public review and comment on or about March 21, 2002, at the following repository:

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:

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 Carole Hossom, ATSDR environmental health scientist, toll free, at 1-888-422-8737. Callers should refer to the "Naval Air Facility-Adak site" when calling the toll free number. ATSDR Regional Representative Ric Robinson also may be called for information at (206) 553-5114 in Seattle.

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This page last updated on August 23, 2002
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