ATSDR MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT

ATSDR to Gather Community Health Concerns
About Air Emissions From the Intel Plant

For Immediate Release: August 1, 2005

ATLANTA – The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) will hold public availability sessions on Aug. 9 and 10, to hear community members' health concerns related to air emissions from the Intel Plant in Rio Rancho, NM. ATSDR will address this information in the upcoming public health consultation.

During the meetings, ATSDR representatives will meet individually with community members to discuss health concerns associated with air emissions from the Intel Plant. To accommodate community members, meetings will be held in both Corrales and Rio Rancho.

A health consultation is a review of available information to respond to a specific health question or request for information about a potential environmental hazard. Health consultations are focused on a specific exposure issue.

Community members seeking information about the meeting or the public health consultation process may contact Senior Program Manager Joe Maloney toll-free at
1-888-422-8737. Regional Representative Patrick Young may also be contacted at 214-665-8562.

ATSDR, a federal public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, evaluates the human health effects of exposure to hazardous substances.

Established by Congress in 1980 under the Superfund law, ATSDR conducts public health assessments at each of the sites on the EPA National Priorities List, as well as other sites when petitioned.

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Members of the news media can request an interview by calling the NCEH/ATSDR Office of Communication at 770-488-0700.