ATSDR MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT

ATSDR To Host Meetings about Assessment of Cancer Incidence

For Immediate Release: February 24, 2006

ATLANTA – The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) will hold three public availability sessions March 1- 2 to discuss the findings of its assessment of cancer incidence for the eight-county area surrounding the U.S. Department of Energy Oak Ridge Reservation, TN.

The meetings will be held at the Doubletree Hotel, 215 South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge.

March 1 3:00 – 6:00 p.m.

March 2 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.

The assessment evaluates the number of new cancer cases in: Anderson, Blount, Knox, Loudon, Meigs, Morgan, Rhea and Roane counties. Although the assessment cannot determine the cause of cancer, it provides information about cancer rates and is used to determine if any unusual pattern is occurring by comparing the community to the state.

ATSDR will present the assessment and findings during the public availability sessions. The meetings will also allow residents to meet individually with ATSDR representatives to ask questions about the assessment and share their comments and concerns. Representatives from the Tennessee Department of Health and the Tennessee Cancer Registry will also be present to answer community questions.

The assessment is available for public comment and review through April 14, 2006. The public comment period is an opportunity for residents to review and comment on agency findings noted in the assessment. Beginning March 1, the assessment will be able to be viewed at www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HAC/oakridge/, or at:

 

Oak Ridge Public Library Civic Center Oak Ridge, Tenn.	Harriman Public Library 1 Waldon Ave. Harriman, Tenn.
Kingston City Library 1004 Bradford Way Kingston, Tenn.	Roane State Community College 276 Patton Lane Harriman, Tenn.
Rockwood Public Library 117 N. Front Ave. Rockwood, Tenn.	Department of Energy Information Center 475 Oak Ridge Turnpike Oak Ridge, Tenn. 865-241-4780

 

Comments must be made in writing to:

Chief, Records Management Activity
ATSDR
1600 Clifton Road, N.E. (MS E-60)
Atlanta, GA 30333

Comments received during the public comment period will be logged into the ATSDR administrative record. All comments that are received along with ATSDR responses will appear in an appendix to the final version of the report. The names of individuals and groups who submit comments will not appear in the report. However, the names will be subject to release for requests made under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act.

The Oak Ridge Field Office is now closed. Members of the community who have questions about this assessment may contact Epidemiologist Dhelia Williamson or Health Communication Specialist Loretta Bush, toll free, at 1-888-422-8737.

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.

 

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