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ATSDR MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT
ATSDR issues final version of its public health assessment of the Callahan Mining Corp. NPL site in Brooksville, Maine
For Immediate Release: May 5, 2003
ATLANTA - The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, today is releasing the final version of its public health assessment (PHA) of the Callahan Mining Corp. NPL site in Brooksville (Cape Rosier), Maine.
The PHA evaluates whether exposure to site contamination could cause harm to persons living near or visiting the site. ATSDR is required by Congress to conduct public health assessments on all sites on the National Priorities List (NPL), and the Callahan Mining Corp. site is listed on the NPL.
The final version contains comments from the members of the public who reviewed the PHA (without identifying them by name), along with ATSDR's responses.
Conclusions
ATSDR reviewed available environmental data, exposure scenarios and community health concerns to determine whether exposure associated with the site can lead to adverse health effects. On the basis of this information, ATSDR concludes the following:
The Callahan Mining Corp. site is a former zinc/copper open-pit mine on the Cape Rosier peninsula in the town of Brooksville, Maine. The mine was operated adjacent to and beneath Goose Pond, which was dammed and drained during operations to allow the mining to take place. The open-pit mining operation and processes contaminated the site with metals. Since the mine ceased operations in 1972, dams preventing water from entering Goose Pond have been removed, and the pit currently is under water. Elevated levels of heavy metals, including cadmium, copper, lead and zinc, have been measured in surface water, sediments, biota, soil and waste piles on the site.
Recommendations
ATSDR makes the following recommendations about the site:
A limited number of copies of the public health assessment are available to community members at the following repository:
Brooksville Public Service Building
Brooksville, Maine
Community members seeking information on the procedures or the content of the PHA may contact Jill Dyken or Annmarie DePasquale, ATSDR environmental health scientists, or Dawn O'Connor, ATSDR community involvement specialist, toll free, at 1-888-422-8737. ATSDR Regional Representative Bill Sweet also may be contacted at 617-918-1490. Callers should refer to the Callahan site in Brooksville, Maine.
Members of the news media may request an interview with ATSDR staff by calling Elaine McEachern in the ATSDR Office of Policy and External Affairs at 770-488-0700.
This page
updated May 5, 2003
For more information, contact ATSDR at:
770-488-0700 or e-mail
(news media)
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