Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Search  |  Index  |  Home  |  Glossary  |  Contact Us  
 

ATSDR MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT
ATSDR releases public health assessment
for North Railroad Avenue Plume site
in Española, N.M.; comment period extends through May 20


For Immediate Release: March 17, 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 announces its release of the public health assessment (PHA) for the North Railroad Avenue Plume site in Española, Rio Arriba County, N.M.

After evaluating the available data, ATSDR concludes:

(1) Past exposure to groundwater from the public water supply (Bond and Jemez wells) posed a public health hazard to individuals residing within the city of Española. However, it should be noted that use of the contaminated water supply wells was discontinued in 1989, when levels of tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE) were discovered. There currently is no public health hazard from exposure to the public water supply.
(2) Individuals residing on the Santa Clara Pueblo did not receive their drinking water from the public water supply within Española in the past. Therefore, these individuals were not exposed to contaminants from the Bond and Jemez wells.
(3) Exposure to groundwater from private nondrinking water wells (within Española), soil, indoor air, sediment and surface water indicates no apparent public health hazard.

In the public health assessment, ATSDR recommends:

(1) No new private wells should be installed in the vicinity of the site.
(2) Twelve drinking water wells, located directly adjacent to Santa Clara Pueblo Trust Land, should be periodically monitored until clean-up measures are completed.
(3) Active wells within the city of Española that are used for nondrinking water purposes should be monitored periodically until clean-up measures are completed.
(4) Limited surface water and sediment sampling should be conducted periodically until clean-up measures are completed.

The PHA will be available for public review at the following two repositories:

Española Public Library
314-A Oñate Street, N.W. Los Alamos Hwy.,
Española

Santa Clara Pueblo Library
1 Kee St.
Española

Comments on the public health assessment must be made in writing. Mail comments to
Chief, Program Evaluation, Records and Information Services Branch,
ATSDR
1600 Clifton Rd., NE (MS E-32)
Atlanta, GA 30333

Comments received, without the names of individuals who submitted them, and ATSDR's responses to the comments will appear in an appendix to the final public health assessment. Names of those who submit comments, however, will be subject to release for requests made under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act.

Community members seeking information on the procedures or the content of the PHA may contact environmental health scientists Robert Knowles or Annmarie DePasquale, toll free, at 1-888-422-8737. Regional Representative Patrick Young also may be contacted at 214-665-8562. Callers should refer to the North Railroad Avenue Plume site in Española, N.M.


Members of the news media may request an interview with ATSDR staff by calling Elaine McEachern or John Florence in the ATSDR Office of Policy and External Affairs at 770-488-0700.

This page updated March 17, 2003
For more information, contact ATSDR at:
770-488-0700 or e-mail (news media)

ATSDR Home  |  Search  |  Index  |  Glossary  |  Contact Us
About ATSDR  |  News Archive  |  ToxFAQs  |  Public Health Assessments
Privacy Policy  |  External Links Disclaimer  |  Accessibility
US Department of Health and Human Services