ATSDR MEDIA
ANNOUNCEMENT ATSDR announces release of public health assessment
for Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant Site and start of public comment period
For Immediate Release:
January 30, 2003
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 release of its public health assessment
for the Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant Site (LAAP) in Doyline, La. The public
comment period for the document will end February 28, 2003.
After evaluating environmental monitoring
data and key potential exposure situations, ATSDR determined that potential
exposures associated with groundwater, surface soil, surface water/sediment,
and biota at LAAP do not pose past, current or future public health hazards:
Contamination in groundwater poses no public health hazard. The shallow
groundwater beneath certain areas of LAAP has become contaminated with explosive
compounds. No exposure to groundwater contaminants has occurred or is expected
to occur in the future because the contaminated shallow groundwater underlying
LAAP has never been used as a source of drinking water for the plant, nor
is it intended for public use in the future. LAAP has received its water from
the deep, uncontaminated aquifer, which is routinely tested to ensure that
it safely meets federal and state drinking water standards. Low levels of
explosive compounds were detected one time in1989 in drinking water wells
for Doyline and the community of Goodwill. Residents possibly exposed to the
low levels of explosive compounds from ingesting drinking water are not expected
to develop ill effects. Explosive contamination has not been reported during
regular repeat testing (1989-1993, 1999 and 2001) of the affected wells. LAAP
will continue to monitor groundwater movement from the site and off-site groundwater
quality to identify and diminish the threat of potential health hazards. No
information is available for private wells possibly located in areas where
trace levels of contamination migrated beyond the site's southern boundary.
Any exposure at trace levels is expected to be below levels of health concern.
Contamination in surface soil poses no public health hazard. Certain areas
of LAAP contain high levels of explosive compounds and chromium in surface
soil. A patrolled perimeter fence and gated entrance largely prevent public
access to these contaminated areas. Although workers or trespassers (such
as nonauthorized hunters) might have come in contact with contaminants in
surface soil, contact was likely infrequent and brief. Intermittent contact
with surface soil contaminants, even at the highest levels reported, is not
expected to pose a health concern. Access restrictions and land use controls
will help to prevent potential future exposures to soil contaminants.
Contamination in surface water and sediment of the local streams poses
no public health hazard. Contaminants from LAAP's former operations migrate
in groundwater toward and discharge into local streams, such as Boone Creek,
Caney Creek and an unnamed ditch. Some contamination also might have reached
the streams in surface water runoff. Public access to the streams is limited
at best. Although there is no evidence of people wading or playing in or near
the streams, any exposure is likely to be infrequent and of short duration.
Such limited exposure with contamination in the waterways is not expected
to pose a health concern. Contaminant levels are expected to further decrease
by natural degradation processes and with distance from the former source
areas.
Consumption of locally caught fish and deer poses no public health hazard.
Local residents fish along Bayou Dorcheat and Clarke Bayou, which border the
LAAP property to the east and west. Fish from the bayous have not been tested
for possible uptake of site-related contamination. Despite this data gap,
bayou fish probably have not accumulated unhealthy levels of LAAP-related
compounds because only low levels of surface water contaminants have entered
the bayous and explosive compounds do not typically accumulate to high levels
in fish. Seasonal deer hunting is permitted at LAAP. Information suggests
that explosive compounds, such as those concentrated in areas of LAAP, do
not typically accumulate to harmful levels in deer tissue or in other wildlife.
Considering this information, ATSDR concludes that fish from Clarke Bayou
or Bayou Dorcheat and venison from the LAAP should be safe foods to eat.
The public health assessment is
available for public review and comment through February 28, 2003, at the
following location:
Commander
Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant
Highway 80
Minden, La.
Attn: Doyle Williams
ATSDR welcomes comments from the
public. 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 during the public
comment period will be logged in to ATSDR's administrative record for this health
assessment.
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 public health assessment may contact
Health Assessor Katherine Hanks or Health Communication Specialist Ruby Palmer,
toll free, at 1-888-422-8737. Regional Representative Jennifer Lyke also may
be contacted at 214-665-8362. When calling, please refer to the Louisiana Army
Ammunition Plant Site in Doyline, La.
Members of the news media may
request an interview with ATSDR staff by calling John Florence or Elaine McEachern
in the ATSDR Office of Policy and External Affairs at 770-488-0700.