ATSDR MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT

ATSDR to Host Public Availability Session and Meeting
to Discuss Findings at Molycorp, Inc. Site

For Immediate Release: Sept. 9, 2004

ATLANTA - Past exposure to site-related contaminants in certain private wells or in tailings dust could have caused harmful health effects at the Molycorp, Inc. site in Questa, N.M., indicates the public health assessment released by The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Current exposures, however, are not great enough to result in adverse health effects.

These findings will be discussed at a community meeting on Sept. 22 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. at St. Anthony's Parish, 10 Church Street in Questa.

Following the meeting, a public availability session will be held from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The session allows community members to meet individually with ATSDR representatives to discuss the public health assessment. A second public availability session will be held at St. Anthony's Parish on Sept. 23 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.

In the assessment, ATSDR evaluated contaminant levels, how people come in contact with the contaminants and community concerns to determine how contaminants could affect public health. The assessment conclusions include:
— Past exposure to contaminants in certain private water wells was high enough to result in harmful health effects if people drank that water regularly. Adverse health effects are not likely today if people avoid drinking contaminated well water.
— Past exposure to dust could have resulted in short-term eye and respiratory irritation, but the level of metals in the dust was not high enough to cause other health effects. Recent studies indicate that adverse health effects are unlikely today.
— Contaminants in Questa municipal water meet applicable water quality standards and are not expected to cause adverse health effects.
The assessment also includes recommendations:
— Avoid drinking water from contaminated wells. These wells should be taken out of service to prevent people from drinking water from them.
— Continue controlling dust at the tailings facility. People with respiratory disease, the elderly, and children should limit outdoor activities when conditions appear dusty.
— Although the Questa municipal water is safe, ATSDR supports replacing water lines that might be buried in tailings to improve community acceptance. Even if tap water containing tailings particles or contaminants was occasionally drank, estimated contaminant exposures would be too low to result in adverse health effects.

The assessment is available for public review through Oct. 22 at:

Village of Questa Buildings
2500 Old State Road 3
Questa, NM

The assessment is also available on ATSDR's web site at www.atsdr.cdc.gov.

The public is encouraged to comment on the findings or proposed activities noted in the assessment. Comments must be made in writing to:

Chief, Program Evaluation, Records and Information Services Branch
ATSDR
1600 Clifton Road, N.E. (MS E-32)
Atlanta, GA 30333

Comments received during the public comment period will be logged in to the ATSDR administrative record for this public health assessment. Comments received, without the names of individuals who submitted them, and ATSDR 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.

For more information, community members may contact ATSDR Environmental Health Scientist Jill Dyken or Community Involvement Specialist Debra Joseph, toll free, at 1-888-422-8737. ATSDR Regional Representative Patrick Young also may be contacted at 214-665-8562. Callers should refer to the Molycorp site in Questa, New Mexico.

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. Headquartered in Atlanta, ATSDR is staffed by more than 400 health professionals including epidemiologists, physicians, toxicologists, engineers and public health educators.

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