ATSDR MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT

State To Handle Public Health Inquiries For Upper Cape From Canton

News Advisory
For Immediate Release: Dec. 27, 2004

ATLANTA - Beginning Jan. 1, 2005, Upper Cape Massachusetts Military Reservation (MMR) community public health concerns will be handled by the Canton office of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) or the Boston office of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Inquiries may be directed to Dave Williams, MDPH Canton Office at 781-774-6612 or William Sweet, ATSDR Senior Regional Representative at 617-918-1495.

The two agencies will continue the service provided by the EPHC field office at the MMR from 1997 through 2004.The field office had been established to address environmental public health concerns related to potential exposures to hazardous substances in and around the military reservation.

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 the ATSDR Office of Communication at 770-488-0700.