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 for public review and comment ATSDR's public health assessment (PHA) of the uranium releases from the Y-12 plant in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The public comment period for the PHA is from May 5 through June 20, 2003.

The PHA was prepared in response to community health concerns related to the uranium released from the Y-12 plant in the past.

ATSDR concluded that the level of uranium released from the plant, past or present, does not present harmful health effects and poses no apparent health hazard, and recommends that the community be informed of its evaluation of the uranium releases from the Y-12 plant on the Oak Ridge Reservation.

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 to requests made under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act.

The ORRHES Web site can be viewed by accessing the following link: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HAC/oakridge/

The document is available for public review and comment at the following repositories:

Oak Ridge Public Library, 1401 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Civic Center

ATSDR Oak Ridge Field Office, 197 South Tulane Ave.

Community members seeking information on the procedures or the content of the PHA may contact Environmental Health Scientist Jack Hanley, Health Communications Specialist Lorine Spencer or the ORRHES Designated Federal Official, La Freta Dalton, toll free at 1-888-422-8737. Callers should refer to the Oak Ridge site in Oak Ridge, Tenn.