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 is issuing the final public health assessment on the uranium releases from the Y-12 plant at the U.S. Department of Energy Oak Ridge Reservation in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

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

On the basis of its review and evaluation of previous studies and environmental sampling data, ATSDR has determined that past uranium releases (before 1990) from the Y-12 plant has not harmed and will not harm the community's health.

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. In addition, ATSDR addressed the specific health concerns of people in communities near the reservation. ATSDR will continue to work with the Oak Ridge Reservation Health Effects Subcommittee (ORRHES) to determine the most effective way to communicate the public health assessment findings of no apparent health hazard to the community.

In addition to the public health assessment on uranium releases from the Y-12 plant, ATSDR scientists are conducting public health assessments on mercury and polychlorinated biphenyl releases from the Y-12 plant. The public comment version of these public health assessments will be available in the fall of 2004.

The public health assessment on the uranium releases from the Y-12 plant is available for public review at the following repositories:

Oak Ridge Public Library
Civic Center
Oak Ridge, TN 37830

Harriman Public Library
1 Waldon Ave.
Harriman, TN 37748

ATSDR Oak Ridge Field Office
197 South Tulane
Oak Ridge, TN 37831

Kingston City Library
1004 Bradford Way
Kingston, TN 37763

Roane State Community College
276 Patton Lane
Harriman, TN 37831

Rockwood Public Library
117 N. Front Ave.
Rockwood, TN 37854

For more information, community members can contact the ORRHES Designated Federal Official, Marilyn Horton, toll free at 1-888-422-8737 or by calling 404-498-1751. Health Communications Specialist Loretta Bush can be reached at 404-498-1742.

Environmental Health Scientist Bill Taylor also may be contacted in the Oak Ridge Field Office at 865-220-0295. Callers should refer to the Oak Ridge site in Oak Ridge, Tenn.