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ATSDR Releases Callery Chemical Health Assessment For Public Review and CommentButler County, Evans, Pennsylvania Tuesday, October 26, 1999 The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, announced today the availability of the draft results of its public health assessment for the Callery Chemical site in Evans City, Pennsylvania. ATSDR conducted the health assessment in response to a request from community members living in Evans City who asked ATSDR to address health concerns regarding potential emissions from the Callery Chemical Company site. Public health assessments report information about hazardous substances in the environment and evaluate whether exposure to those substances in the past, present or future could harm people in the area. They identify health studies or other activities that might be needed and make recommendations to other government agencies, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and state and local health and environmental departments, concerning actions to protect public health. Public health assessments rely on three sources of information: environmental data, health data and reports of community concerns. Environmental data detail the chemicals at a site and indicate their potential pathways to reach humans. Health data include reports of injury, disease or death in the community, as well as information on the known human effects of chemicals at the site. Reports of community concerns document the public's descriptions of how the site affects their health and quality of life. The health assessment will be made available for public review and comment on or about October 27, 1999, at the following repositories: Evans City Public Library The public comment period for the health assessment will run from October 27 until November 26, 1999. Please send written comments to: Chief, Program Evaluation, Records and Information Services Branch Comments received during the public comment period will be logged and become part of the administrative record for the health assessment. Comments (without indication of who made them) and responses will be included in an appendix to the final health assessment. Although names of those who have submitted comments will not be included in the final health assessment, they are subject to release under the Freedom of Information Act. Community members seeking information on the procedures or content of the health assessment should contact ATSDR Health Assessor Adele Childress, toll free, at 1-888-42-ATSDR (1-888-422-8737). Callers should refer to the "Callery Chemical site" when asking to speak with a Health Assessor in the Division of Health Assessment and Consultation. The ATSDR Regional Representative, Tom Stukas, also may be called for information at (215) 814-3142 in Philadelphia.
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