[CPEO-MEF] ATSDR: No Public Health Hazard from Fallon NAS Substances

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

The following release can be viewed online at:
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/NEWS/fallonnv072403.html
_________________________________________

ATSDR MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT

ATSDR Finds No Public Health Hazard from Exposure to Naval Air Station
Fallon Substances in Churchill County, Nev.

For Immediate Release: July 25, 2003

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 (PHA) for
Naval Air Station Fallon (NASF) in Fallon in Churchill County, Nev.

The PHA is part of a public health action plan developed by ATSDR and
the National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) to evaluate whether
environmental exposures are associated with the childhood leukemia
cluster identified in Churchill County by the Nevada State Health
Division of the Nevada Department of Human Resources.

The PHA evaluates possible exposure to chemicals released into the
environment from NASF operations.

After evaluating environmental data and toxicological and medical
information, ATSDR concludes there are no past, current or future public
health hazards from exposures to NAS-related substances in the
environment.

The exposure media analyzed in the PHA include groundwater, surface
water and sediment, soil, air related to stationary sources, and air
related to jet fuel and emission byproducts.

ATSDR recommends the following actions:

    * NASF should continue to conduct annual testing of the monitoring
wells near the groundwater plumes on the east and south boundaries of
the base to ensure that contaminants are not migrating off site. If any
site-related contaminants are detected off site to the east and south,
NASF should test any private wells in the vicinity that are used for
drinking water.
    * NASF should continue to sample drainage canals where the canals
leave the base and to analyze for petroleum and jet fuel chemicals, such
as benzene, toluene and xylene, to ensure that these fuel components are
not migrating off base.

The document is available for review at the following repository:

Churchill County Library
553 S. Maine St.
Fallon, Nev.

Community members seeking information on the procedures or the content
of the public health assessment may contact Environmental Health
Scientist Jeff Kellam or Health Communications Specialist Rose Jackson
toll free at 1-888-422-8737. Regional Representative Libby Levy also may
be contacted at 415-947-4319. When calling, please refer to the NAS
Fallon site in Fallon, Nev.

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Members of the news media may request an interview with ATSDR staff by
calling Elaine McEachern or Petro Kacur in the ATSDR Office of Policy
and External Affairs at 404-498-0070.

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