[CPEO-MEF] HEALTH, VOCs: NC Senators write Navy

[Lenny Siegel <lennysiegel@gmail.com>]

Office of Senator Kay Hagan
Press Release
May 13, 2009

HAGAN URGES SECRETARY OF THE NAVY TO DISCLOSE FULL INFORMATION REGARDING 
CAMP LEJEUNE WATER CONTAMINATION



WASHINGTON, D.C. - In an effort to assist military families exposed to 
contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, U.S. Senator Kay R. Hagan (D-NC) 
today sent a letter to Acting United States Secretary of the Navy BJ 
Penn, asking him to help close information gaps in the Agency for Toxic 
Substances and Disease Registry's (ATSDR) 1997 public health assessment. 
New information about the levels of benzene, TCE and PCE in Camp 
Lejeune's water supply recently invalidated sections of the public 
health assessment. Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) joined Senator Hagan in 
sending the letter.

"Since the 1997 study, new information has surfaced that has provided 
additional insight into exposure to harmful chemicals in the drinking 
water at Camp Lejeune, and has challenged the validity of ATSDR's public 
health assessment," said Hagan. "Until we effectively assess the ways in 
which families were exposed, and the affects of exposure to Camp 
Lejeune's contaminated drinking water, those who have seen their loved 
ones suffer from related sickness, or pass away, will be without the 
answers they deserve."

The 1997 public health assessment stated that Marines and their families 
faced little or no cancer risk from drinking and bathing in ground water 
at Camp Lejeune that was chemically-tainted by solvents known as TCE and 
PCE. In late April of this year, ATSDR said it could no longer stand by 
parts of its assessment due to data inaccuracies and the omission of 
other contaminants.

The Department of the Navy progress reports from 1984 showed high levels 
of benzene in the water supply at Hadnot Point, yet there is no 
consideration of benzene in the ATSDR's reports. This omission implies 
the information was not provided to the ATSDR and is one of the primary 
reasons the ATSDR withdrew its endorsement of the public health 
assessment in question.

The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is conducting a 
Congressionally-mandated comprehensive review of scientific literature 
and potential health risks related to water contamination exposures at 
Camp Lejeune. The study is expected to be made public in the upcoming 
weeks. However, at the moment, the study is limited in scope to TCE and 
PCE. It is important to consider whether or not NAS should also take 
into account documented levels of benzene in Camp Lejeune.

Senator Hagan's letter, which was sent today, asks Secretary Penn, along 
with the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Installations and 
Environment, to determine what caused these information gaps, and 
implement appropriate measures to ensure that all relevant information 
is available to assess the effects of human exposure to Camp Lejeune's 
contaminated drinking water in an expeditious fashion.

Hagan believes the victims and their families have been waiting 
patiently for answers about Camp Lejeune's water supply and levels of 
contamination long enough. After nearly 20 years of looking for answers 
and closure, they deserve an opportunity to end this painful chapter of 
their lives. Persistent delays and the inability to provide key 
documentation to environmental and public health studies have prevented 
them from doing so.

###

For the original release, see
http://hagan.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=168

--


Lenny Siegel
Executive Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
a project of the Pacific Studies Center
278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org



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