Gowanus Canal Superfund Site Public Health Assessment Prepared by: - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Public Meeting: Gowanus Canal Superfund Site Public Health Assessment

Prepared by: New York State Department of Health (DOH) Under a cooperative agreement with: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)

Presenters DOH  Chris Doroski – Gowanus Canal Project Manager ATSDR  Leah Escobar, Region 2 Representative

What is ATSDR ? Atlanta-based federal Public Health Service agency created by the Comprehensive Environmental, Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), or “Superfund Law”  Our top priority is to protect people from exposures to (contact with) hazardous chemicals  We build and apply the best science to understanding and preventing people’s exposure to toxic chemicals  Educate people about exposures to toxic chemicals and about the public health assessment process  Work with DOH under a cooperative agreement  To determine if people are being exposed to chemicals at levels that might cause harm

Why are we here today ?  To explain who we are and how we support EPA, NYS DOH and the Gowanus Canal Superfund site community  To share information about the public health assessment process  To listen to you and answer your questions

PHA Process

Public Health Assessments  Written for a specific site – Gowanus Canal  Limited to public health implications of the site itself  Defined in the NPL listing – Creek body and its tributaries  PHAs are not health studies  PHAs are not risk assessments (EPA does them)  PHAs answer  how can people contact site contaminants?  are people contacting site contaminants?  how could people be affected by the contaminants?

Data  Where did we get the information?  USEPA  Site Investigation  National Grid  Investigation of the Canal  What we didn’t use…..  Inactive Hazardous Waste sites  Along the creek were not used.  Terrestrial sites are not part of the USEPA defined site.  May not represent Creek-Wide conditions.

Elements of Exposure  What are the Elements?  Contaminant Source.  Environmental Media & Transport Mechanism.  A Point of Exposure.  A Route of Exposure.  People who are being exposed.

Conclusions:  Swimming could Harm People’s Health  Bacteria Exposure  Physical Hazards  Recreational Boating is not expected to Harm People’s Health – No complete exposure pathway  Use caution and wash afterward  Eating fish and Crabs could Harm People’s Health  Follow Fish Advisory  Air  Canal is not contributing to air quality of the community

Fish • DOH Fishing Advisory – Upper Bay of New York Harbor – Specific Guidelines regarding consumption. • Please visit: – http://www.health.ny.gov/publications/2784.pdf – http://www.health.ny.gov/publications/2796.pdf

Women Under 50 & Children Under 15 Women Over 50 & Men Over 15 American eel don't eat DEC regulations prohibit the harvest/possession of American eel for food . Atlantic don't eat up to 1 meal/month needlefish Blue crabs don't eat up to 6 crabs/week don't eat tomalley don't eat tomalley Bluefish don't eat up to 1 meal/month Carp don't eat up to 1 meal/month Channel catfish don't eat don't eat Gizzard shad don't eat don't eat Goldfish don't eat up to 1 meal/month Rainbow smelt don't eat up to 1 meal/month Striped bass don't eat up to 1 meal/month White catfish don't eat don't eat White perch don't eat up to 1 meal/month Other fish not listed don't eat up to 4 meals/month

Contact us  Fact Sheet, document, comment form:  http://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/investigation s/newtown/  DOH Questions: Chris Doroski  (518) 402-7880  ATSDR Questions: Leah  732-906-6932  Comment:  email BEEI@health.state.ny.us