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THE GDPH PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT: A NOTE OF EXPLANATION This Public Health Assessment-Public Comment Release was prepared by the Georgia Department of Community Health, Division of Public Health (GDPH) under cooperative agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund) section 104 (i)(6) (42 U.S.C. 9604 (i)(6), and in accordance with our implementing regulations (42 C.F.R. Part 90). In preparing this document, GDPH has collected relevant health data, environmental data, and community health concerns from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), state and local health and environmental agencies, the community, and potentially responsible parties, where appropriate. This document represents the agency’s best efforts, based on currently available information, to fulfill the statutory criteria set out in CERCLA section 104 (i)(6) within a limited time frame. To the extent possible, it presents an assessment of potential risks to human health. Actions authorized by CERCLA section 104 (i)(11), or otherwise authorized by CERCLA, may be undertaken to prevent or mitigate human exposure or risks to human health. In addition, GDPH will utilize this document to determine if follow-up health actions are appropriate at this time. This document has previously been provided to EPA and the affected state in an initial release, as required by CERCLA section 104 (i) (6) (H) for their information and review. Where necessary, it has been revised in response to comments or additional relevant information provided by them to GDPH. This revised document has now been released for a 30-day public comment period. Subsequent to the public comment period, GDPH will address all public comments and revise or append the document as appropriate. The public health assessment will then be reissued. This will conclude the public health assessment process for this site, unless additional information is obtained by GDPH which, in the agency’s opinion, indicates a need to revise or append the conclusions previously issued. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not constitute endorsement by the Georgia Department of Community Health. Please send comments regarding this report to: Georgia Division of Public Health Chemical Hazard Program 2 Peachtree Street, NW, 13th Floor Atlanta, Georgia 30303 Fax: 404-657-6533 Visit us online at: www.health.state.ga.us/programs/hazards PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT TRANSCONTINENTAL GAS PIPELINE COMPANY COMPRESSOR STATION #130 Madison County, Georgia EPA ID: 110005675439 Installation of a natural gas pipeline. Prepared under a Cooperative Agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT-PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ENDS JUNE 13, 2011 Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Company, Madison County, Georgia TABLE OF CONTENTS ACRONYMS ................................................................................................................................................................ 1 SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................................................. 2 STATEMENT OF ISSUES ......................................................................................................................................... 3 BACKGROUND .......................................................................................................................................................... 3 SITE DESCRIPTION AND HISTORY .............................................................................................................................. 3 Natural Gas Compressor Station Description ..................................................................................................... 4 Natural Resources Use ......................................................................................................................................... 6 REGULATORY HISTORY ............................................................................................................................................. 6 SAFETY ...................................................................................................................................................................... 7 ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLING SUMMARY ................................................................................................................... 8 COMMUNITY HEALTH CONCERNS ................................................................................................................. 11 CITIZENS ORGANIZED FOR PIPELINE SAFETY (C.O.P.S.) ......................................................................................... 12 COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES ..................................................................................................... 12 COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT ACTIVITIES ................................................................................................................. 14 INDIVIDUAL WATER WELL SAMPLING .................................................................................................................... 15 COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT .......................................................................................................................... 15 Methodology ...................................................................................................................................................... 16 Community Environmental Health Survey ......................................................................................................... 16 County Officials’ Survey .................................................................................................................................... 18 Strengths of the Needs Assessment Project ........................................................................................................ 18 Limitations of the Needs Assessment Project ..................................................................................................... 19 HEALTH OUTCOME DATA .................................................................................................................................. 19 CANCER DATA ......................................................................................................................................................... 19 Cancer Incidence Data for Madison County ..................................................................................................... 20 Leukemia Data ................................................................................................................................................... 21 Cancer Cases Reported by C.O.P.S. .................................................................................................................. 22 Vital Records Data ............................................................................................................................................. 22 MISCARRIAGE DATA ............................................................................................................................................... 24 AIR EMISSIONS ....................................................................................................................................................... 24 PATHWAY ANALYSIS ........................................................................................................................................... 28 CHILD HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS ................................................................................................................. 29 CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................................................................................................ 29 RECOMMENDATIONS .......................................................................................................................................... 29 REFERENCES .......................................................................................................................................................... 31 AUTHORS ................................................................................................................................................................. 33 FIGURES ................................................................................................................................................................... 34 FIGURE 1: SITE MAP AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS ............................................................... 35 FIGURE 2: TRANSCO FACILITY AND SURROUNDING AREAS ................................................................... 36 FIGURE 3: TOPOGRAPHIC SITE MAP ............................................................................................................... 37 FIGURE 4: LEUKEMIA INCIDENCE DATA ...................................................................................................... 38 FIGURE 5A: BREAST CANCER RATES FOR MADISON COUNTY ................................................................ 39 FIGURE 5B: BREAST CANCER INCIDENCE DATA ........................................................................................ 41 PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT-PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ENDS JUNE 13, 2011 Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Company, Madison County,