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Southeast Idaho Phosphate Mining Resource Area Bannock, Bear Lake, Bingham, and Caribou Counties, Idaho Epa Facility Id: Idn0010

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Southeast Idaho Phosphate Mining Resource Area Bannock, Bear Lake, Bingham, and Caribou Counties, Idaho Epa Facility Id: Idn0010 SOUTHEAST IDAHO PHOSPHATE MINING RESOURCE AREA BANNOCK, BEAR LAKE, BINGHAM, AND CARIBOU COUNTIES, IDAHO EPA FACILITY ID: IDN001002245 FEBRUARY 24, 2006 THE ATSDR PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT: A NOTE OF EXPLANATION This Public Health Assessment was prepared by 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, ATSDR 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. In addition, this document has previously been provided to EPA and the affected states in an initial release, as required by CERCLA section 104 (i)(6)(H) for their information and review. The revised document was released for a 30-day public comment period. Subsequent to the public comment period, ATSDR addressed all public comments and revised or appended the document as appropriate. The public health assessment has now been reissued. This concludes the public health assessment process for this site, unless additional information is obtained by ATSDR which, in the agency’s opinion, indicates a need to revise or append the conclusions previously issued. Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry.................................................... Julie L. Gerberding, M.D., M.P.H., Administrator Howard Frumkin, M.D., Dr.P.H., Director Division of Health Assessment and Consultation…. ..................................................................... William Cibulas, Jr., Ph.D., Director Sharon Williams-Fleetwood, Ph.D., Deputy Director Health Promotion and Community Involvement Branch ................................................ Lisa Calhoun Hayes, P.E., DEE, Acting Chief Exposure Investigations and Consultation Branch...................................................................................Susan M. Moore, Ph.D., Chief Federal Facilities Assessment Branch ........................................................................................................ Sandra G. Isaacs, B.S., Chief Superfund and Program Assessment Branch ........................................................................................Richard E. Gillig, M.C.P., Chief Use of trade names is for identification only and does not constitute endorsement by the Public Health Service or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Additional copies of this report are available from: National Technical Information Service, Springfield, Virginia (703) 605-6000 You May Contact ATSDR TOLL FREE at 1-888-42ATSDR or Visit our Home Page at: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov Southeast Idaho Phosphate Mining Resource Area Final Release PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT SOUTHEAST IDAHO PHOSPHATE MINING RESOURCE AREA BANNOCK, BEAR LAKE, BINGHAM, AND CARIBOU COUNTIES, IDAHO EPA FACILITY ID: IDN001002245 Prepared by: Bureau of Community and Environmental Health Division of Health Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Under Cooperative Agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Table of Contents List of Appendices…………………………………………………………………….....ii Abbreviations...…….……………….…………………………………………………...iii Summary……..…………………………………………………………………………...1 1. Purpose and Health Issues……………………………………………………………4 2. Background……………………………………………………………………………4 2.1 Site Description…………………………………………………………..……….4 2.2 Site History…………………………………………………………………...…...5 2.3 Land Use…………………………………………………………………….…….6 2.4 Demographics……………………………………………………...…………..….7 2.5 Site Visit……………………………………………………………...……..…….7 3. Discussion…………………………………………………………………………..….8 3.1 Data and Information Used..…………………………..…… ……...…………......8 3.2 Evaluation Process………………………………………………..………..……...8 3.3 Exposure Pathways and Public Health Implications …………...........…….……..9 3.3.1 Soil Exposure Pathway…………….…………………………………….….9 3.3.2 Surface Water Exposure Pathway………………………..…………...…...11 3.3.3 Sediment Exposure Pathway……………………………………………….12 3.3.4 Groundwater Exposure Pathway……..…………………..………..………13 3.3.5 Biota - Fish, Elk, Beef, and Plants – Exposure Pathway……….......….…..13 3.3.5.1 Fish Tissue Exposure Pathway………………………......…….…13 3.3.5.2 Elk Exposure Pathway………………….…...........................…...15 3.3.5.3 Beef Exposure Pathway………………………...……..…….….…19 3.3.5.4 Plant Exposure Pathway…………………….…....................…...20 3.4 ATSDR Child Health Considerations……………………………….………..….21 3.5 Health Outcome Data Evaluation……………………......................................…22 3.5.1 Data Review…………….……………………………….….….…..………22 3.5.2 Data Analysis…………………………………………..……….…….……23 3.5.3 Results of Cancer Incidence Analysis………………………….………..…23 4. Conclusions………………………………………………………..………………….24 5. Recommendations……………………………………………….…………………...25 6. Public Health Action Plan…………………………………………………………...25 7. Authors, Technical Advisors………………………………………...........................27 8. Certifications……………………………………………………................................28 9. References………………………………………………………………………….....29 i List of Appendices Appendix A Map of the Southeast Idaho Phosphate Mining Resource Area…......................32 Appendix B Explanation of Evaluation Process ………………………...………………..…34 Appendix C Contaminants of Concern Selection and Estimated Exposure Doses ………....38 Appendix D Exposure Pathways for Southeast Idaho Phosphate Mining Resource Area…..49 Appendix E ATSDR Interim Public Health Hazard Categories ……………………….…....51 Appendix F Health Consultation: Evaluation of Selenium in Groundwater. …………….....53 Appendix G Heath Consultation: Selenium in Fish in Streams of the Upper Blackfoot River Watershed …………………………………………………………………...…64 Appendix H Health Consultation: Evaluation of Selenium in Beef, Elk, Sheep, and Fish.........…………………………………………………………………....….80 Appendix I Cancer Incidence Evaluation …..……………………………………...…...…120 Appendix J ATSDR Glossary of Terms………………………………...……………..…..124 Appendix K Southeast Idaho Phosphate Mining Resource Area Public Health Assessment Public Release Review Comments Addressed…………………………..…....141 ii Abbreviations ATSDR Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry AWAC area-weight average concentrations BCEH Bureau of Community and Environmental Health BLM Bureau of Land Management CDRI Cancer Data Registry of Idaho C-EMEG chronic environmental media evaluation guide COC contaminants of concern CREG cancer risk evaluation guide CV comparison value EMEG environmental media evaluation guide EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency g/day grams per day HOD health outcome data IDEQ Idaho Department of Environmental Quality IDFG Idaho Department of Fish and Game IDHW Idaho Department of Health and Welfare IDL Idaho Department of Lands IMA Idaho Mining Association IMU Interagency Memorandum of Understanding kg kilograms lbs pounds mg/kg milligrams per kilogram mg/kg/day milligrams per kilogram per day MRL minimal risk level MW Montgomery Watson NOAEL lowest no-observed-adverse-effect level oz ounce ppm parts per million RfD EPA’s chronic oral reference dose RS-PRG EPA Region 9’s residential soil preliminary remediation goals SeAWAC Selenium Area Wide Advisory Committee SWG Selenium Working Group TtEMI Tetra Tech EM Inc. µg/L micrograms per liter USFS U.S. Forest Service USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service USGS U.S. Geological Survey iii Summary Phosphate has been mined from the Southeast Idaho Phosphate Mining Resource Area (Resource Area) since 1919. The major phosphate mines in this region are open pit or contour strip operations that were developed near surface exposures of the Phosphoria Formation. The area encompasses 2,500 square miles in southeastern Idaho that fall within Caribou, Bingham, Bannock, and Bear Lake counties (Appendix A, Figure A-1). In 1996, several horses pastured downstream from a historic mine in the Resource Area were diagnosed with chronic selenosis, which is characterized by erosions of long bones, emaciation, hoof lesions, and loss of mane and tail hair. In 1997, another group of horses pastured on a different piece of mine property in the Resource Area were also diagnosed with selenosis. These poisonings, along with problems reported in sheep, prompted public and agency concern about potential releases of selenium to the environment from mining activities and the impact on human health. The Bureau of Community and Environmental Health (BCEH), Division of Health, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (IDHW) has a cooperative agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to conduct public health assessments and consultations for hazardous waste sites in Idaho. As part of this cooperative agreement, BCEH released two health consultations in 1999 to evaluate selenium contamination in the groundwater and selenium contamination in beef, elk, sheep, and fish in the Resource Area. In 2003, BCEH released another health consultation to evaluate selenium contamination in fish in streams of the upper Blackfoot River watershed. Under the cooperative agreement, BCEH conducted this comprehensive public health assessment. In this public health assessment, BCEH revisited the conclusions and recommendations made in past health consultations for groundwater, beef, elk, sheep, and fish (BCEH 2001a, 2001b, 2003). BCEH also reviewed environmental data (soil, surface water, sediment), biological data (fish, elk, beef,
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