Public Health Assessment Public Comment Release BLACK RIVERS PCBs VILLAGE OF CARTHAGE/WEST CARTHAGE TOWN OF CHAMPION JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK CERCLIS NO: NYN000206296 Prepared by the New York State Department of Health JULY 1, 2015 COMMENT PERIOD ENDS: AUGUST 17, 2015 Prepared under a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Division of Community Health Investigations Atlanta, Georgia 30333 THE ATSDR PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT: A NOTE OF EXPLANATION This Public Health Assessment-Public Comment Release 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’s Cooperative Agreement Partner 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, ATSDR’s Cooperative Agreement Partner 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 ATSDR’s Cooperative Agreement Partner. This revised document has now been released for a 45-day public comment period. Subsequent to the public comment period, ATSDR’s Cooperative Agreement Partner 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 ATSDR’s Cooperative Agreement Partner 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 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Please address comments regarding this report to: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Attn: Records Center 1600 Clifton Road, N.E., MS F-09 Atlanta, Georgia 30333 You May Contact ATSDR Toll Free at 1-800-CDC-INFO or Visit our Home Page at: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov Black River PCBs Public Comment Release PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT BLACK RIVER PCBs VILLAGE OF CARTHAGE/WEST CARTHAGE TOWN OF CHAMPION JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK CERCLIS NO: NYN0000206296 Prepared by: New York State Department of Health Center for Environmental Health Under Cooperative Agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry This information is distributed solely for the purpose of predissemination public comment under applicable information quality guidelines. It has not been formally disseminated by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. It does not represent and should not be construed to represent any agency determination or policy. For additional information about this document, you may contact the: New York State Department of Health Center for Environmental Health Empire State Plaza, Corning Tower, Room 1787 Albany, NY 12237 518-402-7860 E-mail [email protected] 2 Table of Contents Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 4 Background and Statement of Issues .............................................................................................. 7 Site Description and History ................................................................................................... 7 Site Visit.................................................................................................................................. 7 Demographics ......................................................................................................................... 8 Discussion ..................................................................................................................................... 10 Environmental Contamination .................................................................................................. 10 Sampling Methods ................................................................................................................ 10 Results ................................................................................................................................... 12 Pathways Analysis ................................................................................................................ 16 Public Health Implications .................................................................................................... 17 Health Outcome Data Evaluation ................................................................................................. 19 Community Health Concerns ........................................................................................................ 19 Limitations .................................................................................................................................... 20 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................... 20 Recommendations ......................................................................................................................... 20 Public Health Action Plan ............................................................................................................. 21 References ..................................................................................................................................... 22 Agency Information ...................................................................................................................... 25 New York State Department of Health Authors ....................................................................... 25 ATSDR Technical Project Officers .......................................................................................... 25 ATSDR Regional Representatives ............................................................................................ 25 Appendix A: Figures .................................................................................................................... 26 Appendix B: Tables ..................................................................................................................... 33 Appendix C: Sample Calculations ............................................................................................... 42 Appendix D: Conclusion Categories and Hazard Statements ...................................................... 46 Appendix E: Glossary of Terms .................................................................................................. 48 3 Summary INTRODUCTION A priority of the New York State Department of Health (DOH) and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is to ensure that the community has the best information possible about the potential health risks associated with contaminants in the Black River PCBs site in Carthage/West Carthage, New York. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed that the Black River PCBs site be added to the National Priorities List (NPL) on March 4, 2010. EPA added the site to the NPL on September 29, 2010. ATSDR is required to evaluate each NPL site. This public health assessment is being completed as part of that requirement. The Black River PCBs site consists of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-contaminated sediment that was derived, in part, from wastewater discharged from the Carthage/West Carthage Water Pollution Control Facility (i.e., the sewage treatment plant or STP). Historical information indicates that tanneries, paper mills and other industries have operated along the Black River in the Villages of Carthage and West Carthage since the 1890s, and may have contributed to PCB contamination in the river. Two active paper mills, one inactive paper mill, a machine shop, the Carthage/West Carthage STP and a hydroelectric power plant are currently located along the Black River in the Villages of Carthage and West Carthage. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and EPA report that some local residents use the Black River for recreation such as canoeing, kayaking and swimming, and that people reportedly fish in the Black River and eat their catch. The DEC gathered environmental data used in this PHA during two investigations of the Black River in 1996-1997 and 2002. This PHA also uses data from later investigations conducted by the EPA in 2009 and 2010. For this PHA, we are only evaluating data that are available for a specific segment