The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services Department of Public Health Bureau of Environmental Health 250 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02108-4619 Phone: 617-624-5757 Fax: 617-624-5777 CHARLES 0. BAKER MARYLOU $UDDERS Governor TTY: 617-624-5286 Secretary KARYN E. POLITO MONICA BHAREL, MD, MPH Lieutenant Governor Commissioner Tel: 617-624-6000 www.mass.gov/dph August 3, 2017 Ms. Gina Armstrong Director Pittsfield Health Department 70 Allen Street Pittsfield, MA 01201 Dear Ms. Armstrong: The purpose of this letter is to inform the Pittsfield Health Department of a fish consumption advisory for Silver Lake in Pittsfield Massachusetts. The Environmental Toxicology Program (ETP) within the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Environmental Health ·(MDPH/BEH), routinely works with municipal health officials to understand the presence and nature of health hazards in the community. Enclosed, please find a list of all the public health fish consumption advisories that have been issued at freshwater locations in Massachusetts. In response to a request from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), MDPH reviewed available fish sampling data for Silver Lake (EPA 2014a). Contaminant levels in fish were compared to MDPH guidelines for fish consumption to address possible health risks from exposure to PCBs through consumption offish from Silver Lake. The health effects that are associated with exposure to PCBs include impairments in the liver, thyroid, skin, eye, and immune system. Health effects such as neurodevelopmental changes, reduced birth weight, reproductive toxicity, and cancer have also been described (ATSDR, 2000). Pregnant women and nursing infants are particularly sensitive to PCB exposure. Silver Lake (Figure 1) is adjacent to the General Electric (GE) facility in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. It covers approximately 26 acres and has a maximum depth of approximately 30 feet (EPA 2014b). Full-scale remediation of Silver Lake began in the summer of 2012 and continued through the end of 2013. Our understanding from US EPA is that Silver Lake is currently posted with signs warning visitors of PCB contamination in fish and recommending catch and release fishing only (EPA, 2014c). Based on MDPH's evaluation of PCBs in fish tissue, a consumption advisory for fish that are caught in Silver Lake is warranted. This advisory is consistent with the existing signage at the lake. This letter supports the current advisory signage in place and serves to reiterate that the general public, including sensitive populations (children younger than 12 years of age, pregnant This work was supported in part by funds from a cooperative agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), U.S. Department ofHealth and Human Services. This document bas not been reviewed and cleared by A TSDR women, nursing mothers, and women of childbearing age who may become pregnant), should not eat any fish from Silver Lake. The fish data evaluated were collected prior to significant remedial activities and changes in land use at Silver Lake. As additional fish sampling data become available, MDPH is available to assist with evaluating new data. MDPH recommends that the City of Pittsfield continue to work with US EPA to monitor existing advisory signs and ensure the signs are maintained and posted in all accessible locations at Silver Lake. We are happy to provide you with any assistance you may need in conducting outreach, including translation of the MDPH advisory into the languages most appropriate for the community members who utilize this resource. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this letter, please feel free to contact me or Michael Celona, Chief of Water Toxics, in the Environmental Toxicology Program at (617) 624-5757. SinM2i A1tf Ma:.c/~- Nasci~ Director, Environmental Toxicology Program Bureau of Environmental Health cc: Jan Sullivan, Acting Director, MDPH/BEH David J. Dickerson, Remedial Project Manager, USEPA - Region 1 Enclosures: 2 This work was supported in part by funds from a cooperative agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This document has not been reviewed and cleared by ATSDR REFERENCES ATSDR (2000). Toxicological Profile for Polychlorinated Biphenyls, U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Atlanta, Georgia, November 2000. EPA (2014a). Office ofSite Remediation and Restoration. Personal Communications re: Fish Tissue Results from Silver Lake in Pittsfield reported by Geochemical & Environmental Research Group at Texas A&M University, 5/24/2005 (Dave Dickerson, Remedial Project manager for Silver Lake in Pittsfield, Massachusetts). 5 Post Office Square, Boston, Massachusetts. May 15, 2014. EPA (2014b). Waste Site Cleanup and Reuse in New England: GE-Pittsfield/Housatonic River Site Silver Lake Overview. Web accessed on July 2014. Available at https://www.epa.gov/ge­ housatonic/ silver-lake-ue-pittsfieldhousatonic-river-site. EPA (2014c). Office ofSite Remediation and Restoration. Personal Communications re: Silver Lake Signage (Dave Dickerson, Remedial Project manager for Silver Lake in Pittsfield, Massachusetts). 5 Post Office Square, Boston, Massachusetts. May 13, 2014. This work was supported in part by funds from a cooperative agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (A TSDR), U.S. Department ofHealth and Human Services. This document has not been reviewed and cleared by A TSDR ' I .. ,t. I 1 ,j "Y• ~ -. 1-1 ... -::,:'i .::,l ~ -":J-i,. ·r~~ i' c3 ( ~ n.:..,.~-- •:'- •. - , I -·- -- I' ti IJ l ,,.iE (.:'.~ral Electric Facility J -- '.· r~ "'"'i...,.,, . // '.J../ l J. ·-~-,,.,,,./ . · l. SILVER \ j"' _,\ LAJ(E legend ., ~... ... P, u~nl s,011, o~ r .. ,11,,r. (.4h•1 A: ~~;., • .,,"8•1•··<1ft,,!$t1•.1r,, --l;u,+lti\t/l<,(itr_.11 1-ltgt,.,,~! Figure 1. Silver Lake, Pittsfield, MA \\~/ L --~•C)lt'-t --flll1...,,H,$t-<11o~ , ... • ·· • i;,to!'!Y'tl441 Sl•Mot1ir, - - ~e,:oM•v H•~'-~r ' 'li.c.·, ~n,j,l "lt'!' Ocu11 b c-"' ~ (Y,1 <1 I r ~ f.:•~ t- •W I, • 0.25 t \1,, :: \·tetl,.ttc- E2..., . 11~;..),1 --· .._H___ ·~ l : ,, }},t,,~,,1 ,.,.IV..Hhr,d L _______________,Miles \) /t' _;" ·. I ·-- ·~,., . B \~ i , 1.f»/1,· ""'111.111 lfnii. -,~ . ~t , ...~ This work was suppo11ed in part by funds from a cooperative agreement wi th the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), U.S. Depai·tment of Health and Human Services. Th is document has not been reviewed and cleared by ATSDR Freshwater Fish Consumption Advisory List Massachusetts Department of Public Health Bureau of Environmental Health (617) 624-5757 August 2017 WATER BODY TOWN(s) FISH ADVISORY* HAZARD* Aaron River Reservoir Cohasset, Hingham, Scituate P1 (all species), P2 (CP, YP), P4 Mercury Alewife Brook Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge, P1 (C), P3 (C) PCBs Somerville Ames Pond Tewksbury P1 (LMB), P3 (LMB) Mercurv Ashland Reservoir Ashland P1 (all species), P5 Mercurv Ashfield Pond Ashfield P1 (LMB), P3 (LMB) Mercury Ashumet Pond Mashpee, Falmouth P1 (LMB), P3 (LMB) Mercury Attitash, Lake Amesbury, Merrimac P1 (all species), P2 (LMB). P4 Mercurv Baker Pond Brewster, Orleans P1 (YP), P3 (YP) Mercury Baldpate Pond Boxford P1 (all species), P2 (LMB), P4 Mercury Ballardvale lmpoundment of Shawsheen River Andover P1 (LMB & BC), P3 (LMB & BC) Mercury Bare Hill Pond Harvard P1 (LMB), P3 (LMB) Mercury Bearse Pond Barnstable P1 (LMB, SMB), P3 (LMB, SMB) Mercury Beaver Pond Bellinoham, Milford P1 (CP, LMB), P3 (CP, LMB) Mercury Bio Pond Otis P1 (all species), P2 (LMB), P4 Mercury Boon,Lake Hudson, Stow P1 (LMB & BC), P3 (LMB & BC) Mercury Box Pond Bellingham, Mendon P1 (WS), P2 (WS) DDT Bracket Reservoir (Framingham Reservoir #2) - See Sudbury River Browning Pond Oakham, Soencer P1 (LMB, YP), P3 (LMB, YP) Mercurv Buckley Dunton Lake Becket P1 (LMB), P3 (LMB) Mercury Buffomville Lake Charlton, Oxford P1 (all species), PS Mercury Burr's Pond Seekonk P1 (LMB), P3 (LMB) Mercury Cabot Pond - See Rumford River Canton River (between the Neponset River and Canton P1 (all species), P2 (AE, WS), P4 PCBs. DDT NeponsetStreetdam) Cedar Swamp Pond Milford P1 (all species), PS Mercury Chadwicks Pond Boxford, Haverhill P6 Mercury Charles River (between the South Natick Dam in Boston, Cambridge, Dedham, Dover, P1 (C, LMB), P2 (C), P3 (LMB) PCBs, Natick and the Museum of Science Dam in Boston/ Natick, Needham, Newton, Pesticides Cambridge) Watertown, Wellesley, Weston, Waltham Charles River (between the Medway Dam in Franklin Dover, Franklin, Medfield, Medway, P1 (all species), P5 Mercury, ane, and Medway and the South Natick Dam in Natick) Millis, Natick, Norfolk, Sherborn Chlord DDT Mercury Chebacco Lake Essex, Hamilton P1 (LMB), P3 (LMB) Chlordane Clay Pit Pond Belmont P6 Pesticides Cochato River, Ice Pond and Sylvan Lake Randolph, Holbrook, Braintree P1 (all species), P2 (BB & C& AE), P4 Mercury Cochichewick, Lake North Andover P1 (LMB, SMB), P3 (LMB, SMB) PCBs Cochituate, Lake (inducting Middle, North, South, Framingham, Natick, Wayland P1 (all species), P2 (AE) and Carlino Basins) Mercury Concord River (from confluence with Sudbury and Concord, Carlisle, Bedford, Billerica P1 (all species), P2 (LMB), P4 Assabet Rivers to the Faulkner Dam in Billerica) PCBs Connecticut River Entire length of Massachusetts, P1 (all species), including all towns from Northfield P2 (CC & WC & AE &YP) throuoh Lonomeadow • See page 6 for codes. WATERBODY TOWN{sl FISH ADVISORY* HAZARD* Copicut