Activities in
the District of Columbia
ATSDR in Partnership With
geographic area. Such
ATSDR has conducted
releases are assessed for
the District of Columbia
two public health
past, current, or future
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
assessments
impact on public health.
(ATSDR) is the lead public health agency responsible
and 18 health
ATSDR, in collabora-
for implementing the health-related provisions of the
consultations in the
tion with public health
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensa-
District of Columbia.
and environmental of-
tion, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA). ATSDR
ficials from the District
is an Atlanta-based federal agency with more than
of Columbia, has con-
400 employees and a budget for 2004 of approximately
ducted two public health assessments in the District.
million. ATSDR assesses the presence and nature
Washington Navy Yard--The Washington Navy
of health hazards at specific Superfund sites, helps to
Yard is an active military facility on approximately
prevent or reduce further exposure and illnesses result-
60 acres along the Anacostia River in southeastern
ing from those hazards, and expands the knowledge
Washington, DC. The facility has supported
base about the health effects of exposure to hazardous
shipbuilding, ordnance research and production,
substances.
and administrative duties for 200 years. Past
ATSDR works closely with state agencies to carry
activities have contaminated groundwater
out its mission to serve the public by using the best
underlying the property and contributed to
science, taking responsive public health actions, and
providing trusted health information to prevent harm-
ful exposures and disease related to toxic substances.
metals, polychlorinated biphenyls, and dioxins.
provides funding and technical assistance to states and
surface water and sediment quality data, and on-
other partners to identify and evaluate environmental
health threats to communities. These resources enable
surface water, and sediment at the site do not pose
state and local health departments and other grantees to
public health hazards. However, past exposure to
further investigate environmental health concerns and
on-site surface soil at homes on Admiral's Row
to educate communities. In fiscal years 19972004,
had the potential to cause adverse health effects in
ATSDR awarded ,000 in direct funds and services
children. ATSDR also concluded that consumption
to the District of Columbia for comprehensive support
of locally caught fish near the facility could pose
of its environmental health unit. In addition to direct
a public health hazard. The Navy will continue to
funds and services, ATSDR provides technical and ad-
create and enforce land-use controls to ensure the
ministrative guidance for state-conducted site activities.
public is not exposed to any contaminated areas
ATSDR Site-Specific Activities
unfit for residential use.
Public Health Assessment-Related Activities
River Terrace Community--The River Terrace
One of ATSDR's important mandates is to conduct
community is located near a power plant in
public health assessments of
all National Priorities
Northeast Washington, DC. In August 2001,
List (NPL) sites and of other sites where a significant
the District of Columbia Department of Health
threat to public health might exist. A public health
(DC DOH) petitioned ATSDR to investigate
assessment is a written, comprehensive evaluation of
whether the nearby power plant poses a public
available data and information about the release of
health risk to the community. Residents expressed
hazardous substances into the environment in a specific
concern about the occurrence of asthma, chronic