Activities in
Hawaii
ATSDR in Partnership with Hawaii
Wahiawa and
ATSDR has conducted
Naval Radio
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Regis-
10 health assessments and
try (ATSDR) is the lead public health agency respon-
12 health consultations in
Facility
sible for implementing the health-related provisions
the state of Hawaii.
Lualualei--The
of the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
NCTAMS PAC
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA).
NPL site is an active military installation in
ATSDR is an Atlanta-based federal agency with more
Wahiawa. In a review of environmental data
than 400 employees and an annual budget for 2002
collected at the site, ATSDR identified three
of million. ATSDR is responsible for assessing
potential exposure pathways. ATSDR released
the presence and nature of health hazards at specific
a public health assessment in December 1998
Superfund sites, helping to prevent or reduce further
that evaluated those pathways and categorized
exposure and illnesses resulting from those hazards,
NCTAMS PAC as no apparent public health hazard.
and expanding the knowledge base about the health
Two of the exposure pathways involved the
effects of exposure to hazardous substances. DRAFT
potential for contaminated soil from NCTAMS PAC
ATSDR works closely with state agencies to carry out
to migrate via surface water runoff and affect the
downgradient aquatic ecosystem and fish. ATSDR
hazardous waste sites and preventing adverse health
determined that no pathway for exposure existed,
effects. ATSDR provides funding and technical as-
sistance to states and other partners through coopera-
any public health hazards.
tive agreements and grants to identify and evaluate
The third potential exposure pathway involved
environmental health threats to communities. These
three former polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-
resources enable state and local health departments
and other grantees to further investigate environmental
health concerns and to educate communities.
detected levels were generally low and sporadic.
ATSDR Site-Specific Activities
ATSDR concluded that no apparent public
health hazards exist from past exposure to PCB-
Public Health Assessment-Related Activities
contaminated soil.
One of the agency=s important mandates is to conduct
The community expressed health concerns about a
possible association between childhood leukemia
List (NPL) sites and of other sites where a significant
and electromagnetic fields (EMFs) from the
threat to public health might exist. Ten sites have been
radio transmission towers at NRTF Lualualei.
designated to the NPL in Hawaii.
The Hawaii Department of Health (HDOH)
A public health assessment is a written, comprehen-
investigated an increased incidence of childhood
sive evaluation of available data and information on the
leukemia in the area around the facility. This
release of hazardous substances into the environment in
study did not show a clear association between the
a specific geographic area. Such releases are assessed
incidence of childhood leukemia and emissions
for current or future impact on public health. ATSDR,
from the radio towers. ATSDR concluded that
in collaboration with public health and environmental
childhood leukemia in the area surrounding NRTF
officials from Hawaii, has conducted 10 health assess-
Lualualei cannot be attributed to the EMFs from
ments in the state, including the following example:
the radio transmission towers. No public health
hazards appear to exist from exposure to the radio
Naval Computer and Telecommunications
transmission towers.
Area Master Station, Pacific (NCTAMS PAC)
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