Activities in
Pennsylvania
ATSDR in Partnership With
eighteen sites have
ATSDR awarded more
been designated
Pennsylvania
than 0,000 in the
to the NPL in
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
last 2 years in direct
Pennsylvania.
(ATSDR) is the lead public health agency responsible
funds and services to
A public health
for implementing the health-related provisions of the
Pennsylvania.
assessment
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensa-
is a written,
tion, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA). ATSDR
comprehensive
is an Atlanta-based federal agency with more than
evaluation of available data and information on the
400 employees and an annual budget for 2003 of ap-
release of hazardous substances into the environment in
proximately million. ATSDR is responsible for
a specific geographic area. Such releases are assessed
assessing the presence and nature of health hazards at
for current or future impact on public health. ATSDR,
specific Superfund sites, helping to prevent or reduce
in collaboration with public health and environmental
further exposure and illnesses resulting from those
officials from Pennsylvania, has conducted 160 health
hazards, and expanding the knowledge base about the
assessments in the state, including the following recent
health effects of exposure to hazardous substances.
examples.
ATSDR works closely with state agencies to carry
Bear Creek Chemical Area--The Bear Creek
out its mission to serve the public by using the best
Chemical Area site in Butler and Armstrong
science, taking responsive public health actions, and
Counties consists of 26 known or suspected
providing trusted health information to prevent harm-
industrial waste disposal areas. Until the 1970s,
ful exposures and disease related to toxic substances.
industrial waste was hauled from three nearby
ATSDR provides funding and technical assistance to
industrial facilities to several private properties for
disposal.
ments and grants to identify and evaluate environ-
Drinking water near the Bear Creek Chemical Area
mental health threats to communities. These resources
enable state and local health departments and other
including resorcinol, sulfonic acids, and calcium
grantees to further investigate environmental health
petronates. Limited scientific information is
concerns and to educate communities. From fiscal
years 1986 through 2003, ATSDR awarded more
a result, the Pennsylvania Department of
than .8 million--more than 0,000 in the last
Environmental Protection (DEP) has been
2 years--in direct funds and services to Pennsylvania
providing bottled water for drinking for more
for comprehensive support of its environmental health
than 18 months to approximately 930 homes and
unit. In addition to direct funds and services, ATSDR
businesses; the contaminated drinking water is
staff provides technical and administrative guidance for
being used for showering and other nonpotable
state-conducted site activities.
uses.
ATSDR Site-Specific Activities
ATSDR became involved with the site in
summer 2003 at the request of the Pennsylvania
Public Health Assessment-Related Activities
Department of Health (PADOH). In July
One of the agency's important mandates is to conduct
2003, ATSDR representatives conducted a site
visit with representatives of DEP and PADOH.
List (NPL) sites and of other sites where a significant
ATSDR is in the process of conducting a public
threat to public health might exist. One hundred
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