potential exposure to lead, including screening
response than a public health assessment is. To
date, 72 documented health consultations have been
for elevated blood-lead levels in children under 6.
conducted at 56 sites in Virginia, including the
Norfolk Naval Shipyard--In August 2003,
following recent examples.
ATSDR released a public comment draft health
Portsmouth Manufactured Gas Plant--The
assessment for Norfolk Naval Shipyard in
Portsmouth. The shipyard is one of the largest
Virginia Department of Environmental
Quality (VDEQ) asked
ship repair facilities
in the world. The
ATSDR to review
health assessment
environmental sampling
evaluated past,
data collected on and
current, and potential
near the site of the former
future exposures
Portsmouth Manufactured
Gas Plant in Portsmouth
to contaminants
originating from the
and to identify potential
shipyard.
health hazards to past and
current residents. The
The health assessment
manufactured gas plant
concluded the site posed
operated from 18561956;
no apparent health
in the 1960s, residential
hazard for the following Aerial view of Norfolk Naval Shipyard.
apartments and single-
exposures: past, current,
family houses were built on and near the
or future exposures to surface water and sediment
decommissioned site. Environmental activities
in Paradise Creek; past, current, or future
including investigations, assessments, and
exposures to calcium hydroxide contamination;
remediations have been conducted at the site
current or future exposures to soil near the New
since 1992.
Gosport area where abrasive blast material has
been removed; and current or future exposures to
In a health consultation released in April 2003,
former shipyard foundry emissions.
ATSDR classified the site as a potential public
The health assessment concluded the site posed
in on-site surface soil. No health hazards were
an indeterminate public health hazard for the
found for most of the pathways investigated
following exposures: past exposure to lead in
(current and future exposures to soil, past
soil in the New Gosport area; current and future
exposure to mercury vapor, current exposure
exposures at other Navy family housing areas;
to volatile organic compounds, current and
and past exposure (before the end of World
future exposures to benzene in an irrigation
War II) to emissions from the former shipyard
foundry.
The health assessment concluded that the site
soil at one location in the apartment area poses a
posed a public health hazard for past exposure to
potential health hazard to young children if they
lead at other Navy family housing areas.
have access to the area; past lead exposure of
children younger than 2 posed a health hazard.
The public comment period ended in October
2003, and a final health assessment will be
Defense General Supply Center (DLA)--In
released after comments are reviewed and
May 2001, VDEQ asked ATSDR to provide
addressed.
a health consultation on the public health
A health consultation is a written or oral response
in surface water at and near DLA in Richmond.
from ATSDR to a specific request for information
In a health consultation released in April 2002,
about health risks related to a specific site, chemical
ATSDR evaluated the potential risk to persons
release, or hazardous material. It is a more limited
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