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Stauffer Chemical Company Site
Tarpon Springs, Florida
Public Health Response Plan
June 18, 2001

Draft for Public Comment
Comment Period Ends July 27, 2001

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

Stauffer Chemical Company Site
Tarpon Springs, FL

Public Health Response Plan
June 18, 2001

Prepared by
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Atlanta, Georgia

Please send written comments regarding this document to:

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Chief, Program Evaluation, Records, and Information Services Branch
1600 Clifton Road, N.E. (E-56)
Atlanta, Georgia 30333

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or
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I. Background and Statement of Issues

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has developed this public health response plan (PHRP) to outline actions by ATSDR to address public health issues regarding the Stauffer Chemical Company Site in Tarpon Springs, Florida. These issues were raised by the December 29, 2000, "Ombudsman Report of Findings and Recommendations Regarding the Stauffer Chemical Company Site, Tarpon Springs, Florida" (the Ombudsman’s report).

To address the outstanding public health questions and concerns regarding the Stauffer Chemical Company site, ATSDR will conduct a number of public health activities including developing a new public health assessment. ATSDR’s activities, which are discussed in detail below, will be coordinated with the Tarpon Springs community, the Florida Department of Health (FDOH), the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and health and environmental authorities from Pinellas and Pasco counties. ATSDR’s public health activities will focus on working with the community to evaluate possible exposure to site contaminants and the potential public health impacts, to investigate the health status of potentially exposed groups (former workers and former students of Gulfside Elementary), and to provide health education and other activities, as appropriate, to help protect the community’s health and well-being.

II. Planned Public Health Activities

To address concerns expressed by the community, and brought forward in the Ombudsman’s report, the activities described below are currently planned:

A. Public health assessment
B. Community involvement activities
C. Preliminary health study activities
D. Environmental health education

In addition to activities currently planned, other activities may be conducted on the basis of available data and concerns expressed by the community.

A. Public Health Assessment

Purpose: To evaluate human exposures to contaminants associated with the Stauffer Chemical Company site and their potential public health impacts.
Anticipated Timeline: ATSDR plans to complete the draft public health assessment and release it for public comment by summer 2002.

ATSDR Actions: ATSDR plans to develop a new public health assessment for the Stauffer Chemical Company site. As part of the public health assessment process, ATSDR will conduct the following activities:

1. Review available environmental sampling data and information on the site to identify contaminants of concern and determine whether completed human exposure pathways exist;

2. Review available health outcome data for the Tarpon Springs community, including rates of disease (e.g., cancer);

3. Identify and evaluate health concerns of the community;

4. For completed exposure pathways, determine potential public health hazards associated with human exposure to site contaminants based on evaluation of (a) toxicological data for contaminants of concern in completed exposure pathways, (b) available health outcome data, and (c) reported community health concerns;

5. Identify any actions needed to protect the community from exposure to site contaminants;

6. Identify significant gaps in environmental data that prevent evaluation of human exposure pathways, and work with appropriate agencies (e.g., EPA, FDEP, and Pinellas and Pasco counties) to obtain the necessary data.

During the health assessment process, ATSDR will address the following specific issues raised by the ATSDR Ombudsman and the Tarpon Springs community:

Asbestos Use at the Stauffer Plant

Although loose asbestos was apparently used at the Stauffer Chemical plant in the early years (i.e., late 1940s, 1950s, and early 1960s), sampling data from past asbestos investigations have not shown any significant presence of asbestos in site soils or slag or in soils at Gulfside Elementary School. ATSDR will continue to investigate the issue of whether asbestos used at the plant impacted the surrounding community and will evaluate whether additional sampling is needed to determine the potential for exposure to asbestos.

Air Emissions/Dispersion Modeling

ATSDR will review available air emissions data and air monitoring data and use air dispersion modeling, if possible, to evaluate past exposure of the Tarpon Springs community and Gulfside Elementary School students to air emissions from the plant.

Buried Drums

Available information indicates that drums containing wastes from the Stauffer plant were buried on-site sometime in the past. ATSDR will work with EPA to investigate the presence of these wastes and their public health significance.

Health Status of Former Stauffer Workers and Former Gulfside Elementary School Students

ATSDR will conduct the activities discussed under paragraph C below to address concerns regarding the health status of former Stauffer workers and former students of Gulfside Elementary School.

Radiation and Off-Site Slag

ATSDR will review individual radiation dose measurements performed by the Pinellas County Health Department in 1999 for residents living in the vicinity of the Stauffer Chemical plant.

ATSDR will determine whether additional radiation monitoring is needed to address community concerns regarding radiation exposures from slag in the community.

Meyer’s Cove

Available information indicates that part of Meyer’s Cove was filled by Victor Chemical and/or Stauffer Chemical sometime in the past. ATSDR will review available surface water, sediment, and fish sampling data to determine the public health impact of site contaminants in Meyer’s Cove and the Anclote River. ATSDR will also determine whether additional sampling of surface water, sediment, or fish is needed to evaluate exposure pathways associated with site contaminants in the cove and the river.

Military Maneuvers

According to EPA and Stauffer Management, there is no evidence that military maneuvers were ever conducted at the site.

ATSDR will continue to investigate whether military maneuvers occurred and, if so, whether any information exists to evaluate their public health significance.

Munitions Manufacturing

According to Stauffer Management, there is no evidence that munitions were ever manufactured at the Stauffer plant.

ATSDR will continue to investigate whether munitions manufacturing occurred and, if so, whether any information exists to evaluate their public health significance.

Sinkholes

ATSDR will review available information from the site geophysical investigation to determine whether sinkhole activity could result in contamination of drinking water supplies and possible human exposure to site contaminants.

Uranium Extraction/Recovery

According to EPA, Stauffer Management, and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), there is no evidence that uranium extraction/recovery was ever conducted at the site.

ATSDR will continue to investigate whether these activities occurred and, if so, whether any information exists to evaluate their public health significance.

Water Supply Wells

ATSDR will work with EPA and Pinellas and Pasco counties to identify residential supply wells in the site area and to determine which wells could be affected by site contaminants; ATSDR will review available sampling data for those wells and work with EPA and the counties to obtain sampling data for wells where the data are not available.

ATSDR will review available EPA groundwater investigation results and other resources to answer outstanding questions about potential exposures to drinking water from area supply wells.

B. Community Involvement

Purpose: To ensure that the Tarpon Springs community and community groups, such as the Pinellas Pasco Technical Advisory Group (Pi-Pa-Tag) and the Anclote Citizens Advisory Group (ACAG), are fully involved in ATSDR’s public health activities.

Anticipated Timeline: These activities will coincide with established public health activities.

ATSDR Actions: ATSDR’s community involvement activities will include:

1. developing a community involvement plan to ensure that site-related public health activities are coordinated with community members to address their public health concerns in a proactive and responsive manner;

2. meeting with community members to obtain information about the site and to identify further their site-related health concerns; and

3. developing communication strategies and messages based on direct community involvement.

C. Preliminary Health Study Activities

1. For former Gulfside Elementary School students:

Purpose: To determine whether a health study is appropriate and feasible by investigating whether students who attended Gulfside Elementary from 1978-1981 can be identified and located and by evaluating their past exposures.

Anticipated Timeline: These activities are currently in the planning stages.

ATSDR Actions: While the public health assessment is being conducted, ATSDR will determine the feasibility of identifying and locating former Gulfside Elementary students. ATSDR will use county and school records to determine the number of students who were enrolled at Gulfside Elementary from 1978-1981 and to obtain their names. ATSDR will then attempt to obtain current addresses for the former students.

By determining (1) how many of the former students can be identified and located and (2) whether the students were exposed to hazardous substances at levels that could have been harmful, ATSDR will be prepared to decide whether a health study is appropriate and feasible.

2. For former Stauffer Chemical Company workers:

Purpose: To determine whether a health study is appropriate and feasible by investigating whether former Stauffer Chemical Company workers can be identified and located and by evaluating their past exposures.

Anticipated Timeline: These activities are currently in the planning stages.

ATSDR Actions: While the public health assessment is being conducted, ATSDR will determine the feasibility of identifying and locating former Stauffer workers. ATSDR will use employment records to determine the number of people who worked at the Stauffer Chemical Company plant and to obtain their names. ATSDR will then attempt to obtain current addresses for the former workers.

By determining (1) how many former Stauffer workers can be identified and located and (2) whether the workers were exposed to hazardous substances at levels that could have been harmful, ATSDR will be prepared to decide whether a health study is appropriate and feasible. ATSDR will consult with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in making its health study decisions regarding the former Stauffer workers.

D. Environmental Health Education

Purpose: To increase knowledge and awareness of both the community and health care providers about the site as it relates to possible environmental exposure and protection of public health.

Anticipated Timeline: These activities will be ongoing during the development of the new public health assessment (PHA) and will continue based on recommendations within the PHA.

ATSDR Actions: ATSDR will work with community and state partners to develop appropriate education for identified target audiences regarding known or potential environmental health impacts from the site. These education efforts will provide information on contaminants of concern, as well as past, present, and future potential health impacts as a result of living near the site (based on the findings of the new public health assessment).

Proposed health education activities include:

1. Conducting a community needs and capacities assessment. The community needs and capacities assessment is conducted to involve community members in the health education process and to identify community information such as priority concerns related to the site, gaps in knowledge, resources and collaborating groups, culture and demographics, and other community-specific information.

2. Identifying target audiences. On the basis of the findings in the community needs and capacities assessment, target audiences for health education activities will be identified. Two key audiences are local health care providers and the community residents. Other audiences may include former workers, teachers, and members of grass-roots organizations.

3. Developing and implementing health education activities for identified target audiences. Activities will include environmental health education and training for local health care providers working within the community. Training materials, including toxicological data associated with chemicals of concern, will be made available (e.g., ATSDR’s case studies in environmental medicine, toxicological profiles, and chemical fact sheets). Environmental health education activities for the community at large will also be conducted and implemented in conjunction with local health care providers and with community advice and guidance. Education activities directed toward other identified targeted audiences will be planned and implemented as more information from the needs and capacities assessment and public health assessment becomes available.