HEALTH CONSULTATION
OLEAN WELL FIELD
OLEAN, CATTARAUGUS COUNTY, NEW YORK
Based on ATSDR's public health hazard categories (Appendix C) the
Olean Well Field site continues to be a public health hazard
because of past and ongoing exposures to trichloroethene in
drinking water at levels that pose a risk of causing adverse health
effects. Several private drinking water supplies within the region
of the groundwater contaminant plume were sampled as recommended in
the SRU. Three of the private wells continue to be contaminated
with trichloroethene at levels above NYS DOH's drinking water
standard. However, the homeowners whose wells contain
trichloroethene above the NYS DOH's drinking water standard have
chosen not to connect to the public water system. They have been
provided with educational information on the health risks of
exposure to trichloroethene. The levels of trichloroethene in
these private water supplies prior to 1981 are not known. Also, as
recommended in the SRU, the additional soil gas sampling planned
for this site was completed in October, 1994. Follow-up indoor air
sampling was done at select homes. The results show that
contaminants in the groundwater are not adversely affecting the
indoor air of the homes sampled, since the primary groundwater
contaminant, trichloroethene, was not detected.
The public health action plan (PHAP) for the Olean Well Field site describes actions to be taken by ATSDR and the NYS DOH following completion of this health consultation. Those actions already taken are included in the Background and Statement of Issue section of this health consultation. The purpose of the PHAP is to ensure that this health consultation not only identifies public health hazards, but provides a plan of action designed to mitigate and prevent adverse human health effects resulting from present and/or future exposures to hazardous substances at or near the site. ATSDR and/or the NYS DOH will ensure that this plan is implemented. The public health actions for this site are:
ATSDR will re-evaluate and expand the Public Health Action Plan
when needed. New environmental, toxicological, or health outcome
data, or the results of implementing the above proposed actions may
determine the need for additional actions at this site.
DOCUMENTS REVIEWED
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) 1995.
Toxicological Profile for Trichloroethene. Update Draft.
US Department of Health and Human Services. Atlanta, Georgia.
US Public Health Services.
Geraghty and Miller, Inc. 1994. Supplemental Remedial Investigation
Report for the Olean Well Field, October.
New York State Department of Health. 1988. Preliminary Health
Assessment for the Olean Well Field. Prepared Under a Cooperative
Agreement with ATSDR.
New York State Department of Health. 1994. Site Review and Update
for the Olean Well Field. Prepared Under a Cooperative Agreement
with ATSDR.
US Bureau of the Census. 1990a. Census of population and housing
summary tape file 1B. US Department of Commerce. 1991.
US Bureau of the Census. 1990b. Census of population and housing
summary tape file 3B. CD-ROM. US Department of Commerce. July
1993.
US Environmental Protection Agency, 1994. Submittal for Assessing
Indoor Air Impact Using Soil Gas Data, May 17.
US Environmental Protection Agency, 1995. Indoor Air Risk Analysis,
letter from Thomas Taccone to Lani Rafferty, February 27.
SUMMARY OF PUBLIC COMMENTS AND RESPONSES
OLEAN WELL FIELD HEALTH CONSULTATION
The public was invited to review the draft health consultation for the Olean Well Field Site during the public review period which ran from October 8 to November 24, 1997. No responses from the public were received by the NYS DOH. Comments were received from the USEPA and the changes made in the document are detailed below. If you have any questions about this summary, contact the Health Liaison Program at the toll-free number 1-800-458-1158, extension 6402.
Lani Rafferty
Public Health Specialist II
Bureau of Environmental Exposure Investigation
New York State Department of Health
and
Joel Kaplan
Research Scientist
Bureau of Toxic Substance Assessment
New York State Department of Health
This Health Consultation was prepared by the Department of Health under a cooperative agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). It is in accordance with approved methodology and procedures existing at the time the health consultation was begun.
David Hutchins
Technical Project Officer
Superfund Site Assessment Branch (SSAB)
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation (DHAC)
ATSDR
The Division of Health Assessment and Consultation, ATSDR, has reviewed this health consultation and concurs with its findings.
Richard Gillig
Chief, SPS, SSAB, DHAC, ATSDR
Next Section Table of Contents
