ATSDR - PHA - U.S. Navy Port Hadlock Detachment (Indian Island Depot)

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ATSDR > Public Health Assessments & Consultations

PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT

U.S. NAVY PORT HADLOCK DETACHMENT (INDIAN ISLAND DEPOT)
PORT HADLOCK, JEFFERSON COUNTY, WASHINGTON

Based on an evaluation of environmental information, ATSDR has reached the following conclusions:

Contaminated shellfish located adjacent to Site 10 and along Boggy Spit
- did not likely pose a past health hazard. (People are not believed to have been exposed to high enough levels on a frequent enough basis for adverse health effects to result from consuming the shellfish.)
- does not pose a current health hazard; (In 1988, the Navy issued a shellfish ban for areas adjacent to Site 10 and along Boggy Spit. The ban, which is still in place, reduces public health hazards by preventing consumption of potentially contaminated shellfish. Although it is impossible to conclusively state that nobody is trespassing and violating the ban, the Navy's security has never reported any occurrences of trespassing, and signs are posted to inform people of the bans in these areas. Available data are not adequate to firmly conclude whether contaminant levels could pose health hazards. While the Navy continues its ongoing shellfish monitoring program to verify existing data sets, ATSDR recommends that people continue to adhere to the ban.)
- will not pose a future health hazard. (Measures taken by the Navy will prevent future health hazards by
  — minimizing further contamination of the marine environment, and
  — ensuring that the beaches remain closed until the contaminant concentrations are shown to be at levels that do not pose a health hazard.)
Based on limited past sampling data, ATSDR concludes that shellfish consumed along the north-northwestern shores of Marrowstone Island may have posed a past health hazard. Based on data recently collected by ATSDR, current and future consumption of shellfish is not expected to pose health hazards, however. Although community members suspect that contaminants from Port Hadlock's Site 10 could affect Marrowstone Island's shores, the Final Site Work Plan, Site 10 North End Landfill document and the ROD do not identify Site 10 as a likely source.
Groundwater potentially impacted by Site 21
- cannot be evaluated for the past scenario; (Water supply wells Nos. 1 and 2 might have been used from 1941 to 1945, but this information has not been confirmed. In addition, data are not available to assess the quality of groundwater during this time.)
- does not pose a current health hazard; (Backup water supply wells Nos. 1 and 2 are the only production wells located in the area. These wells are not currently in use, thus they do not pose a current health hazard.)
- will not pose a future health hazard. (It is highly unlikely that future consumption of groundwater in the vicinity of Site 21 will pose a public health hazard. The Washington Department of Ecology, EPA, and the Navy are analyzing groundwater reports. If these agencies decide that contaminant concentrations pose a public health hazard, backup water supply wells Nos. 1 and 2 will be abandoned and deed restrictions will be implemented to prevent the installation of future wells.
Shellfish located along the eastern shores of Indian Island and between Indian and Marrowstone Islands are unlikely to have been impacted by Site 10 contaminants or Site 12 groundwater discharge. Additionally, reports claiming that fuel from moored ships leaked in this area have not been substantiated. (According to a Navy representative, none of the moored ships carried fuel. There are no environmental sampling records indicating that potential leaks from moored ships affected environmental media. In addition, the ships were removed from the harbor about 50 years ago.)
Groundwater from Marrowstone Island is unlikely to have been impacted by the migration of Port Hadlock contaminants across Kilisut Harbor because the island's groundwater is not hydrogeologically connected to any other water source.
The other 15 Port Hadlock sites do not pose a public health hazard because (1) no site-related contaminants are present; (2) contaminant concentrations detected are too low to pose a health hazard; (3) past and current exposures to the general public have been prevented by strict security measures; (4) past and current exposures to Naval and remedial workers are infrequent and, if deemed necessary, conducted with personal protective equipment; and/or (5) affected areas have been, or will be, remediated.

RECOMMENDATIONS/PUBLIC HEALTH ACTION PLAN

The public health action plan (PHAP) for Port Hadlock contains a description of actions taken and those to be taken by ATSDR, the Navy, EPA, and the Washington Department of Ecology at and in the vicinity of the site subsequent to the completion of this public health assessment. The purpose of the PHAP is to ensure that this public health assessment not only identifies potential and ongoing public health hazards, but provides a plan of action designed to mitigate and prevent adverse human health effects resulting from exposure to hazardous substances in the environment. The public health actions at Port Hadlock that are completed, ongoing/planned, or recommended are as follows:

Completed Actions

Site 10

The Navy issued a shellfish harvesting ban in 1988 for the areas immediately adjacent to Site 10 (beach 19) and along Boggy Spit (beaches 1 and 2).
The Navy completed construction of a landfill cap and erosion protection measures in 1997.
Shellfish samples were collected in May 1998. Navy used this data to complete a Human Health Risk Assessment in February 1999.
Marrowstone Island
ATSDR collected shellfish samples along the north/northwestern shores of Marrowstone Island in April 1998.
Site 21
Additional monitoring wells were installed in 1995.
The Navy recently completed a 2-year groundwater monitoring program.
A document discussing arsenic background concentrations was released in March 1999.
The Other Port Hadlock Sites
Areas with soil contamination have been excavated.
Underground storage tanks (USTs) have been removed from several locations.

Ongoing and Planned Actions

Site 10

Groundwater, sediment, and shellfish monitoring programs are currently being conducted.
Site 21
The Washington Department of Ecology, EPA, and the Navy are analyzing groundwater reports. If these agencies decide that contaminant concentrations pose a potential public health hazard, backup water supply wells Nos. 1 and 2 will be abandoned and deed restrictions will be implemented to prevent the installation of future wells.

The Other Port Hadlock Sites

Investigations are ongoing at several sites and a removal action is planned for Site 33 (see Appendix A).

Recommended Actions

ATSDR recommends that people adhere to the shellfish harvesting ban until it is removed by regulatory agencies that have reviewed the shellfish data.
ATSDR recommends that the Navy include nitrobenzene and 2,4,5-trinitrotoluene in their analyte list for future rounds of shellfish monitoring at Site 10. ATSDR recommends using analytical techniques that have detection limits lower than EPA Region III's RBCs.
CERCLA requires ATSDR to conduct needed follow-up health actions in communities near hazardous waste sites. ATSDR has evaluated the data and information contained in the Port Hadlock PHA for appropriate public health action. No followup actions have been identified at this time.

PREPARERS OF REPORT

Amanda Stoddard, MPH
Environmental Health Scientist
Federal Facilities Assessment Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation

Victoria Ann Smith
Environmental Health Scientist
Federal Facilities Assessment Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation

Gary Campbell, PhD
Environmental Health Scientist
Federal Facilities Assessment Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation

REFERENCES

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Foster Wheeler. 1996a. Draft Marine Monitoring Plan: Site 10 North End Landfill Marine Monitoring Program. Naval Ordnance Center, Pacific Division, Detachment Port Hadlock, Hadlock, Washington (September). Foster Wheeler Environmental Corporation.

Foster Wheeler. 1996b. Final Site Work Plan: Site 10 North End Landfill, Construction of Landfill Cap and Shoreline Protection System. Naval Ordnance Center, Pacific Division, Port Hadlock Detachment, Indian Island, Washington (June 11, 1996). Foster Wheeler Environmental Corporation.

Foster Wheeler 1997. Preliminary Closeout Report: Naval Ordnance Center Pacific Division, Detachment Port Hadlock, Hadlock, Washington (September). Foster Wheeler Environmental Corporation.

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Foster Wheeler. 1999. Final Human Health Risk Assessment: Marine Monitoring Program Site 10 North End Landfill. Naval Ordnance Center, Pacific Division, Detachment Port Hadlock, Hadlock, Washington (February). Foster Wheeler Environmental Corporation.

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URS. 1995a. Final Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study: Sites 10 and 21, Naval Ordnance Center, Pacific Division, Detachment Port Hadlock, Indian Island, Washington (January).URS Consultants, Inc.

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