PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT
NAVAL AIR STATION WHIDBEY ISLAND (AULT FIELD AND SEAPLANE BASE)
OAK HARBOR, ISLAND COUNTY, WASHINGTON
ATSDR AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT PROCESS AT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FACILITIES
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is part of the U.S. Public Health Service. ATSDR's mission is to prevent or mitigate adverse human health effects and diminished quality of life resulting from exposure to hazardous substances in the environment.
The public health assessment is the cornerstone ATSDR uses to address public health issues associated with hazardous waste sites. The document discusses available information about site-related hazardous substances and evaluates whether exposure to them -- in the past, present, or future -- might cause adverse health effects in members of the community.
ATSDR is responsible for preparing public health assessments according to the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund) section 104 (i)(6) (42 U.S.C. 9604 (i)(6). As mandated by that law, ATSDR conducts public health assessments of hazardous waste sites listed or proposed for listing on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Priorities List (NPL). ATSDR also responds to requests (petitions) to conduct public health assessments.
Three primary sources of information are used in a public health assessment: environmental data, community health concerns, and health outcome data. ATSDR does not routinely perform environmental sampling. The environmental data used in public health assessments are provided by the Department of Defense (DOD) component involved; EPA, state, and local environmental and health agencies; and other groups or individuals. In addition, ATSDR health assessors conduct site visits to observe firsthand current conditions at the site, land use, public accessibility, and demographic characteristics of the nearby community.
Concerns the community has about health are gathered to determine if specific health effects are being experienced by people who live or work near the site. Information from the public also helps ATSDR determine how people may have been or might be exposed to hazardous substances in the environment. Throughout the public health assessment process, ATSDR staff members talk with people living or working at or near the site about their site-related health concerns. Other sources of community health concerns are records from the installation's Public Affairs Office, EPA's Community Relations representative, and state and local health and environmental agencies.
Health outcome databases document health effects that occur in populations. Those data, which come from sources such as state tumor registry databases, birth defects databases, vital statistics records, or other records, may provide information about the general health of the community living near a site. Other more specific records, such as hospital and medical records and records from site-specific health studies, may be used. Demographic data that provide information on population characteristics (e.g., age, sex, socioeconomic status) are used when analyzing health outcome data.
ATSDR identifies actual and perceived site-related health effects and the level of public health hazard posed by the site. ATSDR then makes recommendations to the appropriate DOD components, EPA, and relevant state and local agencies on preventing or alleviating human exposures to site-related contaminants. When indicated, ATSDR identifies a need for any follow-up health activities -- such as epidemiologic studies, registries or community health education. Finally, ATSDR provides a mechanism to re-evaluate health issues as site conditions change (e.g., after site remediation or changes in land use) or when new data or information are available.
A public health action plan (PHAP) is included in the public health assessment. It contains a description of actions ATSDR and other parties will take at and in the vicinity of the site. The purpose of the PHAP is to provide a plan of action for preventing and mitigating adverse human health effects resulting from exposure to hazardous substances in the environment. ATSDR annually monitors the implementation of the plan. Public health actions may include, but are not limited to, restricting site access, sampling, surveillance, registries, health studies, environmental health education, and applied substance-specific research.
Public health assessments are distributed in three phases: an initial release (red cover), a public comment release (brown cover), and a final release (blue cover). The initial release document, which is prepared as part of the process of gathering, analyzing, and drawing conclusions and recommendations from the vast amount of information evaluated in a public health assessment, is provided for review and comment to the DOD component involved, EPA, and state and local environmental and health agencies. This release gives agencies the opportunity to comment on the completeness of information they have provided and the clarity of the presentation. The initial release comment period lasts 45 days. Following the initial release, ATSDR prepares the document for distribution to the general public. The public is notified of the document's availability at repositories (e.g., libraries, city hall) in the site area through advertisements and public notices in newspapers. The comment period lasts 30 days. ATSDR addresses all public comments and revises or appends the document as appropriate. The final public health assessment is then released; that document includes written responses to all public comments.
A public health assessment is an ongoing process. ATSDR revises final documents if new information about the environment, community health concerns, and health outcome data becomes available and is found to modify previous conclusions and recommendations. For more information about the ATSDR public health assessment process and related programs please write to:
Director,
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
1600 Clifton Road (E-32)
Atlanta, Georgia 30333
Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NAS) is an active U.S. Navy installation 3 miles from the northern end of Whidbey Island. NAS is near Oak Harbor, Island County, in the state of Washington. NAS consists of four facilities, Ault Field, Seaplane Base, Outlying Landing Field at Coupeville, and Lake Hancock Target Range. Both Ault Field and Seaplane Base are listed on the National Priorities List and are the principal areas under investigation.
The Navy commissioned NAS as a base for seaplane patrol operations, rocket firing training, torpedo overhaul, and personnel training. The current mission is to operate and maintain Navy aircraft and aviation facilities and provide associated support activities.
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) prepared two preliminary health assessments for NAS Whidbey Island-Seaplane Base in January 19, 1989 and for NAS Whidbey Island-Ault Field in March 15, 1989. The Seaplane Base Preliminary Health Assessment indicated that contamination in shellfish was a public health concern for people who ate shellfish. However, current information at ATSDR shows that the organic forms of arsenic found in shellfish are non-toxic. Arsenobetaine and arsenocholine are the principal organic arsenic compounds contained in the flesh of fish, shellfish, and crustaceans. Therefore, arsenic (organic forms) at the earlier reported concentration of 2.7 mg/kg is not at a level of health concern. The Ault Field Preliminary Health Assessment indicated that contamination in groundwater, food chain, soil, sediment, surface water, and ambient air was a public health concern. Both assessments recommended additional environmental characterization and sampling of on- and off-site areas. This public health assessment covers both Ault Field and Seaplane Base.
The Navy's environmental sampling of waste materials, soil and sediment, soil gas, groundwater,
surface water, ambient air, and marine biota 
at various areas on NAS shows contamination in all
media. Contaminants detected include volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semivolatile organic
compounds, heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pesticides, and polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons. Groundwater contamination occurs from various sources; however, only monitoring
wells are currently affected. On- and off-site drinking water sources are currently not affected, but
the investigation to determine the extent of contamination is not complete.
ATSDR has classified the multiple potential sources of contamination at NAS Whidbey Island as indeterminate public health hazards. That category is used to designate sites with incomplete information. The data do not indicate that people are being or have been exposed to levels of contamination that would be expected to cause adverse health effects, however, data are not available for all environmental media to which people may be exposed.
ATSDR revises Department of Defense public health assessments if new information about the environment, community health concerns, and health outcome data becomes available and is found to modify previous conclusions and recommendations. After review of the new data for NAS Whidbey, several changes have been made to the public health assessment since the public comment release (e.g., Pathways Section (text and tables), Public Health Implications Section, Conclusions, Recommendations, and the Public Health Action Plan).
Groundwater is contaminated with VOCs and metals at concentrations exceeding levels that could potentially cause adverse health effects. At OU1 Area 6, a contamination plume has migrated in the direction of off-base private and public drinking water sources. The plume may have moved off site to the west of Area 6 as shown by off-site monitoring well data. As part of the site remediation plan, the Navy began connecting the homes and other sites served by wells to the NAS or the city of Oak Harbor's water supply system. If the Navy's plan is successful, it is unlikely that people will drink contaminated groundwater. Monitoring of wells is taking place according to the RI/FS schedule. Washington State regulations prohibit construction of wells within 1 mile of landfills.
Several classes of chemical compounds such as metals, pesticides, and PCBs used or disposed at NAS can bioaccumulate or bioconcentrate in the food chain. Contamination of the terrestrial and aquatic food chain is possible. Limited sampling information available to ATSDR shows that shellfish in Crescent Harbor and Oak Harbor are contaminated with heavy metals. However, exposures may be eliminated in Crescent Harbor because shellfishing is restricted from the seaplane ramps near the Navy Exchange due to coliform counts that exceed water quality criteria. The area includes 1,200 feet east of Area 49 along the harbor and 100 feet east and west of a tidal creek (surface and seawater outflow). According to the Navy, the posted signs reading "Contaminated shellfish" will be kept in place because of ATSDR's concerns with site contaminants possibly contaminating aquatic food chain entities. Additionally, ATSDR evaluated supplementary shellfish sample analyses for areas under investigation and determined that people (e.g., such as Asians, who may have a higher consumption rate and may consume up to 381 grams/day) would not be exposed to levels of contamination that would be expected to cause adverse health effects.
Community concerns were expressed about potential health hazards from contaminants at NAS and city of Oak Harbor landfills. The Island County Health Department expressed a concern about the potential health effects for Asians who gather and eat seaweed from Crescent Harbor. Sampling data were not available for ATSDR to decide if seaweed was a source of human exposure.
Contaminants in soil, sediment, water, and air exposure pathways may be a health hazard if long-term exposure occurs. Current land use activities are not likely to result in long-term exposures, but land use changes at the areas under investigation should be evaluated.
The data and information developed in the NAS public health assessment were evaluated by the ATSDR Health Activities Recommendation Panel (HARP) for follow-up health actions. HARP has determined that based on the evaluation of available data and on current site conditions at the NAS, public health actions are not indicated at this time. Further sampling and analysis is needed to evaluate if people are exposed to contaminants from NAS. As more data become available, ATSDR will evaluate the data to determine if public health actions are indicated for the community near the site.
The public health action plan (PHAP) is included in this document. The actions include interim remedial measures by the Navy at OU1, Area 6, to minimize any further migration of contamination in groundwater. The major components of the Navy's interim remedial action are extraction of contaminated groundwater in the shallow aquifer under Area 6, treatment of the extracted water by metal precipitation, and air stripping of VOCs. The Navy plan also includes fencing, groundwater monitoring, capping the landfill, institutional controls to prevent potable well drilling near the site, surface water control, and landfill gas management.
A. Site Description and History
Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NAS) is an active U.S. Navy installation 3 miles from the northern end of Whidbey Island. NAS is near Oak Harbor, Island County, Washington (Appendix A, Figure 1). Whidbey Island is at the northern end of Puget Sound, about 65 miles north of Seattle. NAS consists of four major facilities, Ault Field, Seaplane Base, Outlying Landing Field at Coupeville, and Lake Hancock Target Range. Ault Field and Seaplane Base border the city of Oak Harbor to the north (Ault Field) and east (Seaplane Base).
The Navy commissioned NAS in September 1942 as a base for seaplane patrol operations, rocket firing training, torpedo overhaul, and personnel training. The past and present waste-generating activities at NAS Whidbey Island are aircraft and vehicle maintenance and washing, engine testing, parts cleaning, painting and paint stripping, battery maintenance, pest control, public works maintenance, and servicing of electrical transformers. The current mission is to operate and maintain Navy aircraft and aviation facilities and provide associated support activities. NAS Whidbey Island is the base of all Navy electronic warfare squadrons flying the EA-6B "Prowler", a carrier-based tactical jamming aircraft. It is the west coast training and operation center for the A-6 "Intruder" attack bomber squadrons. NAS is the center of activity for Naval and Marine Air Reserve training activities in the Northwest United States.
Table 1. Dates of Investigations and Significant Events
| 9/84 | Initial Assessment Study (IAS) - Ault Field and Seaplane Base |
| 9/85 | EPA nominated Ault Field and Seaplane Base for inclusion on the NPL |
| 1/88 | Current Situation Report (CSR) - Ault Field and Seaplane Base. |
| 3/88 | The Navy includes 44 areas in NAS Whidbey Island Installation Restoration Program |
| 2/90 | NAS Whidbey Island, Ault Field and Seaplane Base, officially listed on the EPA NPL |
| 9/90 | Federal Facilities Agreement for NAS Whidbey Island signed. |
Table 1 lists the investigations and significant events at NAS. The Navy Assessment and Control of Installation Pollutants Program started an Initial Assessment Study (IAS) identified and evaluated waste disposal or spill sites on Ault Field and Seaplane Base (1). The Installation Restoration Program completed the IAS in September 1984. The IAS was primarily a records search, which identified and evaluated waste disposal or spill sites on Ault Field and Seaplane Base.
The Current Situation Report, completed in January 1988, presented the results of field studies of water, soil, marine animals, and marine sediments at selected locations on and off Ault Field and Seaplane Base (2). During that time, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) scored the sites using the Hazard Ranking System (HRS). The HRS produces a numerical score based on a site's proximity to water sources, types of pollutants, potential pathways, and potential threat to the public and environment. EPA places sites with high scores on its National Priorities List (NPL).
In September 1985, EPA nominated 28 sites on Ault Field and Seaplane Base for inclusion on the NPL. EPA made the nominations based on its HRS. EPA bases the HRS score on the number of known or suspected waste disposal and spill sites, the types and quantities of hazardous constituents, and the potential for impact to domestic wells and marine shellfish beds by contaminants with possible origins on NAS.
In March 1988, it was decided that 44 potentially contaminated sites at NAS would be included in a Remedial Investigation (RI). The RI included the 28 areas evaluated by EPA in the HRS, areas recommended during previous studies, and additional areas believed by the Navy to need investigation.(3)
Ault Field and Seaplane Base were officially listed on the EPA NPL in February 1990. EPA, the Navy, and the state of Washington completed a Federal Facilities Agreement for NAS on September 17, 1990. The Navy agreed to conduct a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) to decide the nature and extent of contamination on NAS, to evaluate alternatives for the cleanup of contaminated areas, and to implement the cleanup of areas as required by EPA (4). The areas investigated include landfills, underground storage tanks (UST), spill areas, electrical transformer service areas, fire schools, spill drainage areas, and several storage and disposal areas.
In addition, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) authorizes the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to conduct public health assessments to evaluate the public health impact of the sites. ATSDR will evaluate whether health effects are possible and recommend actions to reduce or prevent possible health effects.
ATSDR prepared two preliminary health assessments for NAS Whidbey Island-Seaplane Base (January 19, 1989) and for NAS Whidbey Island-Ault Field (March 15, 1989) (Appendix C). The Seaplane Base Preliminary Health Assessment indicated that contamination in surface water and shellfish was a public health concern. However, current information at ATSDR shows that the organic forms of arsenic found in shellfish are non-toxic. Arsenobetaine and arsenocholine are the principal organic arsenic compounds contained in the flesh of fish, shellfish, and crustaceans. Therefore, arsenic (organic forms) was not at a level of health concern. The Ault Field Preliminary Health Assessment indicated that contamination in groundwater, food chain, soil, sediment, surface water, and ambient air was a public health concern. Both assessments recommended additional environmental characterization and sampling of on- and off-site areas. The Ault Field Preliminary Health Assessment recommended sampling of on-base wells and off-site wells near Area 6, Landfill. The Navy implemented several of the recommendations, as discussed in the following paragraphs.
Of the 53 areas identified in the IAS, only 47 are undergoing RI/FS investigation. Those 47 areas are divided into Operable Units (OUs) and the Hazardous Waste Evaluation Study (HWES). The other areas were petroleum areas and were eliminated from the RI/FS. The Navy will conduct an RI for each OU. Following numeric order, the OU1 RI will be carried out first. The RI will further characterize the extent of contamination at each site, and the Feasibility Study (FS) will evaluate different alternatives for cleaning up the sites. Seaplane Base is a separate site on the NPL, but will be discussed with Ault Field in a single public health assessment. Seaplane Base is OU4 in NAS RI/FS documents. All OUs are currently at some phase of remedial investigation. The following sections provide a general description of each OU. A description of each area can be found in Appendix B.
Operable Unit 1 (OU1)
OU1 is in the southeastern corner of Ault Field and consists of Area 5, the Highway 20/Hoffman Road Landfill and Area 6, Landfill (Figure 2 and 3 in Appendix A, Table 2). Both areas served as main facility landfills, are close to each other, and are above the same aquifer recharge area. Landfill activities at Area 6 were discontinued on April 6, 1993; only the animal remains trench is used (5). The former disposal areas identified at Area 6 are the base solid disposal trench, asbestos trench, wood pile (periodically burned), rubble pit, and rubble/gravel piles (6). Table 3 and tables in Appendix B list several past and current Navy, state, county, and EPA investigations that occurred OU1 (6). Groundwater is not used in OU1.
Table 2. Operable Unit 1, Areas Under Investigation
| Area | Activities | Potential Hazardous Substances Present |
| 5 - Highway 20/ Hoffman Road Landfill. | Main facility landfill, 1958-1959 | Solvents, paints, caustic cleaning compounds, fuels, oils, asbestos, metals, garbage, demolition debris |
| 6 - Landfill. | Main facility landfill, 1969-present | Solvents, paints, thinners, strippers, hydraulic fluid, waste oils, waste fuels, drummed liquid waste, garbage, demolition debris |
During the site visit, the Navy, state, and county officials explained that the flow of groundwater contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from Area 6 in OU1 was in the direction of existing off-site private drinking water wells. The VOC plumes appear to extend off site to the southwest about 250 feet from the western border of Area 6 and NAS and south to the border of Area 6 and Oak Harbor landfills. In June 1992, the Navy offered municipal water connections to property owners whose drinking water wells were potentially affected by the Area 6 groundwater contamination plume (7). Those homes were connected to the NAS or the city of Oak Harbor's water system.
Table 3. Operable Unit 1, Investigations and Actions
| 10/88 | Washington Department of Health (WDOH) sampled drinking several water wells within one mile of Ault Field Operable Unit (OU) 1 |
| 3/89 | Accelerated Initial Investigation (AII) - OU1, Area 6, the Landfill. |
| 11/89 | WDOH sampled several drinking water wells within one mile of Ault Field OU1. |
| 6/90 | Interim Action (IA) sampling at OU1 |
| 10/90 | Technical Memorandum described the results of the AII at OU1 |
| 12/90 | NAS listed on the NPL |
| 1/91 | OU1, RI, Phase I sampling |
| 5/91 | Rapid Response sampling at OU1 |
| 5/91 | WDOH sampled several drinking water wells within one mile of Ault Field OU1. |
| 9/91 | OU1, RI, Phase II sampling |
| 4/92 | Record of Decision (ROD) for Interim Action at OU1, Area 6 |
| 6/92 | Draft Final RI/FS report for OU1 |
| 6/92 | Draft Feasibility Study for OU1 |
| 3/93 | WDOH sampled several drinking water wells and on-site monitoring wells near Ault Field OU1. |
| 6/93 | Final RI/FS published |
The Navy, EPA, and Washington Department of Ecology (WDOE) signed a Record of Decision (ROD) in April 1992, in which the Navy agreed to conduct an Interim Remedial Action at Area 6. The major components of the Interim Remedial Action are extraction of the groundwater in the shallow aquifer under Area 6 to minimize the spread of the contamination plume, treatment of the extracted water by metal precipitation, and air stripping of VOCs.
The Draft Feasibility Study (FS) proposes remedial actions including fencing, groundwater monitoring, groundwater extraction, air stripping, reinjection, capping the landfill, institutional controls to prevent potable well drilling near the site, surface water control, and landfill gas management.
Operable Unit 2 (OU2)
OU2 (Appendix A, Figure 2 and 4) is in the southwestern part of Ault Field and consists of Area 2 (Western Highlands Landfill), Area 3 (1969-1970 Landfill), Area 4 (Walker Barn Storage Area), Area 14 (Pesticide Rinsate Disposal Area), and Area 29 (Clover Valley Road Fire School). Those areas are in the same watershed (42) and could contaminate OU3 via surface water flowing in the direction of OU3. Areas 2 and 3 reportedly received similar types of wastes. Areas 4, 14, and 29 have potential for similar types of chemical contamination. Table 4 lists the types of wastes and dates of operation.
The Navy is conducting an RI/FS for OU2 to characterize the extent of contamination and the potential for migration of any detected contaminants. The Navy will use the RI/FS results to develop remedial action alternatives. During the site visit in 1991, ATSDR personnel observed a fence around Area 4. The Navy fenced Area 14 in 1992 to restrict access after preliminary sampling data showed Area 14 surface soil had pesticides at levels above comparison values. The Navy fenced Area 29 in 1992, because it detected elevated lead and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons levels in surface soil. People picnic, jog, walk dogs, and ride motorcycles on paths that encircle Area 4 (8). Area 14 is next to an active grounds equipment maintenance facility, Building 2555. Area 29 is next to a golf course and is near several paths and roads that are used for jogging (9). Most of the areas are sparsely covered with grass and vegetation. Trails and off-pavement roads are made of dirt or gravel. Groundwater is not used in OU2, however, Base Well #4 is near Area 14.
Table 4. Operable Unit 2, Areas Under Investigation
| Area | Activities | Potential Hazardous Substances Present |
| 2 - Western Highland Landfill. | Main base landfill, 1959-1969 | Solvents, paints, thinners, caustic cleaning compounds, oils, grease, fuels, asbestos, garbage, demolition debris |
| 3 - 1969-1970 Landfill. | Main facility landfill, 1969-1970 | Solvents, paints, thinners, caustic cleaning compounds, oils, grease, fuels, asbestos, garbage, demolition debris, and 15,000 gallons of drummed oily liquids |
| 4 - Walker Barn Storage Area | Storage of out-of-service transformers, before circa 1972? | PCBs, dioxins. Area of known PCB contamination fenced |
| 14 - Pesticide Rinsate Area | Dry well for disposal of pesticide rinsate, 1973-1983; area below well is defoliated | Pesticides, herbicides, dioxins, insecticides in dilute quantities |
| 29 - Clover Valley Road Fire School | Fire training area, 1951-1966; 40' x 40' pit | Fuel oil, jet fuel, AVGAS (a fuel), Stoddard solvent, carbon-removing compound, trichloroethylene, trichloroethane, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), paint thinners, PCBs, dioxins |
Operable Unit 3 (OU3)
OU3 encompasses the runways in northern Ault Field and consists of Area 16,
the Runway Ditches, and Area 31, the Runway Fire School (Appendix A, Figure
5). Areas 16 and 31 are next to each other and contaminants in Area 31 flow
into Area 16. Table 5 lists the types of wastes and dates of operation.
Water from the runway ditches flows off base (10), through agricultural
fields about 2 miles to the east of the runways and Ault Field, and into a lagoon
next to Dugualla Bay. The lagoon is connected to Dugualla Bay by a tide gate
that allows flow in both directions; the Navy can also pump lagoon water into
Dugualla Bay. Runway areas are restricted except for authorized personnel.
The OU3 RI/FS objectives are to characterize the site by conducting field sampling investigations and field and laboratory analyses, define the nature and extent of contamination, and refine remedial action goals. Field work for the RI/FS for OU3 is under way. Groundwater is not in use in OU3. There are private residences along the fenced NAS boundary to the north and south of OU3. During the site visit, ATSDR observed a mobile home off site, about 400 feet northeast of Area 31 on De Graff Road. Off-site wetlands lie north of the east end of the runway.
Table 5. Operable Unit 3, Areas Under Investigation
| Area | Activities | Potential Hazardous Substances Present |
| 16 - Runway Ditches | Runway drainages receive runoff and spills from aircraft operations and maintenance areas | Fuels, oils, solvents, JP-5 (jet fuel), caustic rinsate from metal cleaning, Stoddard solvent, carbon-cleaning compound, paint spray booth wastes, ethylene glycol |
| 31 - Runway Fire School | Fire training area, 1967-1980 | Fuel oil, jet fuel, AVGAS, Stoddard solvent, carbon-cleaning compound, trichloroethylene, trichloroethane, MEK, paint thinners, PCBs, dioxins |
Operable Unit 4 (OU4)
OU4 consists of the Seaplane Base areas (Appendix A, Figure 6), Area 39 (Auto Repair and Paint Shop), Area 41 (Buildings 25 and 26 Disposal Area), Area 44 (Seaplane Base Nose Hangar), Area 48 (Seaplane Base Salvage Yard), and Area 49 (Seaplane Base Landfill) (Table 6).
Table 6. Operable Unit 4, Areas Under Investigation
| Area | Activities | Potential Hazardous Substances Present |
| 39 - Auto Repair and Paint Shop | Automotive repair, body and paint shop since 1960 or earlier; radiator boil-out tank | Caustic cleaning compounds, anti-freeze, waste paints, waste oils |
| 41 - Buildings 25 and 26 Disposal Area | Building were paint shops in 1940 and 1950; wastes disposed on rip-rap at shoreline. Building 25 used for pesticide rinsing in 1962 | Waste paint, thinners, solvents, pesticides |
| 44 - Seaplane Base Nose Hangar | Service and maintenance of seaplanes, 1940s-1950; demolished | Oils, fuels, solvents |
| 48 - Seaplane Base Salvage Yard | Used from 1940 to early 1970 for scrap metal and flammable material storage. Fire in 1965 or 1966. | Fuels, solvents, thinners, paints, dioxins |
| 49 - Seaplane Base Landfill | Industrial/municipal landfill for Seaplane Base, 1945-1955. No records. Burning dump | Solvents, paints, thinners, oils, fuels possible, dioxins |
Area 39, 41, and 44 are in an area of low surface elevation between Oak Harbor and Crescent Harbor and primarily involve petroleum, solvent, paint, and pesticide spills. Area 48 and 49 are close to each other in the west central part of Seaplane Base and close to Crescent Harbor. Crescent Harbor is a recreational shellfishing area. The Asian population collects seaweed for consumption from Crescent Harbor east of Area 48 and Area 49 (11). Groundwater is not in use in OU4. Area 41 is next to a parcel of land that is to be transferred to the Opportunity Council of Oak Harbor under provisions of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. sec. 11411 (12).
Other Seaplane Base areas, are to be investigated in the Hazardous Waste Evaluation Study discussed below. Those are Area 35 (Fuel Farm 2), Area 36 (Fuel Farm 1), Area 40 (Seaplane Base Coal Pile), Area 45 (TCE tank), and Area 53 (Polnell Point). Those areas are shown on Figures 6 and 8 in Appendix A.
During the site visit, ATSDR observed that the field between Areas 39, 40, and 41 is flat, grass covered, and contains a playground that is within 300 feet of Area 39, Area 40, and Area 41. ATSDR staff did not see any children at the playground, and the playground is not next to any residential areas. The NAS Wildlife Biologist said that he had never seen any children at the playground. He said the playground was part of the old base exchange complex that has been moved. Some bare spots at Area 40 expose the remains of the old coal pile (13). Most of Area 44 is within a fenced recreational vehicle storage yard (14).
Operable Unit 5 (OU5)
OU5 is proposed by the Navy to consist of Area 1, Beach Landfill, and Area 52, Jet Engine Test Cell. These areas are next to each other and are in western Ault Field next to the Strait of Juan de Fuca (Appendix A, Figure 7) Table 7 lists the dates of operation and suspected wastes for these areas. Because of the potential for Area 1 contaminants to reach the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Navy said that Area 1 should be investigated under CERCLA as part of an existing OU or as a separate OU (13). The Navy investigated Area 1 during the Current Situation Report and Hazardous Waste Evaluation Study (discussed below). Area 1 used to be a small marsh; however, the marsh was used as a landfill. Area 1 is no longer an active landfill. A small wetland remains. Two burn pits are within the area, one in the north and one in the southern part of the area. The beach face of the landfill has eroded, exposing timbers, metal, and concrete. During the site visit, ATSDR observed that access to the beach areas and Area 1 is not restricted. Human activity near Area 1 includes Area 52 to the north, Norwester Club to the southeast, vehicular traffic and joggers on Saratoga Street, a parking area on the former landfill, and recreational activities along the beach (13).
Table 7. Operable Unit 5, Areas Under Investigation
| Area | Activities | Potential Hazardous Substances Present |
| 1 - Beach landfill | Main base landfill, 1945-1958; burn pits were used to destroy flammables | Solvents, paints, caustic cleaning compounds, oils, fuels, asbestos, metals, garbage, demolition debris |
| 52 - Jet Engine Test Cell | Active site. Jet fuel storage tank leak | Fuel, solvents |
The Navy added Area 52 to the IR investigations because the groundwater sampling and analyses detected the presence of vinyl chloride. During geotechnical explorations for an additional test cell at Area 52, the Navy encountered free-phase jet fuel on the water table (3). In 1988 and 1989, the Navy conducted site characterizations to evaluate the groundwater below Area 52 as part of the Navy's petroleum underground storage tank (UST) program. The site characterizations determined the magnitude and extent of free-phase jet fuel contamination, characterized the contaminants in groundwater and soil, and assessed the risk to the environment. The project was undergoing investigation under UST, not CERCLA, until the vinyl chloride was discovered. The area was transferred to RI/FS due to the vinyl chloride. Based on the site characterization results, the Navy proposed a limited remedial action to remove the free-phase product, and a confirmatory analysis of groundwater samples after completion of the remedial action. Groundwater is not in use in OU5. Both Area 1 and Area 52 are next to the beach on the west side of Ault Field.
Hazardous Waste Evaluation Study (HWES)
EPA, Washington Department of Ecology, and the Navy agreed that 26 areas not included in the OUs were to be removed from the RI/FS process and would be studied in a Hazardous Waste Evaluation Study (3). The Washington State Department of Ecology (WDOE) requested including Area 53, Polnell Point, in the investigation (15). Tables 8 and 30 lists those areas, and Figure 8 in Appendix A shows their locations. The areas under investigation in the HWES include past spills of fuel, oil, solvents, and pesticides, and fire schools. Areas in the Ault Field Central Core (Appendix A, Figure 9) could impact Base Well No. 4. The Ault Field Central Core contains the active military industrial area of NAS; primarily aircraft maintenance facilities, training, administrative, and occupational areas. Within the Central Core are non-industrial facilities; a fast food restaurant, a small base exchange, unaccompanied officer housing, and base theater.
The objective of the HWES is to decide if contamination is present within the Ault Field Central Core Area and areas on Ault Field and Seaplane Base that are not part of an Operable Unit. If contamination is confirmed, additional Operable Units will be created (13). Table 30 in Appendix B has brief descriptions of each area. It was decided that none of the areas in the HWES present an imminent threat to human health or the environment, but determined that several areas needed additional characterization (13) (Table 8). Some areas are listed more than once, because the Navy will perform removal actions and additional investigations at those areas.
HWES areas requiring limited remedial action for cleanup followed by confirmatory analysis.
This group includes fuel farm areas on Ault Field and on Seaplane Base listed in Table 8. Fuel
spills occurred in each of these areas. Tank bottom sludges were disposed of in dry wells near each
tank until 1980. Dry wells are gravel-filled holes in the ground; some are concrete pipes buried
vertically in the ground. The Navy proposes to remove the dry wells to eliminate a potential conduit
for contamination to reach subsurface soils and groundwater. The Navy also proposes a limited
remedial action to remove floating product on the groundwater at Area 13. The floating product
comes from a 1955 AVGAS spill that flooded the base theater parking lot and basement.
HWES areas requiring additional investigation for area characterization and for potential contamination. These areas require additional investigation for further site characterization and additional natural metals background information. This group includes areas on Ault Field and on Seaplane Base (Table 8, Figure 8 in Appendix A).
Table 8. Hazardous Waste Evaluation Study Areas Under Investigation
| Area | Activities | Potential Hazardous Substances Present |
| Areas, determined by the Navy, requiring limited remedial action for cleanup followed by confirmatory analysis | ||
| 11 - Fuel Farm 4 | Fuel farm in operation since early 1950s. Tank bottom sludge disposed of in dry wells near each tank till 1980. | AVGAS, JP-5, MOGAS (automotive fuel), diesel fuel |
| 13 - Fuel Farm 3 | Fuel farm in operation since early 1940s. Dry wells next to each tank used for tank bottom sludge disposal till 1980 | AVGAS, JP-5, lube oil |
| 15 - PD-680 Spill Area | Area used for disposal of weapons cleaning solvents, torpedo repair, 1974-1982. Active weapons storage area. | Estimated 150 gallons PD-680 (a solvent) and bore cleaner disposed, Otto (torpedo) fuel |
| 20 - Ault Field Sewage Clarifier. 1940s-1955 | In the Ault Field Central Core area. Located on northeast side of Bldg 2547. The old treatment plan was demolished and buried in 1971. | Concern about solvents in sludge and migration from Area 18 and 19. |
| 35 - Fuel Farm 2, Seaplane Base | Fuel farm since 1940s. Dry wells used for tank bottom disposal until 1980 | JP-5, AVGAS |
| 36 - Fuel Farm 1, Seaplane Base | Fuel farm since 1940s; nine tanks. Dry wells used for tank bottom disposal | Diesel, No. 1 heating oil, contaminated fuel and oil, AVGAS |
| 45 - TCE Tank, Seaplane Base | Reported 500-gallon underground tank abandoned but not pumped out, 1942-? | Trichloroethylene |
| 53 - Polnell Point Ordnance Burn Area, Seaplane Base. Early 1950s-? | Historically, three metal bins were used for burning ordnance | Ordnance compounds |
| Areas, determined by the Navy, requiring additional investigation for area characterization and for potential contamination | ||
| 7 - Old waste Storage Tank Spills | Five aboveground tanks; spills have occurred | Waste caustic spill, waste carbon-removing compound (55% methylene chloride, 33% cresols); other unknown wastes |
| 10 - Building 2536 PCP Dip Tank | Wooden post treating site from 1970-1980 | Pentachlorophenol, dioxins |
| 11 - Fuel Farm 4 | Fuel farm in operation since early 1950s. Tank bottom sludge disposed of in dry wells near each tank till 1980. | AVGAS, JP-5, MOGAS, diesel fuel |
| 13 - Fuel Farm 3 | Fuel farm in operation since early 1940s. Dry wells next to each tank used for tank bottom sludge disposal till 1980 | AVGAS, JP-5, lube oil |
| 18 - Ault Field Nose Hangars | Servicing and maintaining P2 aircraft from 1950s to mid-1960s | Fuel and solvents, including AVGAS, JP-5, MEK |
| 22 - Hangar 5 | Drum storage area, 30 x 40 feet, used early 1960s-1981; leakage reported | Paint remover, solvents, alodine, MEK, PD-680, TURCO, kerosene, toluene, paints, lacquers |
| 28 - Chapel Fire School | Fire training area from 1940s-1951 | Waste fuels, oils, solvents, thinners, flammable liquids, PCBs, dioxins |
| 35 - Fuel Farm 2, Seaplane Base | Fuel farm since 1940s. Dry wells used for tank bottom disposal until 1980 | JP-5, AVGAS |
| 36 - Fuel Farm 1, Seaplane Base | Fuel farm since 1940s; nine tanks. Dry wells used for tank bottom disposal | Diesel, No. 1 heating oil, contaminated fuel and oil, AVGAS |
It was determined that 13 HWES areas required no further action, because they found no contamination, or the detected concentrations of chemicals at those areas were not above regulatory levels (Appendix B, Table 30).
During June 18-21, 1991, ATSDR visited NAS Whidbey Island, Ault Field, and Seaplane Base. The ATSDR Regional Representative from EPA Region X, met them at NAS. The team met with EPA, Navy, state health, and county health personnel involved with the sites.
Activities such as farming, cattle and livestock grazing, archery, hunting, and other outdoor activities are taking place near areas under investigation. The Navy did not post warning signs at most of the areas being investigated, and military personnel and dependents could enter some areas. According to the Wildlife Biologist, NAS Environmental Affairs Office, some off-site agricultural areas receive runoff from areas under investigation.
ATSDR also visited the current fire school, which is about 1000 feet southwest of Area 4 in OU2. There are buildings on site that are occupied during duty hours. According to the Wildlife Biologist, an oil/water separator had overflowed. The ATSDR team saw an area of dead grass downstream of the oil/water separator, and noted that the air smelled like fuel or petroleum products. ATSDR later learned that the fire school was investigated in Phase 2 of the RI for OU2 (42).
The NAS Wildlife Biologist said the Navy would consider restricting farming and grazing on suspected contaminated fields on the base until sampling data are available. During a site visit from May 26-29, 1992, the Navy told ATSDR that the Navy canceled an agricultural lease near Area 15, PD-680 Spill Area. The Navy discovered that dairy cows drank water that flowed from Area 15.
ATSDR incorporated the observations by the site visit team into the appropriate sections of the public health assessment.
C. Demographics, Land Use, and Natural Resource Use
Demographics
Population and housing statistics for NAS Whidbey Island, Ault Field and Seaplane Base, and for census areas near Ault Field Operable Units are found in Tables 26 and 27 in Appendix B; population numbers for Island County are included to provide a point of comparison. Figure 16 in Appendix A shows the relationship of the census areas to Ault Field and Seaplane Base.
On Site
There are 7600 military personnel assigned to NAS, and NAS employs 1300 civilian personnel (16). NAS is Island County's largest employer (17). According to the 1990 Census, there were 3876 persons living in the census tract that contains Ault Field. Over 83% are male, which is typical of military installations. Nearly of the population are between the ages of 21 and 34, which is also normal for a military installation. The percentages of children under 10 and persons age 65 and older were well below the county averages. Very few housing units were owner occupied, which reflects the transient nature of military populations. Over 74% of persons in this tract lived in group quarters (e.g., barracks).
The census tract containing the Seaplane Base had a 1990 population of 4861. The population density is over 1000 persons per square mile. Family housing for the base is in this tract, which largely explains the extremely high percentage of children under age 10 (over of all persons) and high number of persons per household. As with Ault Field, there are very few owner occupied housing units in the tract.
Off site
The 1990 population of city of Oak Harbor was 17,176, a 40% increase over the 1980 population. This growth may be a result of retirees settling in the area. The 1990 population was 49.7% male and 50.3% female. About 84.8% of Oak Harbor residents are white, 4.4% black, 8.5% Asian or Pacific Islander, and 2.3% are of other races. About 5.3% of the residents were of Hispanic origin. Because many couples are in their childbearing years (40% of the population are between the ages of 21 and 39), nearly 23% of the population were under age 10. About 7.2% of the population were age 65 or older.
There were 5971 households in Oak Harbor in 1990, an average of 2.86 persons per household. Only 40% of all households were owner occupied, suggesting a highly transient population (meaning renters usually do not live in one residence for an extended period); this is typical of communities near military bases. The median value of owner occupied homes in 1990 was $86,500, and the median monthly rent paid for those homes is $411.
Block Groups (BGs) 1 and 3 in Census Tract (CT) 9701 cover an area east and north of Ault Field (see Appendix A, Figure 16). These BGs had a combined population of just over 2400. Population density was relatively low at 313 persons per square mile. Nearly 60% of households are owner occupied, which suggests a stable or nontransient population compared to Seaplane Base and Ault Field.
Block Group 1 in Census Tract 9704 is southeast of Ault Field and covers an area near the landfill. This area had a 1990 population of 734. The percentage of children was higher than the county average while the percent age 65 and older was lower. Well over 40% of occupied housing units were mobile homes, or four times the county average for mobile home occupancy. Just over half of all households were owner occupied.
Block Group 2 in Census Tract 9704 is south of Ault Field near Operable Unit 2. This BG had a total population of 1262 in 1990. The percent of persons aged 65 and older was less than half the county percentage. Over of all households were owner occupied, and nearly half of all occupied housing units were mobile homes.
Land use
On Site
Ault Field (4339 acres) is bordered by Puget Sound to the west and farming and residential communities to the north, east, and south. Ault Field contains two runways, taxiways, hangar and operations support facilities, family housing, an elementary school, small arms ranges, headquarters facilities, a golf course, and other recreational facilities. Other facilities at Ault Field include ready magazines, an active landfill, water and sewage treatment facilities, a theater, a library, hobby shops, medical and dental facilities, maintenance shops, a fire station, storage yards, fuel farms, and related facilities. Access to Ault Field is restricted to base personnel, their families and guests, and authorized visitors and contractors.
At Ault Field OU2, Navy RI contract personnel observed people picnicking, jogging, walking dogs, and riding motorcycles on paths that encircle Area 4 (8). A playground is about 75 feet southeast of Area 14, south of a drainage ditch that may have contaminants from Area 14. About 1200 feet south of the playground is a residential area (8). Area 29 is next to a golf course and is near several paths and roads that are used for jogging (8). The skeet range is to the east of Area 29, an archery club is to the northwest, and the 16th tee of the golf course is to the south.
The current fire school, which is about 1000 feet southwest of Area 4 in OU2, is not currently under investigation. ATSDR noted that the base hospital and bachelor officer quarters are about 2000-3000 feet northeast of the area.
Seaplane Base (2688 acres) is 1.5 miles south of Ault Field and is at the eastern
edge of the city of Oak Harbor. Principal activities at Seaplane Base are support
facilities, Commissary and Exchange, maintenance shops, and family housing units.
There are two schools, a child development center, a park, and playgrounds on
Seaplane Base (18). The Seaplane Base wastewater stabilization lagoons
and wastewater treatment plant are 1000 feet north of Areas 48 and 49.
Shellfish are recreationally harvested along the Crescent Harbor shores of Seaplane
Base. The Navy transferred three parcels of land on Seaplane Base, totaling
about 5.4 acres, to the General Services Administration in May 1992 for
excessing to the city of Oak Harbor and other organizations. The Opportunity
Council for Oak Harbor may receive one of those parcels under the Stewart B.
McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, for facilities to assist homeless people;
that parcel is next to Area 41. The final disposition of the land is unknown
at this point in time. The Navy suspects soil at Area 41 is contaminated
with pesticides and PCBs.
Off Site
Land is used primarily by tourists for fishing, camping, hunting, golfing, boating, and other recreational activities, and agriculture. East of OU1, Area 5, Highway 20/Hoffman Road Landfill, is a concrete plant and a gravel pit; land further east is occupied by woods, residences, a strip mall, and light industry. North of Area 5 is a wooded area, grassland, and the runway approach area. Ault Field Road is to the south.
Land east of OU1, Area 6, Landfill, contains residential lots, a trailer park, light industry, a gravel pit, and undeveloped fields. Oak Harbor Landfill is to the south and southwest of Area 6. The Auld Holland Inn (motel and trailer park) is to the immediate south and southeast of Area 6, and is the closest occupied building to Area 6. Land west of the area is forested with some open pasture land, several residences, and light industry along Goldie Road (10). During the site visit, ATSDR observed that the Oak Harbor Children's Center is on Goldie Road about 1800 feet west of the former hazardous waste storage area in Area 6. Ault Field Road and Area 5 are to the north.
OU4, Seaplane Base, is bordered by residential and farming communities to the north and east, residential areas of the city of Oak Harbor and Oak Harbor to the west, and Crescent Harbor to the south. Agricultural crops grown around NAS include hay, corn, squash, strawberries, and blackberries (19).
Natural Resource Use
Game, game fish, shellfish, groundwater, and surface water are the primary natural resources used near NAS Whidbey Island.
On site
Hunting is not allowed on Ault Field. Land on Ault Field is leased for growing hay and grain, and livestock grazing. Seaplane Base is an unrestricted base that is open to the public, except fuel farms and ordnance areas. Open spaces on Seaplane Base are used as state pheasant release sites.
Off site
Whidbey Island is a popular tourist location serving thousands of campers, boaters, hunters, fishing enthusiasts, and others who seek recreation during the summer months (20).
Woodland brush/grassland areas are habitat for deer, rabbit, red fox, coyote, weasel, and upland game birds. Intertidal zones have assorted organisms including cockleshells, clams, oysters, and geoducks (a type of large clam). Crescent Harbor has 5 miles of shoreline at Seaplane Base. Harvesting marine biota for consumption is reported along Crescent Harbor (21); however, most shellfishing occurs at Forbes Point and Maylor Point (42).
Groundwater use
General
The U.S. Geological Survey identified five aquifers above bedrock in Island County; labeled A through E from bottom to top. The aquifers are made up of sand or sand and gravel with confining layers of till, glaciomarine drift, clay, and silt. The aquifer elevations generally reflect the surface topography. Local perched water zones exist under several areas and probably contribute to the flow of some surface waters on NAS. The perched water zones contribute to some wetland areas. Aquifers C and D supply 90% of Island County's groundwater. During the RI of OU1, the Navy investigated the upper three aquifers; the shallow aquifer (Aquifer E), the intermediate aquifer (Aquifer D), and the deep aquifer (Aquifer C). The shallow aquifer is under Area 6 and is a source of drinking water for property owners near Area 6 who own wells (6). The shallow and intermediate aquifers may connect west of OU1 near Goldie Road (6). The city of Oak Harbor and the NAS Whidbey Island (Ault Field and Seaplane Base) purchase drinking water from the city of Anacortes, north of NAS. The water comes from the Skagit River on the mainland through a pipeline (22).
In April 1982, EPA designated the Whidbey Island aquifer as the sole or principal source of drinking water for Whidbey Island. The Safe Drinking Water Act defines a sole source aquifer as one that supplies drinking water to 50% or more of an area's population "and which if contaminated, would present a significant hazard to public health (23)."
On site
NAS maintains Well No. 4 at Building 284 in the Ault Field Central Core Area and Well No. 5 at Building 328 in the family housing area on the northwest side of Seaplane Base as backup supplies (Appendix A, Figure 5) (1). The Navy stopped using the wells because of high naturally occurring iron content (10). Base Well No. 4 intercepts a confined aquifer at 62-94 feet (8). Base Well No. 5 intercepts a confined aquifer at 270 feet.
Off site
Oak Harbor supplements about ¼ of its water from three city wells in the southwest part of the city. These wells are in the deep aquifer (>200 feet) and produce 120-200 gallons per minute (gpm) (10). About 290 domestic wells serve more than 10,000 residents within 3 miles of Oak Harbor and Area 6 landfills. About 70 private wells are within 1 mile of Area 6; of these wells intercept the shallow and intermediate aquifers and intercept the deep aquifer (10). More than 50% of these wells are south or downgradient of Area 6 (24). About 10,000 people living within a 3-mile radius of Seaplane Base are served by wells.
Surface water use
On site
Several fresh water and salt water wetlands exist on NAS Ault Field and Seaplane Base (Appendix A, Figure 13). There are wetlands within all the OUs on Ault Field and Seaplane Base. Most wetland areas on Ault Field flow to the east and northeast, including those in OU2, the Central Core Area, and possibly OU1. Those wetlands may contribute to the flow in the OU3 Area 16 runway ditches.
Off site
Area 16 runway ditches flow off site becoming a stream that ends at a lagoon near Dugualla Bay. The lagoon has no outlet, and the Navy periodically pumps the water from the lagoon to Dugualla Bay. Dugualla Bay receives runoff from most of Ault Field including OU2, OU3, and the Central Core Area (Appendix A, Figure 4 and 5). Water from the stream that flows east from Ault Field OU3 discharges to Dugualla Bay and may be used by farmers to irrigate crops (10), such as berries, corn, strawberries, and hay (19). During the site visit, ATSDR noted that there was a gravel parking area near the lagoon, but no evidence of fishing or other recreation. The lagoon will be sampled during the OU3 RI in 1992. There is a boat ramp in Dugualla Bay, but actual use or frequency of use is not known. Dugualla Bay provides feeding grounds for migratory waterfowl and great blue herons (3). The marina in Oak Harbor and the Navy Marina in Crescent Harbor are used by recreational boaters and fishing enthusiasts.
Crescent Harbor, near Forbes Point (25), is a recreational shellfishing area. The Asian population collects seaweed for consumption from Crescent Harbor. Crescent Harbor also receives an unknown amount of surface water runoff from the east and southeast part of OU1, Area 6, Landfill (6).
Agriculture
Over 750 acres of land at NAS Whidbey Island are leased for growing hay and grain for use as livestock feed (Appendix A, Figure 13). The agricultural areas are in east Clover Valley and south-central Ault Field. Agricultural areas are in OU2 and OU3. During the second site visit, the NAS Wildlife Biologist said that one agricultural field is 100 feet northeast of OU2 Area 29.
Health outcome databases document health effects that occur in populations. Those data, which come from sources such as state tumor registry databases, birth defects databases, vital statistics records, or other records, may provide information about the general health of the community living near a site. Other more specific records, such as hospital and medical records and records from site-specific health studies, may be used. Demographic data that provide information on population characteristics are used to analyze health outcome data.
The Washington Department of Health maintains a Vital Statistics Department and an Office of Registries. The Cancer Surveillance System (CSS) for the state is maintained by the Division of Public Health Sciences of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. The CSS works under contract to the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program of the National Cancer Institute.
The Vital Statistics Department gathers information on numbers of deaths, births, fetal deaths, marriages, and divorces for the state of Washington. Variables included in this database are geographic location (city, county, town); age; sex; race; address; cause of death; birthweight; gestational age; and birth defects.
The CSS database is the central repository for all newly diagnosed malignancies (except non-melanotic skin cancers) occurring in residents of thirteen counties of northwest-Washington State. The population covered is almost one million and includes five Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas (SMSA), the Seattle-Everett area (King County and Snohomish Counties), Tacoma (Pierce County), Kitsap, Thurston, and Whatcom counties. The population-based cancer surveillance system monitors the incidence and mortality of specific cancers over time. The variables collected in this database are designed to allow the detection of differential risks of cancer by geographic region, age, race, sex, marital status, social security number, occupation, type of cancer, extent of disease, treatment, hospital identification and other demographic data. This information is available for Island County since 1974.
The Washington Birth Defects Registry is a registry of children with serious birth defects diagnosed before their first birthdays. The database contains information by major birth defect classifications and by demographic factors: county of residence, sex, race, address, and mother's occupation, smoking history, and age. Data for births occurring in military hospitals are not included because the transitory nature of military personnel (and their families) limits the collection of long-term medical histories at any particular military facility, and that short-term medical histories have normally been excluded from state disease registries because such information would only confound long-term disease statistics (26).
As of August 1991, information was available for the entire state for 1986-1989. Health outcome data will be evaluated in the Public Health Implications section.
Concerns the community has about health are gathered to determine if specific health effects are being experienced by people who live or work near the site. Information from the public also helps ATSDR determine how people may have been or might be exposed to hazardous substances in the environment.
As part of their Community Relations Plan (CRP), the Navy conducted twenty community interviews between January 9 and 25, 1989 including citizens' group members, individuals, local officials and a few people in outlying areas of Whidbey Island (20). According to the CRP, the concerns voiced were about the environment. There were no health related concerns.
NAS Public Affairs Office, NAS Environmental Office, NAS Hospital, and Island County representatives had not received calls regarding environmental related health complaints.
ATSDR held public availability sessions on August 26, 1993 during the Public Comment period and gathered the following concerns:
Another resident complained that there is a lack of noise abatement measures at Whidbey Island.
Community health concerns will be evaluated in the subsequent Community Health Concerns Evaluation Section.
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