PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT
BLOOMINGTON PCB SITES
BLOOMINGTON, MONROE COUNTY, INDIANA
SPENCER, OWEN COUNTY, INDIANA
APPENDICES
Appendix B - Community Involvement Plan
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Community Involvement Plan
September 29, 1994
I. Introduction
ATSDR and the Bloomington PCB Project
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is a federal public health agency. ATSDR's mission is to
prevent exposure and adverse human health effects and diminished quality of life associated with exposure to hazardous
substances from waste sites, unplanned releases, and other sources of pollution present in the environment.
ATSDR is undertaking a multi-phase project to address concerns related to the impact on public health of polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCB) contamination in Bloomington, Indiana, and the nearby area. Appendix A to this community involvement
plan (CIP) contains background information about this project.
II. Community Involvement
Purpose
The purpose of the CIP is to develop effective strategies for communication between ATSDR and the Bloomington
community throughout the project, to facilitate productive exchange of information, and to ensure that community concerns
are adequately addressed.
Community Profile
Bloomington is on Highway 39, 45 miles southwest of Indianapolis. An industrial and college town, Bloomington has a
population of approximately 61,000. The main campus of the University of Indiana is in Bloomington.
Community Involvement Activities
ATSDR uses the following methods of communication:
Community Health Concerns
Community health concerns are one of three main types of site-specific information ATSDR uses when developing a public
health assessment. Environmental data and health outcome data are the other two types. Community involvement activities
of the Bloomington Project include gathering community health concerns that are related to environmental exposures and
that fall under ATSDR's scope of responsibilities and legal authority.
ISDH collected many health concerns from the Bloomington community during preparation of the Preliminary Report; these
concerns are addressed in that document. ATSDR will provide opportunities for the community to inform the Agency about
additional community health concerns through public meetings, public availability sessions, and the toll-free telephone
number.
Level of Community Concern
Environmental groups and the citizens of Bloomington are interested and actively involved in the activities associated with
the PCB contamination in the Bloomington area. The citizens have formed and/or joined several organizations to address
their concerns. These organizations are listed in the contact list in Appendix B.
Agency Coordination of Community Involvement
ATSDR Bloomington PCB Project personnel (Tables 1 and 2) meet biweekly to update one another about Division and
ISDH activities. Also, the project director will keep EPA Region V and interested congressional members informed.
III. Bloomington PCB Project Personnel - (CRS #L00 A171)
Figure 1. Site Locations and Haul Routes
Figure 2. Bloomington Incinerator Facility
Bloomington Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Project
| Personnel | Project Responsibilities | ATSDR Office |
| Marie Patterson, Environmental Health Scientist 1-800-PCB-8904 |
Community Involvement Contact for Project |
DHAC |
| Louise Fabinski (312) 886-0840 |
Regional Representative (V) | ORO |
| Jerry Pereira, MPA | ATSDR Community Involvement Liaison |
DHS |
Table 2: Directors, Co-Chairs, and Other Personnel
| Personnel | Project Responsibilities | Office |
| Maureen Lichtveld, MD, MPH (404) 639-0566 |
Project Director | PHPCG |
| Allan Susten, PhD, DABT (404) 639-0631 |
Technical Director | DHAC |
| Annette Dodd | Program Analyst | PHPCG |
| Cheri Ahern and Connie Cutwright | Secretaries | DHAC and PHPCG |
| Lee Sanderson, PhD | Health Panel Co-Chair | DHAC |
| Obaid Faroon, PhD, DVM | Health Panel Co-Chair | DT |
| Betty Willis, MS | Incinerator Panel Co-Chair | DHAC |
| Joe Carpenter, PE | NIRT Panel Co-Chair | DHAC |
| Lynn Wilder, MS | NIRT Panel Co-Chair | DHAC |
| Diane Narkunas, MPH | Health Professions Education | DHE |
| Gary Mills and Dollis Wright | Preparation of Preliminary Report through cooperative agreement with ATSDR | ISDH |
DHAC: Division of Health Assessment and Consultation, ATSDR
ORO: Office of Regional Operations, ATSDR
PHPCG: Public Health Practice Coordination Group, ATSDR
DHE: Division of Health Education, ATSDR
DHS: Division of Health Studies, ATSDR
DT: Division of Toxicology, ATSDR
ISDH: Indiana State Department of Health
NIRT: Non-Incineration Remedial Technologies
IV. Community Involvement Activity Schedule
Date of Draft CIP: December 16, 1993 Last Update: August 25, 1994
| Date | Type of communication | Media Release | Location of PM or PAS | Attendees at PM or PAS | Information Communicated | ||
| PM | PAS | Other | |||||
| Feb 93 | Yes | Mailout to 75 community members. | Yes | Binford Elementary School Auditorium | ATSDR, ISDH Community |
Fact sheet described project and upcoming PM; informed community about project. | |
| Mar 93 | Mailout to 103 community members; received letters from the community. | Informed community about project and the panel workshop; requested panel nominations. | |||||
| Apr 93 | Yes | Yes | Attended CIC Meeting. | Yes | Union Hall | ATSDR, ISDH Community | Updated community; received CHCs; requested panel nominations; responded to questions/comments from community. |
| May 93 | Received letters and panel nominations from the community. | Responded to questions and comments from community | |||||
| Jun 93 | Mailout to 120 community members. | Flier announced toll-free 1-800 number. | |||||
| Aug 93 | Yes | Handouts for meeting. | Yes | ATSDR, ISDH Community |
Fact sheet described project; updated community; discussed upcoming Expert Panel Workshop. | ||
| Sep 93 | Yes | Yes | Expert Panel
Workshop; evening summaries; handouts. |
Yes | Indiana University | ATSDR, ISDH,
Panelists Community |
Expert Panel Workshop conducted; ATSDR received CHCs during public meetings. |
| Nov 93 | Yes (ISDH) | Yes | Bloomington High School South | ISDH Community |
Presented public comment draft of the Preliminary report. | ||
| Feb 94 | Yes | Yes | Mailout to 134 community members-; Handouts, including business reply cards. | Yes | Indiana University | ATSDR, NIOSH,
ISDH Community |
Updated community; DHAC presented PHA process; DHE presented Health Professions Education; NIOSH presented their studies. |
| Mar 94 | Responded to business reply cards from community. | Added names to mailing list; provided information. | |||||
| May 94 | 90-day update; mailout to 155 community members. |
Updated community about Health Professions Education, March 1994; NIOSH study; Proceedings of the Expert Panel Workshop; ISDH work on two additional sites; and the PHA. | |||||
| Aug 94 | Mailout of 90-day update to 166 community members. | Updated community about NIOSH study; ISDH consultations on two additional sites; the PHA; and the public meeting planned in September 1994. | |||||
| Sep 94 | Yes | Mailout of Proceedings of Expert Panel Workshop and PHA; notification of public meeting to 166 community members. | Yes | ATSDR, ISDH Community |
Mailed out the Proceedings of the Expert Panel Workshop and the PHA to community and interested government officials for public comment. Public meeting to obtain questions/comments from community about reports; update on NIOSH study, and ISDH consultations. | ||
| Early 95 | Yes | Mailout
announcing public
meeting with
agenda (90-day update). |
Yes | ATSDR, ISDH Community |
Public meeting to present final documents: PHA and Proceedings of the Expert Panel Workshop. | ||
Note: Future community involvement activities are denoted by shaded area.
| PM: Public Meeting PAS: Public Availability Session |
CIC: Citizens' Information Committee CHC: Community Health Concern |
PHA: Public Health Assessment |
Appendix A
of the Community Involvement Plan
Background Information
ATSDR Bloomington PCB Project
Background Information
Westinghouse Electric Corporation in Bloomington, Indiana, manufactured electrical capacitors containing PCBs from 1958 to 1977. Capacitors that did not meet specifications were discarded in area landfills and limestone quarries, resulting in more than 650,000 cubic yards of PCB-contaminated materials.
Pursuant to the consent decree signed on May 25, 1985, by Westinghouse Electric Corporation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, the City of Bloomington, and Monroe County, Westinghouse is required to remove an estimated 650,000 cubic yards of PCB-contaminated soil, sludge, solid waste, and stream sediments from six sites in the Bloomington area. These six sites include four National Priorities List (NPL) sites: Bennett Stone Quarry, Lemon Lane Landfill, Neal's Landfill, and Neal's Dump, and two non-NPL sites: Anderson Road Landfill and the Winston-Thomas Sewage Treatment Plant.
The first phase of the consent decree requires removal and remedial measures to contain the six sites until the extensive excavation of PCB-contaminated materials begins. The second phase of the consent decree covers the permitting, construction, and operation of a high-temperature incinerator that will use municipal solid wastes as fuel and will incinerate the PCB-contaminated materials excavated from all the consent decree sites.
Because of health concerns expressed by some Bloomington area residents, Sen. Richard Lugar and Rep. Frank McCloskey requested that the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) address any potential public health implications of incinerating PCB-contaminated soil associated with the six sites. ATSDR will determine the potential public health implications of incinerating the PCB-contaminated soil associated with the six sites and will identify and evaluate pertinent public health considerations associated with other technically feasible non-incineration remedial technologies. ATSDR's public health assessment contains the information developed through these evaluation efforts. The public health assessment document presents the results of the ATSDR Bloomington PCB Project.
Several environmental and health studies about the PCB contamination in Bloomington were conducted before ATSDR's involvement. Descriptions of those studies and their results can be found in the Bloomington PCB Project Description, which is included in the Proceedings of the Expert Panel Workshop To Evaluate the Public Health Implications of the Treatment and Disposal of Polychlorinated Biphenyls-Contaminated Waste. (ATSDR, 1994).
Bloomington PCB Project - Purposes and Tasks
The Bloomington PCB Project has three purposes:
To conduct a comprehensive public health assessment of the public health impact of six hazardous waste sites containing PCB-contaminated soil;
To fulfill those purposes, ATSDR has defined four tasks that are being conducted concurrently:
Task 1: Develop a preliminary evaluation of all past, present, and future human exposure pathways; available health outcome data; and community health concerns associated with the six sites. This evaluation was conducted by the Indiana State Department of Health under a cooperative agreement with ATSDR. Comments received from the community during the public comment period were addressed in the final preliminary report, which was completed in April 1994.
Task 2: Conduct a comprehensive review of past PCB-related health studies.
Task 3: Perform an evaluation of the public health implications of incinerating the PCB-contaminated waste.
Task 4: Evaluate the public health considerations of other technically feasible non-incineration remedial strategies.
Three panels of national experts assisted ATSDR in conducting tasks 2, 3, and 4. In September 1993, ATSDR convened the
panels at a workshop in Bloomington. The panels were charged with identifying and evaluating all pertinent data and
information related to the public health implications of human exposure to PCBs. The overall workshop proceedings report
was made available for public comment in September 1994. The public health assessment document is also being made
available for public comment in September 1994.
Appendix B
of the Community Involvement Plan
Repositories and Contact Lists
Repositories
| Monroe County Public Library Erin Cornish, Reference Librarian 303 East Kirkwood Avenue Bloomington, IN 47401 |
(812) 339-2271 |
| Monroe County Public Library Documents Department 600 West Temperance Ellettsville, IN 47429 |
(812) 876-1272 |
| Spencer Owen Public Library 110 East Market Spencer, IN 47460 |
(812) 829-3392 |
| Monroe County Board of Health Steve Creech, Administrator 119 W. 7th Street Bloomington, IN 47401 |
(812) 333-3543 |
| Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs Mike Parrish, Reference Librarian 10th and Fee Lane Bloomington, IN 47405 |
(812) 855-1385 |
| Indiana University Main Library Government Publications Department Bloomington, IN 47405 |
(812) 855-8028 |
Community Contacts, Local Civic Organizations, and Indiana University
Dr. Debara A. Backhus,
IU School of Public and
Environmental Affairs
Mr. Mike Baker
Coalition Opposed to PCB Ash Landfill
Ms. Margo Blackwell
People Against The Incinerator
Mr. Lee Caulfield
Bloomington Rotary Club
Mr. Lynn Coyne
Chamber of Commerce
Mr. John R. Foster
Bloomington Environmental Commission
Ms. Linda Greene
People Against the Incinerator
Dr. Sally Hageman
League of Women Voters
Dr. Diane Henshel
IU School of Public and
Environmental Affairs
Ms. Dawn Hewitt
Audubon Society
Ms. Sarah Hodgdon
Director, Student Environmental
Action Coalition
Indiana University Student Assoc.
Dr. Michael List, Chairperson
Citizen's Information Committee
Ms. Rachael Loop
Indiana Public Interest Research Group
Dr. Leland Matthews
President, Monroe County Medical Society
Dr. Rob Stone
Physicians for Social Responsibility
Mr. Tom Tokarski
Sassafras Audubon Society
Mr. John Watkins
Indiana University Medical Sciences
City Officials
Hon. Tomilea J. Allison
Mayor, City of Bloomington
220 E. Third Street
Bloomington, IN 47401-3513
Ms. Iris Kiesling
Bloomington Common Council
Municipal Building, 200 East Third
P.O. Box 100
Bloomington, IN 47402
Mr. Kirk White
Bloomington Common Council
Municipal Building, 200 East Third
P.O. Box 100
Bloomington, IN 47402
Mr. Geoffry Grodner
City Attorney
P.O. Box 5787
Bloomington, IN 46407-5787
Mr. John Langley
City Utilities Service Board
P.O. box 1216
1969 S. Henderson
Bloomington, IN 47402
U.S. Congressional Delegation
Ms. Sue Anne Gilroy
State Director, Senator Richard Lugar
Suite 1180 Market Tower
10 West Market Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2906
Mr. Curt Smith
State Director, Senator Dan Coats
Suite 1180 Market Tower
10 West Market Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2906
Rep. Frank McCloskey's
District Office
501 South Madison
Bloomington, IN 47403
State Officials
Senator Vi Simpson
District 40, Indiana State Senate
State House
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Rep. Wendell L. Tincher
District 46, Indiana State Senate
State House
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Rep. Jerry Bales
District 60, Indiana State Senate
State House
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Rep. Mark Kruzan
District 61, Indiana State Senate
State House
Indianapolis, IN 46204
County Officials
Mr. Timothy Tilton
Monroe County Board of Commissioners
119 W. 7th Street, County Building
Bloomington, IN 47401
Ms. Joyce Poling
Monroe County Board of Commissioners
119 W. 7th Street, County Building
Bloomington, IN 47401
Mr. David Hamilton (Dist 1)
Monroe County Council
119 W. 7th Street, County Building
Bloomington, IN 47401
Mr. Warren Henegar (Dist 2)
Monroe County Council
119 W. 7th Street, County Building
Bloomington, IN 47401
Mr. Walter McClung (Dist 4)
Monroe County Council
119 W. 7th Street, County Building
Bloomington, IN 47401
Mr. Morris Binkley, At-Large Member
Monroe County Council
119 W. 7th Street, County Building
Bloomington, IN 47401
Mr. Steve Creech, Administrator
Monroe County Health Department
119 W. Seventh Street
Bloomington, IN 47404-3989
Dr. Richard Owens
President, Monroe County Board of Health
3600 Ramp Creek Road
Bloomington, IN 47401-9650
Mr. James Trulock
County Attorney
Monroe County Courthouse, Room 220
Bloomington, IN 47404
Mr. Jesse Robinson
Civil Defense Director
Monroe County, County Building
119 W. 7th Street
Bloomington, IN 47401
Indiana State Department of Health
| Dr. Greg Steele Environmental Epidemiology Section Epidemiology Resource Center 1330 West Michigan Street Indianapolis, IN 46206 |
(317) 633-0808 |
| Indiana Department of Environmental Management | |
| Mr. Rex Osburn Superfund Site Management IN Dept. of Environmental Management P.O. Box 6015 Indianapolis, IN 46206 |
|
| Federal Agencies | |
| Ms. Sona Chambers EPA Community Relations Office 022 Fountain Square Bloomington, IN 47404 |
(812) 333-5372 |
| Mr. Dan Hopkins EPA, Region V (HSRL-6J) 77 W. Jackson Street Chicago, IL 60604 |
|
| Mr. Dan Sparks U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 718 W. Walnut Bloomington, IN 47404 |
(812) 876-2082 |
| Westinghouse Contact | |
| Mr. Jim Patrick Site Project Manager Westinghouse P.O. Box 997 Bloomington, IN 47402-0997 |
(812) 334-0030 |
| Media Contacts | |
| Newspapers/Newswires | |
| The Herald-Times P.O. Box 909 1900 S. Walnut Bloomington, IN 47402 Jackie Sheckler Bill Strother, City Editor |
(812) 331-4369 fax (812) 331-4285 |
| Indiana Daily Student Ernie Pyle Hall Room 120 Indiana University Bloomington, IN 47405 |
(812) 335-0763 |
| Indianapolis Star P.O. Box 145 307 N. Pennsylvania Indianapolis, IN 46206-0145 Attn: Ed Bond or Kyle Niederpruem |
(317) 633-1240 |
| The Louisville Courier Journal 525 W. Broadway Louisville, KY 40202 Indian Section Bureau Chief 419 W. First Street New Albany, IN 47150 |
(502) 582-4011 |
| Ellettsville Journal P.O. Box 98 Ellettsville, In 47429 |
(812) 876-2254 |
| Spencer Evening World 114 E. Franklin Spencer, IN 47460 |
(812) 829-2255 |
| The Times-Mail P.O. Box 849 Bedford, IN 47421 |
(812) 275-3355 |
| The Martinsville Reporter 60 S. Jefferson Martinsville, IN 46151 |
(317) 342-3311 |
| Paoli News-Republican P.O. Box 190 Paoli, IN 47451 |
(812) 723-2572 |
| Television | |
| WTTV, Channel 4 3490 Bluff Road Indianapolis, IN 46217 |
(317) 787-2211 |
| WRTV, Channel 6 1230 N. Meridian Indianapolis, IN 46206 |
(317) 635-9788 |
| WISH-TV, Channel 8 1950 N. Meridian Indianapolis IN 46206 |
(317) 924-4381 |
| CATV, Channel 3/29 303 E. Kirkwood Bloomington, IN 47401 Michael White, Director |
(812) 339-2271 x20 |
| Radio | |
| WBWB Radio 304 State Road 446 Bloomington, IN 47401 Jeannine Shannon, News Editor |
(812) 336-8000 |
| WTTS/WGTC Radio 400 One City Center Bloomington, IN 47401 |
(812) 332-3366 |
| WFIU Radio Radio/TV Building Indiana University Bloomington, IN 47408 Margaret Joseph, News Director |
(812) 855-1357 |
| WLSO Star 93 Radio P.O. Box 388 Spencer, IN 47460 |
(812) 332-6229 |
| WBIW-WQRK Radio P.O. Box 388 Spencer, IN 47460 |
(812) 275-7555 |
| WCBK Radio 1639 Burton Lane Martinsville, IN 46151 |
(317) 342-3394 |
