Health Outcomes in Escambia and Santa Rosa CountiesHealth Outcomes in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties

Issue:Issue: Higher health risks found in:Higher health risks found in:

InfantsInfants Elderly (age >65) Elderly (age >65) Blacks Blacks PoorPoor

Recommendation:Recommendation: Implement measures to correct apparent disparity in Implement measures to correct apparent disparity in

health outcomes so as to improve community healthhealth outcomes so as to improve community health

Population near the Population near the Escambia Treating Company (ETC) SiteEscambia Treating Company (ETC) Site

Issue:Issue: Relatively higher prevalence of certain diseases:Relatively higher prevalence of certain diseases:

Cervical/uterine and prostate cancers Cervical/uterine and prostate cancers Hypertension Hypertension Diabetes Diabetes Hepatitis Hepatitis

Recommendation:Recommendation: Requires follow-up evaluation and treatmentRequires follow-up evaluation and treatment

Lead assessments for older homesLead assessments for older homes

Issue:Issue: Elevated lead levels found in older homes Elevated lead levels found in older homes

Recommendations:Recommendations: Continue assessments for lead contamination in homes Continue assessments for lead contamination in homes

built prior to 1979built prior to 1979 Undertake appropriate remediation measures to protect Undertake appropriate remediation measures to protect

children’s healthchildren’s health

Air QualityAir Quality

Issues:Issues: Potential health risks from:Potential health risks from:

Particulate pollution (PMParticulate pollution (PM2.52.5) ) Emissions from mobile sources Emissions from mobile sources Atmospheric deposition of mercuryAtmospheric deposition of mercury

Recommendations:Recommendations: Local and regional controls should be implemented for Local and regional controls should be implemented for

reducing PMreducing PM2.52.5 pollution pollution Corrective measures to reduce mercury emissions, as Corrective measures to reduce mercury emissions, as

being implemented at Plant Crist in Pensacola, are being implemented at Plant Crist in Pensacola, are needed for coal-fired power plants throughout the needed for coal-fired power plants throughout the southeastsoutheast

Air Quality--Air Quality--ContinuedContinued

Recommendation:Recommendation: Improved traffic flow, improved fuel consumption Improved traffic flow, improved fuel consumption

efficiency of automobiles, usage of hybrid or electric-efficiency of automobiles, usage of hybrid or electric-powered vehicles, and increased usage of mass transit powered vehicles, and increased usage of mass transit systems are neededsystems are needed

Recommendations:Recommendations: Reduce personal risks from hazardous air pollutants by Reduce personal risks from hazardous air pollutants by

decreasing: decreasing: Exposure to outdoor pollutionExposure to outdoor pollution Infiltration of outdoor pollution into buildingsInfiltration of outdoor pollution into buildings Emissions from indoor sourcesEmissions from indoor sources Uptake of pollutants through foodUptake of pollutants through food

Surface SoilsSurface Soils Issues:Issues: Potential health risks fromPotential health risks from: :

CCA (Chromate Copper Arsenate)-treated structuresCCA (Chromate Copper Arsenate)-treated structures Elevated arsenic levelsElevated arsenic levels Elevated PAH levels at a few sitesElevated PAH levels at a few sites

Recommendations:Recommendations: CCA (Chromate Copper Arsenate)-treated structures CCA (Chromate Copper Arsenate)-treated structures

should be removed from public places and playgrounds.should be removed from public places and playgrounds. Areas with arsenic above RSCTL should be monitored in Areas with arsenic above RSCTL should be monitored in

relation to residential areas/developmentrelation to residential areas/development The elevated PAH levels, exceeding Florida DEP’s The elevated PAH levels, exceeding Florida DEP’s

SCTL, at some locations in the Palafox industrial corridor SCTL, at some locations in the Palafox industrial corridor need to be followedneed to be followed

Pollutants in the Pensacola Bay SystemPollutants in the Pensacola Bay System

Issues:Issues: Contaminated aquifersContaminated aquifers Point and non-point pollution sourcesPoint and non-point pollution sources Impacts of dredgingImpacts of dredging Inadequate monitoring Inadequate monitoring

Recommendation:Recommendation: The presence of contaminated aquifers (mostly The presence of contaminated aquifers (mostly

groundwater plumes from Superfund Sites) requires groundwater plumes from Superfund Sites) requires continued monitoring of the sediments, pore water, and continued monitoring of the sediments, pore water, and the waters of local estuariesthe waters of local estuaries

Pollutants in the Pensacola Bay System--Pollutants in the Pensacola Bay System--ContinuedContinued

Recommendation:Recommendation: The impacts of point source historical discharges of The impacts of point source historical discharges of

pollutants (e.g., PCBs discharged to Escambia River/Bay pollutants (e.g., PCBs discharged to Escambia River/Bay System) need to be monitored, and appropriate System) need to be monitored, and appropriate corrective/protective actions should be taken corrective/protective actions should be taken

Recommendation:Recommendation: Whereas periodic dredging is needed to facilitate Whereas periodic dredging is needed to facilitate

navigation in rivers/bays/bayous, the placement of the navigation in rivers/bays/bayous, the placement of the dredged spoils and the potential impacts of pollutants dredged spoils and the potential impacts of pollutants from this source on the corresponding water bodies have from this source on the corresponding water bodies have to be consideredto be considered

Pollutants in the Pensacola Bay System--Pollutants in the Pensacola Bay System--ContinuedContinued

Recommendation:Recommendation: Monitoring of sediments for pollutant loads should Monitoring of sediments for pollutant loads should

continue, especially for those areas currently known to continue, especially for those areas currently known to contain elevated levels of toxic pollutants in the contain elevated levels of toxic pollutants in the Pensacola Bay SystemPensacola Bay System

Recommendation:Recommendation: The unexpected detections of DDT above the PEL in the The unexpected detections of DDT above the PEL in the

Escambia River and associated wetlands merit further Escambia River and associated wetlands merit further investigationinvestigation

Contaminants in Fish and ShellfishContaminants in Fish and Shellfish

Issues: Issues: Inadequate monitoring for pollutants other than mercuryInadequate monitoring for pollutants other than mercury Inconsistent or inadequate screening thresholdsInconsistent or inadequate screening thresholds Low public awareness of fish consumption advisoriesLow public awareness of fish consumption advisories

Recommendation:Recommendation: A systematic survey of target contaminants (not only A systematic survey of target contaminants (not only

mercury but also PCBs, dioxins/furans and dioxin-like mercury but also PCBs, dioxins/furans and dioxin-like PCBs) in fish/shellfish needs to be undertaken at the PCBs) in fish/shellfish needs to be undertaken at the state level, and also extended by appropriate agencies state level, and also extended by appropriate agencies for similar Gulf-wide surveys of contaminants in for similar Gulf-wide surveys of contaminants in commonly caught and consumed fishescommonly caught and consumed fishes

Contaminants in Fish and Shellfish--Contaminants in Fish and Shellfish--ContinuedContinued

Recommendation: Recommendation: Screening values used to establish consumption Screening values used to establish consumption

advisories differ considerably at state and national advisories differ considerably at state and national levels, even between federal agencies, and efforts levels, even between federal agencies, and efforts should be made to establish uniform standards to protect should be made to establish uniform standards to protect public healthpublic health

Recommendation:Recommendation: Among the pollutants of concern from local water bodies, Among the pollutants of concern from local water bodies,

the screening value adopted by the State of Florida for the screening value adopted by the State of Florida for PCBs (50 ng/kg) is higher than that set by EPA (20 PCBs (50 ng/kg) is higher than that set by EPA (20 ng/kg) for recreational fisher consumption, and the ng/kg) for recreational fisher consumption, and the former threshold should be reevaluated and given the former threshold should be reevaluated and given the same resolution in its application as done for mercury same resolution in its application as done for mercury screening thresholds in relation to sensitive/general screening thresholds in relation to sensitive/general population groups and variable consumption ratespopulation groups and variable consumption rates

Contaminants in Fish and Shellfish--Contaminants in Fish and Shellfish--ContinuedContinued

Recommendation:Recommendation: In view of the widespread dioxin/furan loads, along with In view of the widespread dioxin/furan loads, along with

dioxin-like PCBs, in fish/shellfish, the State of Florida dioxin-like PCBs, in fish/shellfish, the State of Florida should establish guidelines for issuing consumption should establish guidelines for issuing consumption advisories based on TEQ loads advisories based on TEQ loads

Recommendation:Recommendation: As done in several other states, State of Florida should As done in several other states, State of Florida should

issue an advisory against consumption of blue crab issue an advisory against consumption of blue crab hepatopancreas, based on toxicant loads hepatopancreas, based on toxicant loads

Contaminants in fish and shellfish--Contaminants in fish and shellfish--ContinuedContinued

Recommendation:Recommendation: At the state and national levels, there is a need to At the state and national levels, there is a need to

augment public awareness of fish consumption augment public awareness of fish consumption advisories and provide information that would enable advisories and provide information that would enable consumers to understand the benefits/risks from consumers to understand the benefits/risks from consumption of fish/shellfishconsumption of fish/shellfish

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