Document 6Rvz0kda1agQmnvpQrnaMVZ3

AR226-2285 Frank D S m ith 05/10/2002 02:42 P M To: Jam es F Riley/CL/DuPont@ DuPont, Catherine A Barton/AE/DuPont@DuPont, Kenneth N W ood/AE/DuPont@ DuPont, Craig L Bartletl/AE/DuPont@DuPont c c: Isidores JZan ikos/A E/D uP ont DuPont, M ichael J Lukas/AE/DuPontDuPont, R 0 3 3 E Austin/AE/DuPont@ DuPont@ DuPont, Bernard J Reilly/AE/DuPont@DuPont Subject: Parkersburg N ew s & Sentinel Coverage on C -8 Protective Level Circleville Team, In light of the new drinking water standard as discussed in the attached, we need to re-evaluate our sam pling plans for C ircleville. I suggest we have a face to face meeting a t BM P 27 or at Brandywine Bldg to discuss and tie Jim in by phone. How about next Thursday @ 9am ? Frank --------------Forwarded by Frank D Smith/AE/DuPon! on 05/10/2002 02:33 PM Isidores J Zanikos . /./sa^;ip5/1Q/2Q02p2;2^ T o : Frank D Smith/AE/DuPont @ DuPont, M ichael R LJberati/AE/DuPont DuPont cc: Subject: Parkersburg N ew s & Sentinel Coverage on C-8 Protective Level Forwarded by Isidores J Zanlkos/AE/DuPont on 05/10/2002 02:26 PM -- L . Diane R Shom per 05/10/2002 07:32 A M To: George H Senktet_Jr/AE/DuPont @ DuPont, R Clifton W ebb/AE/DuPont@ DuPont, Martha L Rees/AE/DuPont@ DuPont, John R Bowman/AE/DuPont@ DuPont, Kathleen H Forte/AE/DuPont@ DuPont, Isldoros J Zanikos/AE/DuPont@ DuPont, Janet H W aters/CL/DuPont@ DuPont, Tim othy P M ccann/DuPont@ DuPont, Kathleen A Shellon/AE/DuPont@ DuPont, David M Rurak/AE/DuPont@ DuPont, Paul J Bossert/AE/DuPont DuPont, Dawn D Jackson/CL/DuPont DuPont, Robbin Banerjes/AE/DuPont @ DuPont, G eorge A AlnsJey/SE/DuPont@ DuPont, Andrew S Hartten/AE/DuPont@DuPont, M . Ann Bradley/STB/DUP @ D U P , H eather H . Jones/STB/D U P @ D U P cc: Subject: Parkersburg N ew s & Sentinel Coverage on C -8 Protective Level C 8 s a fe ty limits s e t b y ex p e rts FROM STAFF REPO RTS A fter a ye ar of co n tro ve rsy a n d testing, a team of scientific experts h a s d e ve lo p ed a hu m an health p rotective level fo r a m m o n iu m perfluorooctanoate, a ls o know n a s C 8 , in drinking w ater. S in c e th e 1950s, C 8 h a s b e e n u se d by D u P ont's W a sh in g to n W orks plant a n d w asn't s u b je ct to fed eral or W e s t V irginia e m is s io n s o r d is c h a rg e lim itations. S ta te environm ental reg u lato rs a n d public health officials m a d e the a n n o u n ce m en t T h u rsd a y . It w a s d e te rm in e d a w a t e r le v e l c o n ta in in g le s s t h a n 1 5 0 p a r ts p e r b illio n o f C 8 w o u ld n o t c a u s e h a r m to h u m a n s, said D e e A n n S ta a ts, P h .D ., scien ce a d viser for the W est Virginia Departm ent o f Environm ental CABO000X9 E ID 5 4 6 8 6 8 Protection. In an e-m ailed press release, Paul Bossert, plant manager at W ashington W orks, responded to the findings. "DuPont respects ih e science-based process that w as used to determ ine a human health protective level for C8, and we w ill continue to fully comply with all the terms of our agreem ents with state and federal regulators," Bossert wrote. "W e are pleased that the toxicity team 's conclusions support DuPont's position that the presence of C 8 at the low levels detected to date in drinking water in the M id-Ohio V alley is not harm ful." Dawn Jackson, external affairs assistant at W ashington W orks, declined comment on the findings, referring media calls to the press release. Tests revealed the highest concentrations of C 8 in any w ell water tested in W est Virginia near the plant was 10.32 parts per billion - substantially below the announced health protective level. O fficials said they w ill continue to work on a human health protective level for a ir em issions and will announce that number as soon as it is determined by the toxicology team. A decision is expected soon, they said. Staats led a 10-member team com prised of toxicologists from the W V D EP and consultants from the nonprofit organization Toxicology Excellence in R isk Assessm ent, U .S. Environm ental Protection Agency Region ill, EPA headquarters in W ashington, D.C., the Centers lor D isease Control's Agency for Toxic Substances and D isease Registry and DuPont. Team members approved the health protective level after two days of m eetings at E P A offices In Cincinnati this week. They reviewed all relevant scientific studies on the potential health effects of C8, according to a press release from the W VD EP. Last November the team w as established and met under the terms o f a consent order entered into by W est Virginia regulators and DuPont. That order set forth a series of tasks, Including the toxicological and human health assessm ent to determine whether there has been any Impact on human health or the environment as a result of releases of C 8 from the plant. DuPont is bound to abide by the findings of the toxicological team and to take a ll applicable actions to reduce C 8 exposure below the protective levels established by the experts, according to the W VD EP's press release. "The team thoroughly reviewed the scientific studies and unanim ously agreed to the human health protective levels for drinking water," Staats said. "We brought together som e of the best scientists in the country. I am confident the human health protective levels established by the team are supported by the data. "These findings should bring com fort to the citizens ol the Wood and M ason co un ties.". Dr. Henry G . Taylor, state health officer and com m issioner of the Bureau for Public Health, said, "Collaboration between all parties to develop this health protective level is an important step in m aintaining and assuring safe drinking water for the citizens in these areas of W ood and M ason counties." GAB000020 E ID 5 4 6 86 9 A public meeting w ill be conducted by the W VDEP from 6-8 p.m. W ednesday at Blennerhassett M iddle School to discuss the work of the toxicological team and the impact of C8 exposure on W est Virginia residents. The Novem ber 2001 order requires DuPont to take steps to reduce em issions of C8, to document the extent of C 8 in the environment and to take any actions necessary to protect the public from drinking water with levels of C 8 above 150 parts per billion. Under the direction of the W VD EP, groundwater in the affected area has been undergoing testing since last year. Results indicate no public or private drinking water sources contain levels of C8 above the health protective level for water. "W hile we are relieved that no drinking water supply in W est Virginia has tested at or above the health protective levels, there is still a lot of work to finish and should the need arise, the order requires DuPont to reduce the exposure level should a water source be found to be above the health protective level," said Dave W atkins of W V D EP and head of the Groundwater Investigation Steering Team . "W e wilt discuss these topics at the upcoming public meeting" W atkins' team exam ined w ells along the Ohio R iver from Parkersburg to Pom eroy, Ohio. W ater testing within the Ohio River itself will start shortly under W atkins' direction. Those results should be available within a month of the com pletion of the team's work. E P A and the O hio Environmental Protection Agency w ill hold a public m eeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at W arren High School in Vincent to discuss C 8 levels in Ohio. In M arch, DuPont established an Internet W eb site, www.c-8intorm.com, offering key facts about C 8 and its use history, sum m aries of health studies, W est Virginia regulatory activity and an interactive page where citizens can e-m aii questions to the company. A toll-free number, (888) 533-8266, w as established for a direct connection to the plant's external affairs office. CAB000021 EXD 546870