Seattle, WA. -- A Health Impact Assessment (HIA) of EPA's Proposed Cleanup Plan for Seattle's Duwamish River will be released today, following a Briefing to the Seattle City Council. The lower Duwamish River is a federal Superfund Site, and EPA has issued its proposed cleanup plan for public review and comment. This HIA is the first in the nation for a Superfund cleanup plan, and was conducted by the University of Washington School of Public Health and two non-profit organizations: Just Health Action and the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition/ Technical Advisory Group (DRCC/TAG).
The HIA examined impacts on three communities: residents, Tribes, and subsistence fishers, using the World Health Organization's definition of health as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."
"This is a rigorous and comprehensive evalution of how the cleanup decisions we are making today will affect the health of our most vulnerable communities into the future," says BJ Cummings of Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition/TAG, EPA's community advisory group for the site. "It’s essential that we ensure that this cleanup will protect everyone's health to the greatest extent possible."
restrictions on Tribal rights and practices, and harmful effects of disempowerment and/or depression, if resources are not fully restored.
The report released today is an Advance HIA Report, with findings and recommendations to date. A separate news release from the University of Washington School of Public Health will provide additional details and information from lead UW researcher, Dr. Bill Daniell.
A Final HIA Report, including an assessment of health effects on workers and employment, and potential neighborhood and business revitalization, will be submitted to EPA in June.
EPA is accepting public comments on its proposed plan until June 13, 2013. Information about upcoming public meetings and how to comment is available at http://www.duwamishcleanup.org.
This HIA is supported by a grant from the Health Impact Project, a collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts.