Main Report - Newhall Remediation Project

5. During May and June 2001, staff from the QVHD collected health information from theneighborhood using a community concerns interview form (see Attachment C). QVHD staffvisited 125 homes in the area where EPA sampling had occurred in April 2001. In some homes,information was collected through a personal interview with the resident. In other cases, theresident completed the survey form themselves.6. CT DPH staff participated in numerous public meetings and hosted one public availabilitysession in April 2004 on this draft Public Health Assessment. At each of these events, CT DPHstaff presented health and exposure information to residents and responded to residents’questions and concerns. In addition, CT DPH staff have provided health and exposureinformation and answered questions at citizen advisory group meetings.7. In January 2004, CT DPH prepared a fact sheet on how to safely grow and eat fruits andvegetables.8. In February 2004, CT DPH prepared a fact sheet summarizing the information contained inthe draft release of this Public Health Assessment and distributed the fact sheet at the April 2004public availability session as well as other open house and public meetings.9. In June 2004, CT DPH, along with the QVHD, hosted a public health open house. Free bloodlead screening and blood pressure checks were offered. CT DPH presented a summary of thisPublic Health Assessment. An environmental medicine doctor from the University ofConnecticut Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine was present to speak withresidents about their health concerns. CT DEP staff were present to answer questions aboutenvironmental sampling. This open house event was organized in response to a request from thecommunity that was received during the public comment period for this Public HealthAssessment.10. During the spring 2004, CT DPH began to actively distribute the fact sheet entitled“Growing and Eating Fruits and Vegetables in the Newhall Street Neighborhood,” dated January2004, to residents in the Newhall Street neighborhood and any other stakeholders and interestedpersons or organizations.11. In June 2004, QVHD completed its evaluation of community health and environmentalconcerns based on an expanded community survey that was administered during the winter 2004.28