Item A: Public Hearing onMetro Plan Amendment (Delta Sand and Gravel)

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Sarah Hendrickson, M.D. Lane County Public Health Officer 135 East Sixth Avenue Eugene, OR 97401 November 1, 2006 PAZC (\5-ColS) ORD _pA .1 0-;).. ~ <;< Date~- ( - 0 C, exhibit No. ~ Y- As Lane County's public health officer, I've been asked to comment on the medical testimony provided to your Planning Commission on January 17th by Dr. Stephen Kimberley, who makes his living as a paid medical expert. Both as a board certified family physician and as a public health advocate I have experience evaluating complex issues of medical cause and effect with regard to environmental health and public policy. In his testimony, Dr. Kimberley, who is neither an expert in lung disease nor in occupational medicine, made clear that he was not familiar with this pending application but rather was speaking only generally. Further, Dr. Kimberley referenced coal dust and its relationship to lung disease. Coal dust is not rock dust, and the medical effects can be quite different. I don't think this aspect of his testimony is relevant. The articles submitted by Dr. Kimberley into the record are very general and do not add to my understanding of this specific situation. Yes, too much inhaled dust can make preexisting lung disease worse. Folks with asthma and other chronic lung diseases are more sensitive to dust and irritants of all kinds. Too much inhaled dust even in a healthy person will cause lung problems. The state of medical science is that we do not know what exposures to rock dust will cause damage, nor have we made the societal decisions necessary to regulate those exposure limits beyond the standards that have already been set by the regulatory bodies that do have jurisdiction over this business. There is a much larger political arena in which debates regarding air quality are being heard: tobacco smoke, field burning, and fuel emissions are just a few sources with very significant and far greater health impacts to Lane County residents. As a society, we are in the midst of making many such decisions about how much health risk is acceptable, and at what economic and personal costs. I understand that the proposed expansion that you are considering tonight seeks only to maintain the current amount of production. The crushing facility that is the source of the rock dust would remain where it has been for decades. From a medical point of view there does not appear to be any increased risk either to workers or to residents of surrounding neighborhoods as a result of such expansion. The gravel mining industry is regulated by the federal Mine Safety Health Administration and monitored by SAIF's Industrial Hygiene services. In addition, the Lane County airshed is regulated by the Lane Regional Air Pollution Authority. The purpose and expertise of these agencies is to protect workers who have the highest risk of exposure, and to protect the public. You are the elected officials with expertise in planning and local government. I suggest you weigh heavily the applicant's record at meeting the standards already' set by these public agencies. On a different but related topic, access to medical care is a critical missing link in our community's health care system. Failure to obtain early medical treatment makes diseases worse and costs both money and community health. I will note that Delta as an employer pays 1000/0 of the health insurance premium for its 135 workers and their dependents. Thank you for your attention.