HUMAN HEALTH STUDIES

Native Americans are at particular risk from environmental contaminants because they rely on wildlife for a significant portion of their diet. During the past ten years, the Mohawks of the Akwesasne Reservation located on the St. Lawrence River of northeastern New York, Quebec and Ontario, have been concerned about the health and well being of their people.

Katsi Cook In the mid-1980's, Katsi ( "Gudgi") Cook, an Akwesasne midwife, became concerned about the health of babies born to reservation mothers and asked for help from New York State Departments of Health and Environmental Conservation scientists. The Massena area of New York is home to three major industrial firms that are located in the area to take advantage of the low cost of hydroelectric energy provided by the generating facilities constructed along the St. Lawrence River during the mid-19OOs. Alcoa, Reynolds and General Motors operate aluminum casting manufacturing facilities on the river and its major tributaries. All three plants used PCBs in hydraulic fluids. The fluids were discharged to the river as a part of routine waste management practices for several decades. The PCBs accumulated in the wildlife of the area including fish, ducks, turtles and other sources of traditional Mohawk foods. When state scientists analyzed wildlife collected from the area they found very high PCB concentrations.

Please forward comments to:
Dr. David O. Carpenter, University at Albany State of New York, One University Place Rensselaer,
NY 12144-3456 carpent@cnsvax.albany.edu 518-525-2660, FAX 525-2665