In response to community concerns in 1995, Intel commissioned an outside consultant to conduct a site risk assessment. The final report was published in June 1997. The purpose was to:

	(1) Tell the public how much of what chemicals are currently stored and used at Intel's facility.
	(2) Assess the public risks from routine and accidental releases of these chemicals.
	(3) Identify opportunities to reduce risks to health and safety, and improve emergency response systems.

The study used the standard methods of risk assessment and risk guidelines provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (The EPA guidance documents can be found at http://www.epa.gov/oar/oaqps/air_risc/3_90_024.html.

The study showed that risks from Intel were within the bounds, including a margin of safety, which the EPA recommends to protect the public from effects of human activity. The study also found that chemical levels in the soil and air are as low near Intel as in other parts of the Rio Grande Valley. (The complete report can be found at the Corrales and Rio Rancho public libraries, and a summary report is available online.)

In 2002, Intel commissioned a different firm to update the 1995 assessment—Environmental Resource Management (ERM), which has 25 years of international consulting experience. The latest study is to:

	(1) Review the previous study and address concerns that were raised from the previous study.
	(2) Determine how much of what chemicals are currently stored, used and emitted from Intel's facility.
	(3) Apply the improved methods of risk assessment and risk guidelines currently supplied by the EPA.
	(4) Determine if the risks associated with the Intel facility were within EPA guidelines and further identify opportunities to reduce risks to health and safety.

The broad conclusions in the 2005 report are consistent with those of the 1997 report, as described above. However, the 2005 report identified certain compounds that may pose a concern in the future based on Intel's projected usage amounts.

In another response to community concerns, New Mexico state agencies worked from 2002 to 2004 to learn more about air quality in Corrales. The study cost about $230,000 and involved the New Mexico Environment Department, the New Mexico Health Department, and public task force members. (The final report is available online at http://www.nmenv.state.nm.us/aqb/projects/corrales/.)

The broad conclusions of the Corrales air study are again consistent with the conclusions of both the 1997 and the present risk assessments.

Even though assessment methods are continuously improved, no study can answer every useful question about risk. To respond to continuing community concerns, the Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry (ATSDR) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is currently re-assessing the effects of Intel's air emissions. More can be learned about the ATSDR on their Web site at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/. At their study's end, those results will come from the ATSDR.

List of Public Meetings that Discussed the Risk Assessment
To obtain and incorporate public input into the risk assessment, Intel held several public meetings throughout the duration of the study. Details of those meetings are listed below.

Meeting Date Meeting Location Notification July 31, 2002 Intel (ERM attended) Letter sent to selected community members – New Mexico Environment Department (NMED), elected officials, Local Emergency Planning Committe, representative community groups (21 invited) February 13, 2003 NMED Public meeting E-mail and regular mail May 6, 2003 Hilton Garden Inn (ERM attended) Newspaper and e-mail October 14, 2003 Hilton Garden Inn (ERM attended) Newspaper and e-mail November 11, 2003 Hilton Garden Inn (ERM attended) Newspaper and e-mail December 17, 2003 Hilton Garden Inn Newspaper and e-mail January 22, 2004 Hilton Garden Inn Newspaper and e-mail February 25, 2004 Hilton Garden Inn Newspaper and e-mail March 31, 2004 Hilton Garden Inn (attempted to include ERM by phone) Newspaper and e-mail February 16, 2005 Your Place or Mine Newspaper, e-mail and Web March 16, 2005 Your Place or Mine Newspaper, e-mail and Web April 20, 2005 Your Place or Mine (ERM attended) Newspaper, e-mail and Web May 18, 2005 Your Place or Mine Newspaper, e-mail and Web

Other Meetings

Meeting Date Meeting Description Notification August 15, 2002 Update to Intel Community Advisory Panel (CAP) from Intel E-mail November 21, 2002 Update to Intel CAP from Intel E-mail January 14, 2003 Intel CAP subteam meeting E-mail February 19, 2003 Intel CAP subteam meeting E-mail March 20, 2003 Update to Intel CAP from subteam E-mail July 30, 2003 Update to Intel CAP from Intel E-mail October 19, 2004 New Mexico Environmental Health Conference Web site and regular mail November 2, 2004 New Mexico Chapter of the Air and Waste Management Association E-mail

Summary of Changes Made to Risk Assessment in Response to Community Comments

Concern Changes Made Repeat exposure to short-term elevated concentrations Added repeat exposure to 1 hr concentrations to risk characterization Thermal Oxidizer downtime As part of emission scenario for short-term concentrations, assumed 2 thermal oxidizers were down Changes in production Added an emissions scenario that included future production scenarios CUB Scrubber Added emission source to Risk Assessment Cooling towers Added emission source to Risk Assessment Particulate emissions Added to Risk Assessment Modeling local terrain Switched to CALPUFF Accuracy of air dispersion modeling Compared model results to historical sampling data and tracer gas study Odors Evaluated odor thresholds as part of the toxicity assessment