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Boyd County, Kentucky: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Boyd County is 180.5 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2, a statistically significant excess. The strongest disease signals are Leukemia deaths at 1.7 times the U.S. rate and Lung & bronchus deaths at 1.6 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 430 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by Industrial wastewater discharge (142), NPDES wastewater discharge permit (139), Rail grade crossing (57). One correctional facility operates in the county. EPA AirToxScreen estimates a lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics of 30 in a million, driven mainly by formaldehyde.

Rates are age-adjusted per 100,000 people. A cancer signal is marked significant when the lower bound of its 95 percent confidence interval is above the U.S. rate. Facility counts use active federal records located inside the county boundary. Approximate county center: 38.3708, -82.7001.

How this county ranks in Kentucky

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Cancer deaths and new cases versus the United States

Source: NCI and CDC State Cancer Profiles, both sexes, all ages. Sorted by the ratio of the county rate to the U.S. rate.

Cancer rates for Boyd County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Lung & bronchus	New cases	91.1	51.8	1.76xSignificant	81.4 to 101.7	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	9.7	5.7	1.7xSignificant	6.6 to 13.9	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	49.8	30.2	1.65xSignificant	42.6 to 57.9	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	New cases	13.2	8.7	1.52xSignificant	9.7 to 17.7	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	19.4	13	1.49xSignificant	14.2 to 26	2019-2023
Esophagus	New cases	6.8	4.6	1.48x	4.4 to 10.3	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	25.4	17.9	1.42xSignificant	20 to 31.9	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	4.7	3.4	1.38x	2.6 to 7.8	2020-2024
Bladder	Deaths	5.4	4.1	1.32x	3.3 to 8.7	2020-2024
Bladder	New cases	24.4	18.7	1.3xSignificant	19.4 to 30.4	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	31	23.8	1.3xSignificant	24.8 to 38.2	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	180.5	143.2	1.26xSignificant	166.5 to 195.5	2020-2024
All cancer	New cases	560.1	453.4	1.24xSignificant	534.3 to 587	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	5.6	4.8	1.17x	3.4 to 8.9	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	7.1	6.6	1.08x	4.6 to 10.7	2020-2024
Leukemia	New cases	14.8	14.5	1.02x	10.7 to 19.9	2019-2023
Pancreas	New cases	13.7	13.9	0.99x	10.1 to 18.4	2019-2023
Stomach	New cases	6.5	6.6	0.98x	4.1 to 10	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	17.9	18.5	0.97x	13.8 to 23.1	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	10.2	11.3	0.9x	7.2 to 14.4	2020-2024

Mortality measures versus the U.S. county median

Source: County Health Rankings, built from CDC National Vital Statistics System death records. The comparison value is the median of all U.S. counties.

Mortality measures for Boyd County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	13,628	9,842.6	+38%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	71.6	75.3	-5%	years
Child mortality	47.7	59.8	-20%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	n/a	6.2	n/a	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	148.8	96.9	+54%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	95.4	28.6	+234%	deaths per 100,000

Air toxics and air quality

EPA AirToxScreen 2020

Lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics: 30 in a million. EPA treats 100 in a million as the upper end of acceptable risk and 1 in a million as the goal.

Formaldehyde20.97 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.93 per million
Acetaldehyde2.21 per million
Benzene1.36 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 292 good, 0 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 39, peak 97.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

430 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

Industrial wastewater discharge142
NPDES wastewater discharge permit139
Rail grade crossing57
Gas station (mapped facility)16
Combined sewer overflow outfall11
Major air pollution source9
Air permit holder (minor source)7
Brownfield property7
Large greenhouse gas emitter6
Large hazardous waste generator6
Small hazardous waste generator6
Hazardous waste transporter6
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)5
TRI reporting facility4
Scrapyard (mapped facility)3
EPA air quality monitor2
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)1
Correctional facility (prison or jail)1
Heliport1
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)1

Highest-severity records

The 25 records with the highest Envyrofax severity in the county, with the agency identifier to cite in a records request.

Calgon Carbon Coporation - Big Sandy Plt, Catlettsburg
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $10,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110008459578 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 10
Calgon Carbon Corp, Catlettsburg
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Hydrochloric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size), Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size), 2,4-Dinitrotoluene, Manganese and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. Reports PFAS. 98,786 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 41129CLGNCUSROU (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.8
Marathon - Catlettsburg Refinery, Catlettsburg
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $13,650.
EPA FRS registry ID 110008361263 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.2
Catlettsburg Refining Llc, Catlettsburg
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), n-Hexane, Ethylene, Ammonia and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 1,168,214 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 41114CTLTTPOBOX (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.2
Calgon Carbon Coporation - Big Sandy Plt, Catlettsburg
Major air pollution source. Penalties $10,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110008459578 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.5
Calgon Carbon Coporation - Big Sandy Plt, Catlettsburg
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $10,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110008459578 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Calgon Carbon Coporation - Big Sandy Plt, Catlettsburg
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $10,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110008459578 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Huntington Alloys Corp, Catlettsburg
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Copper, Nickel, Chromium, Manganese and 3 more. Reports carcinogens. 1,125 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 41129NCLLYOLDUS (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.8
Federal Correctional Institution Ashland Ky, Ashland
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens. 1,046 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 4110WFDRLCSTATE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.8
Marathon - Catlettsburg Refinery, Catlettsburg
Major air pollution source. Penalties $13,650.
EPA FRS registry ID 110008361263 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3
Marathon - Catlettsburg Refinery, Catlettsburg
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $13,650.
EPA FRS registry ID 110008361263 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Marathon - Catlettsburg Refinery, Catlettsburg
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $13,650.
EPA FRS registry ID 110008361263 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
River Cities Disposal Llc - Big Run Landfill, Ashland
Major air pollution source. Penalties $65,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070862712 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Huntington Alloys Corp, Catlettsburg
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000741591 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.6
Marathon - Catlettsburg Refinery, Catlettsburg
Large greenhouse gas emitter. Penalties $13,650.
EPA FRS registry ID 110008361263 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3
River Cities Disposal Llc - Big Run Landfill, Ashland
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $65,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070862712 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3
Marathon Petroleum Co - Big Sandy Asphalt Terminal, Catlettsburg
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Naphthalene, Benzo[g,h,i]perylene, Polycyclic aromatic compounds. Reports carcinogens. 1 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 4112WMRTHN1585L (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.7
ASHLAND PRIMARY (FIVCO), Ashland
EPA air quality monitor.
Record ID 210190017 (U.S. EPA AirData)
Severity 4.5
Catlettsburg Wwtp, Catlettsburg
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $6,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110006654147 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Boyd Co Sanitary Landfill Inc, Ashland
Large hazardous waste generator.
EPA FRS registry ID 110041417918 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Wv 3 Surface Mine & Haulroad, Ashland
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110069997452 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Hilco Transport Company - Ashland Facility, Ashland
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $9,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070925973 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Ashland Wastewater Treatment Plant, Ashland
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000732244 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Federal Correctional Institution Ashland Ky, Ashland
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110043670658 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Ashland Stp, Ashland
Combined sewer overflow outfall. Violation Identified.
NPDES permit KY0022373:001 (U.S. EPA NPDES)
Severity 4

Correctional facilities

Prisons, jails and corrections operations with an EPA facility record, and the drinking water and wastewater compliance attached to them.

Federal Correctional Institution Ashland Ky, Ashland
EPA FRS registry ID
110043670658
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Boyd County

Kentucky state cancer registry
Cancer incidence counts by census tract or ZIP code, by cancer type and year (de-identified). Any cancer cluster inquiries or investigations in Boyd County, and their findings.
Kentucky vital statistics office
Death certificate counts by cause of death and residence tract or ZIP code, and the years behind the mortality measures above.
Kentucky health department, environmental epidemiology
Health consultations or assessments by ATSDR or the state health department covering the county, and any exposure investigations.
Kentucky environmental agency and the U.S. EPA regional office
Compliance history, inspection reports, notices of violation, penalties and enforcement actions for each facility above, cited by EPA FRS registry ID.
Kentucky drinking water program
Violation notices, sampling results and sanitary surveys for the public water systems serving the county, including any system serving a correctional facility.
Department of corrections or county sheriff
Water testing, grievances and environmental health inspections for the correctional facilities listed above.

Each Envyrofax address report includes a printable records request worksheet with the custodian and the exact request wording per finding.

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