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Blair County, Pennsylvania: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Blair County is 167 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2, a statistically significant excess. The strongest disease signals are Non-Hodgkin lymphoma deaths at 1.7 times the U.S. rate and Esophagus deaths at 1.4 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 681 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (284), Rail grade crossing (127), Air permit holder (minor source) (105). One correctional facility operates in the county. EPA AirToxScreen estimates a lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics of 20 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: 40.4926, -78.3484.

How this county ranks in Pennsylvania

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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 Blair County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Thyroid	New cases	27.9	13	2.15xSignificant	23.8 to 32.6	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	8.3	4.8	1.73xSignificant	6.5 to 10.4	2020-2024
Esophagus	Deaths	5.2	3.7	1.41xSignificant	3.8 to 7	2020-2024
Esophagus	New cases	6	4.6	1.3x	4.5 to 8	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	7.4	5.7	1.3x	5.6 to 9.6	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	23.7	18.5	1.28xSignificant	20.4 to 27.5	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	62.6	51.8	1.21xSignificant	57.5 to 68	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	New cases	7.4	6.2	1.19x	5.5 to 9.9	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	35.9	30.2	1.19xSignificant	32.1 to 40.1	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	167	143.2	1.17xSignificant	158.6 to 175.9	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	5.1	4.4	1.16x	3.6 to 7.1	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	2.3	2	1.15x	1.3 to 3.6	2020-2024
Pancreas	Deaths	12.8	11.3	1.13x	10.6 to 15.4	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	19.8	17.9	1.11x	16.8 to 23.3	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	15.7	14.5	1.08x	13 to 18.8	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	483.7	453.4	1.07xSignificant	468.6 to 499.3	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	9.1	8.7	1.05x	7.3 to 11.4	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	3.5	3.4	1.03x	2.4 to 5.1	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	14	13.9	1.01x	11.7 to 16.8	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	18.8	18.7	1.01x	16 to 22.1	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	6.5	6.6	0.98x	5 to 8.6	2020-2024
Bladder	Deaths	3.4	4.1	0.83x	2.4 to 4.9	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	18.9	23.8	0.79x	16 to 22.3	2019-2023
Stomach	New cases	4	6.6	0.61x	2.7 to 5.6	2019-2023

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 Blair County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	10,058.7	9,842.6	+2%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	74.7	75.3	-1%	years
Child mortality	45.2	59.8	-24%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	5.8	6.2	-6%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	95.7	96.9	-1%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	41.5	28.6	+45%	deaths per 100,000

Air toxics and air quality

EPA AirToxScreen 2020

Lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics: 20 in a million. EPA treats 100 in a million as the upper end of acceptable risk and 1 in a million as the goal.

Formaldehyde15.99 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.88 per million
Acetaldehyde1.51 per million
Benzene1.39 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 363 days: 279 good, 1 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 40, peak 115.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

NPDES wastewater discharge permit284
Rail grade crossing127
Air permit holder (minor source)105
Gas station (mapped facility)46
Small hazardous waste generator43
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)16
Large hazardous waste generator12
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)9
TRI reporting facility9
Hazardous waste transporter4
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)4
Major air pollution source3
Public airport3
Heliport3
Wind power plant3
Large greenhouse gas emitter2
EPA air quality monitor1
Commercial airport1
Brownfield property1
Correctional facility (prison or jail)1
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)1
Gas power plant1
Scrapyard (mapped facility)1
Superfund (NPL) site1

Highest-severity records

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

Delta Quarries & Disposal, Inc./Stotler Landfill, Antis Township, Logan Township
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 41.1. NPL Site.
EPA site ID PAD981038052 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Appvion Operations Inc, Roaring Spring
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Hydrochloric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size), Ammonia, Hydrogen sulfide and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 132,425 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 16673PPLTN100PA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.4
W R Grace & Co, Tyrone
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Dichloromethane, Toluene, Hydrochloric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size), Acetonitrile and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 76,793 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 16686QLTYCINDUS (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.2
Altoona Terminals - De Llc/Altoona Terminal, Altoona
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: n-Hexane, Toluene, Cyclohexane, Xylene (mixed isomers) and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 12,343 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 1660WLTNTRBURNS (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.6
Dept Of Homeland Security, Altoona
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens. 3,489 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 1660WDPTFH32ECH (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.2
St Products Llc (Dba Wieland Small Tube Products), Duncansville
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Copper, Nickel, Lead. Reports carcinogens. 241 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 16603SMLLTSPRIN (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.3
Wr Grace & Co Conn/Tyrone, Tyrone
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110046292677 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3
Appvion Inc, Roaring Spring
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000332177 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Cove Forge Trmt Ctr - Stp, Williamsburg
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $42,688.
EPA FRS registry ID 110020689637 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3
Altoona, Altoona
EPA air quality monitor.
Record ID 420130801 (U.S. EPA AirData)
Severity 5.2
Amerway Inc, Altoona
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens. 5 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 16601MRWYN3701B (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.1
Altoona City Auth - Westerly Wwtf, Duncansville
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110006802870 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5
Altoona/Blair County, Altoona
Commercial airport. O.
Record ID AOO (FAA / U.S. DOT)
Severity 5
St Prod Llc Dba Wieland Small Tube Prod/Altoona, Duncansville
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110064194401 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.8
Veeder Root Co, Duncansville
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001137056 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.8
Team Ten Tyrone Mill, Tyrone
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000332186 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Kenneth Krater Jr, Altoona
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001058168 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Owen, Christi Sftf, Hollidaysburg
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110006662076 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Hollidaysburg Regional Stp, Hollidaysburg
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110010974525 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Snowberger Res, Freedom Twp
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110014332230 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Mueller'S Auto Recycling & Sales, Altoona
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110022426882 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Altoona Easterly Stp, Altoona
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110039811433 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Penn England Cafo, Williamsburg
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110060129908 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Sfs Clippinger, Charles & Patricia, Tyrone
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070161872 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
140 Swinging Bridge Rd Srstp, Hollidaysburg
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070561166 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5

Correctional facilities

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

Quality Corrections And Inspections, Duncansville
EPA FRS registry ID
110001004038
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Blair County

Pennsylvania 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 Blair County, and their findings.
Pennsylvania vital statistics office
Death certificate counts by cause of death and residence tract or ZIP code, and the years behind the mortality measures above.
Pennsylvania health department, environmental epidemiology
Health consultations or assessments by ATSDR or the state health department covering the county, and any exposure investigations.
Pennsylvania 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.
Pennsylvania 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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