Alsea, Oregon

A number of independent experts have examined the Alsea study and determined that EPA's conclusions are not valid for the following reasons:

The number of live births and spontaneous abortions claimed for the Alsea and control areas were not obtained by correct procedures and therefore, the spontaneous abortion indices calculated were not indicative of the true situation.

The statistical procedures used for the analysis of the data and the conclusions reached were invalid and not indicative of the true situation.

There was no evidence in the report of any exposure of the women involved to 2,4,5-T or TCDD since only one half to two square miles were sprayed each year out of a 1600- square-mile area investigated for abortions. In fact, of the ten women whose abortions made up the "June peak", all ten lived 20 to 50 miles upwind of the spray area studied.

The conclusions by these independent experts indicated no evidence of a link between 2,4,5-T and spontaneous abortions in the Alsea area. Studies by the Australian and New Zealand governments confirm these conclusions.