Nearly a third of Texas’s 41 heavily contaminated “Superfund’’ sites have been flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey, sparking concerns about the possible 🅷spread of the toxic material, according to a report.
Experts warned that th൩e floodwaters could transport the sites’ contaminants over a larger area, including into local groundwater wells that some families rely on.
“If floodwaters have spread the chemicals in ꦑthe waste pits, then dangerous chemicals like dioxin could be spread around the wider Houston a𓂃rea,” said Kara Cook-Schultz, who studies Superfund sites for the advocacy group TexPIRG.
“Superfund sites are known to be the most dangerou♕s places in the country, and they should have been properly protected against flooding.”
The Associated Press first reported that at least seven of the more than dozen former industrial-waste sites in the Houston area alone had been badly flooded. It said its journalists traveled to them by boat, vehicle or on foot ൲to inspect them.
T꧅he US Environmental Protection Agency told the AP that it had been unable to reach the sites to do in-person inspect🍌ions itself.
But🤡 the agency did concede that aerial imagery showed that a total of 13 sites in the state were flooded and “experiencing possible damage.’’
Houston and its surroundings have been at the center of the US’s petrochemical industry, lea🃏ding to the designation of so many former sites on the federal government’s clean-up list.
The EPA said in a statement that it will send worke🌳rs to the Superfund sites once the floodwaters pull back.
“Teams are in place to investigate possible damage to these sites as soon flood waters recede and personnel ar♛e able to safely access the sites,” the agency said.
It then proceeded to rip the AP’s reporting.
“Once again, in an attempt to mislead Americans, The Associated Press is cherry-picking facts, as EPA is monitoring Superfund sites around Houston and we have a t♓eam of experts on the ground working with our state and local counterpa𒆙rts responding to Hurricane Harvey,” EPA Associate Administrator Liz Bowman said.
“Anything to the contrary is yellow journalism.”
Tꦬhe EPA previously said its personnel would visit the San Jacinto Waste Pi🤡ts site by boat on Monday.
The Superfund 🔴site was completely covered in water when AP journalists saw it Thursday.
Flooding from Harve𓂃y is expected t🔥o last another two weeks.