The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has made the decision to remove the toxic dioxin waste from the San Jacinto Waste Pits Superfund Site in Channelview, Texas. The cleanup plan, officially approved on October 11, will protect human health and the coastal environment by removing highly contaminated sediment from the site in a safe manner, using cofferdams and other engineering controls. The plan estimates that nearly 212,000 cubic yards of dioxin waste will be excavated from the site at a cost of $115 million.
This announcement comes just a few weeks after the EPA discovered a breach in the temporary cap as a result of damage from Hurricane Harvey. It is unknown at this time how much dioxin waste was released from the site and washed downstream into Galveston Bay.
“We owe an incredible amount of gratitude to our dedicated members who spoke up in support of this decision,” said Mark Ray, Chairman of CCA Texas. “In the end, nearly 2,000 CCA Texas members voiced their concerns regarding the toxic dioxin waste, which was crucial in this effort.”
CCA has advocated strongly for the removal of the superfund site, and now that a record of decision has been issued, the conservation organization encourages both the EPA and responsible parties to work together to move forward with the cleanup process. CCA Texas also encourages state officials to analyze tissue samples from crabs and fin fish in the San Jacinto River watershed and update seafood consumption advisories as necessary.
