AP Exclusive: Flooding threatens toxic sites as Irma nears
The Associated Press surveyed six of the 54 Superfund sites in
"If any site in the path of the storm is found to pose an immediate threat to nearby populations, EPA will immediately alert and work with state and local officials and inform the public — and then take any appropriate steps to address the threat," EPA spokeswoman
The AP was not able to fully evaluate each site's readiness for the hurricane.
A risk analysis by EPA concluded in 2012 that flooding at such sites in
"The agency needs to quickly respond with careful monitoring after the storm," said Southerland, who has criticized
A recent analysis for the Government Accountability Office by two researchers at
Of particular concern was the one-acre Miami Drum Services site. It is located over a drinking-water aquifer in a heavily industrial area of
The
The EPA needs to do a better job helping people who live near Superfund sites stay informed with accurate information, said
"These residents need to be aware of their surroundings, and what could be in their water and the floodwater," Sweeney said. "There needs to be some sort of public communication. Either mass distribution of information or evacuating residents — it's up to the agency to make that call."
At the Anodyne site in
A worker from a nearby building, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, said he saw workers putting soil and water into the drums weeks earlier. The EPA said soil and groundwater at the former industrial site was contaminated with a brew of toxic chemicals, including pesticides, solvents and heavy metals.
Bowman said the private contractor overseeing the site would remove the drums before Irma made landfall.
The EPA has made significant efforts over the last week to publicize its response to flooding at Superfund sites in
Hours after AP's story last week, the EPA said it had reviewed aerial imagery confirming that 13 of 41 Superfund sites in areas affected by Harvey had flooded and were experiencing possible damage due to the storm. The EPA also confirmed that its own personnel had not yet visited the
Since then, EPA has been issuing daily updates about its efforts. On Monday, the agency organized a media tour of one of the
Following his appointment by Trump, EPA Administrator
Pruitt, who has questioned the severity of consequences from global warming, has been largely silent on the threat posed to Superfund sites by rising seas and more powerful storms.
A nationwide assessment conducted under the Obama administration in 2012 determined that more than 500 Superfund sites are located in flood zones. Nearly 50 are in coastal areas that could also be vulnerable to sea level rise and storm surge, including several located in
The EPA declined to make Pruitt available for an interview with the AP, but he spoke about Superfund sites this week in interviews with
"Operationally, we've tried to make sure we apply the same type of approach we used in
Biesecker reported from
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