Houston Superfund site leaked toxic chemicals after Harvey: EPA

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ABC News Houston

At least one Superfund site was damaged and leaked toxic chemicals in Texas, despite early information that the sites were secure, the Environmental Protection Agency confirmed September 28.

New test results found very high levels of chemicals called dioxins around the San Jacinto River Waste Pits Superfund site in Channelview. The EPA previously said that the site needed further investigation, which was ongoing, but an armored “cap” intended to contain the waste should have prevented any toxic material from leaking. Part of this site is always underwater but after Hurricane Harvey flooding was up to 12 to 14 feet.

Dioxins can cause cancer and reproductive problems, as well as damage the immune system, according to the EPA. Low levels of dioxin have detected in the river before and humans can be exposed to it by swimming or eating seafood from the water, according to the Galveston Bay Foundation.

Thursday’s testing results released by EPA found levels at 70,000 nanograms per kilogram, more than 2,000 times the recommended level of 30 ng/kg, according to an EPA press release. The toxic chemical that leaked does not dissolve in water and could continue to spread. The company responsible for the site will continue to conduct testing in the area.

The San Jacinto River Waste Pits Superfund site was contaminated with waste from paper manufacturing and was added to the Superfund list in 2008. The site was stabilized in 2011, according to the regional administrator, but it is still listed as one of the most contaminated sites in the country.

The companies considered potentially responsible for the pollution are also responsible for maintaining the site. On Sept. 9, EPA said they were using heavy equipment to cover the cap with rock and removed nine truckloads containing 45,000 gallons of stormwater from the area.

One of those companies, International Paper, said in a statement Friday that the materials were not released into the environment, saying that “this area represents roughly 0.00016 percent of the entire 16-acre armored cap.”

“The armored cap performed exceptionally well during the Hurricane Harvey storm event and remains fully intact,” communications director Tom Ryan said in a statement.

ABC News’ Kenneth Moton visited the San Jacinto site with EPA and local officials on Sept. 4 after some of the flooding receded. At that time the acting regional administrator for that area, Sam Coleman, said teams were working to inspect and repair the cap but they were pretty confident there were no leaks and that the San Jacinto site was secure before the storm hit.

After Hurricane Harvey, EPA reviewed aerial photos of the 41 Superfund sites in the Houston area and determined that 13 sites needed further testing. On Sept. 3 The Associated Press reported that the EPA was not on scene at the San Jacinto site, though EPA questioned the accuracy of that report. As of Sept. 9, some of the flooding had gone down and EPA and other officials were able to visit the sites and begin working at the sites.

EPA Announces Superfund Task Force Recommendations

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Recommendations to Streamline and Improve the Superfund Program

WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund Task Force released their report to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, providing 42 specific and detailed recommendations to streamline and improve the Superfund program.  Administrator Pruitt also signed a directive to leaders across the Agency of 11 specific actions that should be implemented right away, with renewed focus, including identification, within 60 days, of the sites where the risk of human exposure is not fully controlled.

“There is nothing more core to the Agency’s mission than revitalizing contaminated land,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “I commend the team effort of the career and political staff on the Task Force, working together to develop recommendations that are detailed, but also workable – to ensure that we can expedite the protection of human health and the environment around these properties and accelerate the reuse. I look forward to leading this team toward full implementation of these recommendations.”

“Being on this Task Force was a great opportunity to identify legitimate impediments that prevent expeditious cleanup of Superfund Sites and working to address those issues,” said Karen Melvin, EPA Region 3 Director, Hazardous Site Cleanup Division.

Established by Congress in 1980, the Superfund Program governs the investigation and cleanup of the nation’s most complex hazardous waste sites in order to convert those sites into community resources. The National Priorities List (NPL) came into existence in 1983. It includes those sites that are of national priority among the known releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants throughout the United States. Each year, sites are listed and delisted based on criteria in EPA’s regulations. As of June 21, 2017, there are 1,336 sites on the NPL, of which 1,179 are privately owned sites and 157 are federal facilities. Sites on the NPL are in various stages of completion and much work still remains. The recommendations of the Superfund Task Force, when implemented, will improve and expedite the process of site remediation and promote reuse.

The Superfund Task Force, chaired by Albert Kelly, senior advisor to the administrator, was commissioned on May 22, 2017, and includes leaders from EPA’s Office of Land and Emergency Management, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, Office of General Counsel, EPA Region 3 (as the lead region for the Superfund program), as well as other offices.

The 42 Superfund Task Force recommendations are organized into five goals:

  • Expediting Cleanup and Remediation;
  • Re-invigorating Responsible Party Cleanup and Reuse;
  • Encouraging Private Investment;
  • Promoting Redevelopment and Community Revitalization; and
  • Engaging Partners and Stakeholders

Each goal in the Task Force report is accompanied by a set of strategies that include specific actions which are planned to commence within twelve months.

A copy of the directive that the Administrator signed today of the 11 specific actions that leaders across the Agency should implement immediately can be found: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/administrator-pruitts-memo-regarding-receipt-superfund-task-force-report-and-next-steps

To view the complete set of Superfund Task Force recommendations, please visit https://www.epa.gov/superfund/superfund-task-force-recommendations

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt signs directive to leaders across the Agency
EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt signs directive to leaders across the Agency of 11 specific actions that should be implemented right away

For more information about the Superfund program, please visit https://www.epa.gov/superfund.

Developing leaders to change the world

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TCE Blog
by Robin Schneider, Executive Director

When one of our canvassers knocks on your door, they are there to represent an issue of critical importance to protecting clean air, water, and land in the great state of Texas. They are also a walking, talking embodiment of one of our core values at Texas Campaign for the Environment: developing service-oriented leadership by training skilled activists to change our democracy, and our communities, one person at a time.

So we are proud to see our activists whose skills we have developed take great strides in their careers to transform policy for a healthier, more just world.

Melanie Scruggs served as the Houston Program Director for more three years. She started with TCE as a canvasser in our Austin field office and moved to Houston, where she is originally from, to become a leading expert and advocate for recycling and Zero Waste. As an organizer deeply embedded in Houston’s environmental community, she served as an ally to local environmental justice groups and strengthened TCE’s relationships in coalitions we work with across the country.

Melanie has recently left to attend the University of Texas at Austin’s LBJ School of Public Affairs Global Policy Studies masters’ degree program in the fall. We are proud knowing that Texas Campaign for the Environment has been the launching pad for her career in public policy.

“Working with Texas Campaign for the Environment has been the best experience in my life thus far. I walked through the door in 2012 considering myself an activist, but didn’t know how to transform my ideals into change,” Melanie says. “Four years later, I have gained invaluable organizing skills and knowledge to make a difference in Texas and the world, and I plan to do just that.”

TCE has hired Rosanne Barone as our new Houston Program Director.  She has already begun to make an impact at TCE and we know she will do a fantastic job empowering and growing the environmental community in the Greater Houston area and beyond. Please contact Rosanne anytime by calling our Houston office at 713-337-4192 or sending her an email at rosanne(at)texasenvironment.org. She has excellent experience in organizing for renewable energy investment and civic engagement on college campuses from her work with NYPIRG in New York City. We are lucky to have her!

Texas’ environmental movement is growing and changing for the better. Our job is to keep that momentum going, recruit and train new leaders for that movement, and get results. We are committed to providing career opportunities for people interested in making a difference, who care about sustainability, climate change, and social justice. For folks getting in at the ground level of their organizing career, you can read about and apply for our community organizing positions we have available here.

Wheels for Ideals

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TCE Blog
Robin Schneider, Executive Director

Texas Campaign for the Environment was started 25 years ago this month! With the backing of hundreds of thousands of people like you, TCE has fought and won lots of battles over the years. With a quarter century of battles under our belt, we know what our strongest asset is when it comes to protecting families from harm and making strides toward a Texas free from pollution.

It takes what we do best: reaching out to Texans everywhere, one door at a time. That’s why we send canvassers out every weeknight and put them on the road to El Paso, Texarkana, Amarillo and Brownsville and so many communities in between. We’re the only organization in Texas that builds grassroots support in all 181 legislative districts, all over the state.

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I got my start in door-to-door organizing even before TCE was born. Back in those early days of canvassing in the 1970’s, field managers (who are crew leaders) had to have a car. So when I was getting promoted from canvasser to field manager, I bought my first car. I found a 1966 Ford Galaxy 500 in the classified ads (remember those?) and named her Beulah. She was the size of a small boat and really ate the gas.

Fast forward 10 years or so and organizations were providing the vehicles for its canvassers – thank goodness. Chevy Suburbans became the standard canvass vehicle. They could fit lots of people and were highly rated on safety. When we piled eight community organizers into one, we would say that it’s one of the most fuel-efficient vehicles on the road.

In the last 5 years, TCE has been slowly transitioning to Honda Pilots because they are safe, almost twice as fuel efficient and the A/C doesn’t go out as often – an expensive and frequent problem with Suburbans. This isn’t good for an organization based in Texas especially!

But in TCE’s “fleet,” we still have two Chevy Suburbans – 2001 and 2002 models at that! It’s time to retire those beauties and get better vehicles. That way we’ll spend less on gas and be able to allocate your contributions to other activities that win campaigns. On top of that, you’ll be helping us reduce our environmental impacts, improve the reliability of our canvassing efforts, and enable us to continue building power for our efforts across this state.

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To reach our goal for a greener fleet, we’ve embarked in our Appeals for Wheels campaign. We’ve set out to raise $16,000 in 10 days – and in the first four days we’ve already gone past the halfway mark. Thank you so much if you’ve already donated, we’ve started shopping for one vehicle already!

UPDATE: With three days to go, we’re already past $15,000 – so we’re upping the ante and setting a new goal to raise $20,000! If we can meet or beat that, it will allow us to purchase newer, lower mileage vehicles.

If you haven’t already invested in this campaign, help TCE take the next step into the future by replacing the last of our Suburbans with vehicles that more closely match our values and yours. This is how we will keep winning our fights for a cleaner, healthier Texas.

Here’s the page with more information and to make a donation. Click on the “Videos” tab to see the funny “Five Things We Won’t Miss about Suburbans.” Use our hashtag #AppealforWheels on social media! Plus, we are encouraging all donors to suggest names for the vehicles, so if you have some creative ideas, let us know!

Thanks for your support – we can’t do any of this without grassroots support from people who care. And one last thing: if YOU have an old vehicle to donate, we can take that off your hands too – and you’ll get a tax deduction!

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Robin Schneider
Executive Director

Austin Resolutions for the New Year

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Austin American Statesman
Original story here

The start of a new year offers opportunities to set goals and make changes. Below are some resolutions from people who live, work, and worship in the Austin area.

Robin Schneider, executive director, Texas Campaign for the Environment

In 2016, I resolve to work with Austinites in all 10 City Council districts to get our city on track with our zero waste goals. By October, all renters and all workplaces should have recycling available. If they don’t, Texas Campaign for the Environment and I will work with Austinites and city officials to get building management to comply. Furthermore, we need to catch up with San Antonio, which has already started its three-year roll-out of a third bin for organic waste including food and food-soiled paper like pizza boxes. Finally, five City Council seats will be up in 2016. I resolve to make sure that all candidates running for office hear from residents that our zero waste efforts are significant strategies to protect our climate and conserve our resources.

(Resolutions of other prominent Austinites included in the newspaper.)

Statement on U.S. EPA Clean Power Plan to Reduce Carbon Emissions

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EPA Proposes Federal Plan to Reduce Carbon Emissions, Publishes Clean Power Plan
Texas groups disappointed in lack of state leadership to protect the climate

valero

AUSTIN, Tex. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today published the Clean Power Plan and proposed a federal plan in the Federal Register, which marks the beginning of the implementation of President Obama’s historic policy to curb carbon pollution from power plants and ushers in an opportunity to act to create and implement plans to achieve the plan’s goals.

In response, the Sierra Club, Public Citizen, Sustainable Energy and Economic Development (SEED) Coalition, Clean Water Action, Texas Campaign for the Environment and Environment Texas released the following joint statement:

With the Clean Power Plan formally published, instead of denying the catastrophic effects of climate disruption like the record heat, floods and wildfires we experience here in Texas, it’s time to put aside partisan politics. We should get to work to protect our health, economy and communities by creating a strong state plan to reduce carbon emissions. Texas has many tools and opportunities to move forward with clean energy and become a national leader in the fight against climate change, but we’re disappointed to see that the only actions from our state leadership deny the very real problem of climate disruption and block common sense and achievable clean air protections.

We need to act now to protect the health of Texas’s citizens — like the thousands of children who already suffer from asthma exacerbated by bad air quality — and create clean energy jobs that can help employ our veterans returning from war. Wind, solar and energy efficiency are now so affordable we can lower consumer bills as well as helping achieve cleaner air and a livable climate. State leaders have demonstrated a complete lack of willingness to do what’s right for Texas and appear to be content to deny the reality of climate change and file needless lawsuits.

We’re encouraged that the EPA has a federal solution if the state continues to refuse to act. We will work diligently with the federal government to ensure a federal plan to clean up the air protects communities already affected by high levels of pollution are not exposed to more, safeguards low income consumers from the unfair burden of high energy bills, and enables stakeholders to come together to plan for just transition from coal to high tech renewable energy. If political leadership ever allows state agencies to construct a real state-based plan for Texas, we welcome the opportunity to work with them.

Join Us for This Year’s Trash Makeover Challenge!

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fashion4
A dress made out of empty sweetener packets? An old billboard? Seat belts?

Yes, yes and yes!

We’ve seen that and so much more over the past four years at our Trash Makeover Challenge events. Now we are waiting to see how the professional and amateur designers amaze us with their creativity this year.

Saturday, September 26th, 7 PM
The North Door
502 Brushy Street, Austin

It all started in 2011, when we wanted to mark our 20th anniversary in a fun way. We had heard about fashion shows in which the garments were made mostly from recycled materials and thought it would a perfect fit for us, given our emphasis on recycling and Zero Waste. Not being much of a fashionista myself, we were lucky to have artist Virginia Fleck and designer Tina Sparkles volunteer to pull together designers, models, and stylists to participate.

Our amazing event committee transformed a former clothing store in the dying Highland Mall into a magical space. The creations wowed the crowd and even the least fashion-oriented attendees became fans. While we had originally imagined the event as a one-time celebration, the enthusiasm for this mashup of the environmental and fashion community was so strong that we decided to make it an annual event.

The theme for 2015 is Steampunk Meets Nature; think Victorian Industrial Revolution meets Mad Max meets Nature. We can hardly wait to see what looks will grace the runway this year! The event includes hors d’oeuvres from The Salt Lick and Barr Mansion, signature event cocktails, a silent auction, and performances by both Dance Austin Studio and local Austin band Burgess Meredith.

It all gets going on Saturday, September 26th at 7 PM at The North Door (502 Brushy Street – map here).

Tickets and sponsorships for our Trash Makeover Challenge are still available, but don’t delay – we expect to reach capacity and do not plan to sell tickets at the door. Watch a video from our 2013 event then get your tickets for this year; for sponsorships, call 512-326-5655 for details.

Can’t wait to see you there!

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Robin Schneider, Executive Director

Single-use Plastic Bags will be Free Again Monday

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bagmonsterdannyDallas Observer
Stephen Young

At what Dwaine Caraway said would be his last City Council meeting, the term-limited council member put on a vintage performance, fighting against what’s become the bane of his existence: single-use plastic bags. He lost. Single-use plastic bags will be free again on Monday, but he lost fighting the good fight.

Caraway was instrumental in the compromise the council passed in 2014. Single-use plastic bags would not be banned outright, as he wanted, but they would be subject to a nickel fee, 90 percent of which would go to the city. The fee went into effect January 1.

In May, a group of bag manufacturers sued the city, citing then-Attorney General Greg Abbott’s 2014 opinion that plastic bag fees were probably illegal. In the suit’s aftermath, dueling memos were sent to the mayor by two, five-council member cohorts. One asked that the fee be converted to an outright ban on the bags, imitating the policy in Austin and other cities, the other called simply for the fees repeal.

“You can either be the biggest city to take action on this or the first city in Texas to take the state backwards,” Zac Trahan of the Texas Campaign for the Environment said.

After Trahan and the other open-microphone speakers — including a “plastic bag monster” that Mayor Mike Rawlings said looked like something out of Game of Thrones — it was Caraway’s turn to take center stage one more time.

Aided by a prop fence and tree that he entangled plastic bags in, Caraway decried the bags for flying everywhere and ruining the landscape of southern Dallas.

“We will eventually be known as the world class city of plastic bags if we fail to take action today,” he said.

Council members Rick Callahan and Jerry Allen, with help from Rawlings, made the case that fixing Dallas trash problem requires personal responsibility from residents and market forces, rather than regulations.

“We’re not going to ban fried chicken boxes and stuff,” Allen said, in explaining that there would be trash with or without the bags.

Rawlings said the core issue was the role of government in people’s lives, then voted with the winning side in a 9-6 decision not to ban the bags. Scott Griggs, Adam Medrano, Carolyn Davis, Lee Kleinman and Philip Kingston voted with Caraway.

“What you all are doing here today, this is wrong. I made a lot of mistakes and one of those mistakes was not to voice up even more,” Caraway said. “This is about money.”

Caraway then stressed his plans to write a book about this City Council and told Rawlings he wished he’d run against the mayor when he’d had the chance.

“This vote today tells you that they don’t care,” Caraway said, before breaking out his impression of council member Vonciel Jones Hill explaining why she doesn’t want to ban the bags.

Hill informed Caraway that her voice was a gift from God and that she resented his implication that her vote against the ban was meant to please her campaign contributors.

“What you get when you contribute to my campaign is good government,” she said.

Still needing to do something to fix an ordinance that is, as Abbott said, probably illegal, the council then voted 10-4 to ditch the fee, with Medrano switching sides because, he said, he didn’t believe the city could win the lawsuit*.

*Medrano and Kleinman switched sides and Sandy Greyson voted against the repeal.