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Administrator Pruitt Meets with Superfund Stakeholders in Texas

Holds Meeting with Local Stakeholders; Environmental Groups

10/20/2017
Contact Information: 
EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)

HOUSTON  – Today, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt met with stakeholders at the Harris County Office who are monitoring cleanup efforts at the San Jacinto Superfund site that is contaminated with highly toxic dioxin. Last week, Administrator Pruitt signed a Record of Decision that approved a $115 million cost-effective cleanup plan of the toxic site that will completely remove highly contaminated material from the site and secure the less contaminated areas. This will also provide overall certainty by permanently addressing the contamination risks instead of capping the site.

Administrator Pruitt visited the San Jacinto Superfund site last month to review Agency response efforts following Hurricane Harvey.

“For nearly a decade, the San Jacinto site has lingered on the national priority list and gone largely ignored,” said Administrator Pruitt. “This Agency is committed to helping dispose of these toxic materials in a cost-effective and efficient way to better ensure a healthy and safe environment for nearby residents.”

While in Houston, Administrator Pruitt held a roundtable with EPA officials overseeing the site, local stakeholders, and environmental groups to discuss the cleanup efforts. Attendees included: Acting Regional Administrator for Region 6 Sam Coleman, Texas Health and Environmental Alliance Executive Director Jackie Young, Scott Jones of the Galveston Bay Foundation, Bob Stokes of the Galveston Bay Foundation, Jennifer Ronk of the Houston Advance Research Center, Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan and staff, and Linda Henry of the Port of Houston Authority.

"We are deeply appreciative of Administrator Pruitt's promptness and clarity in making this decision. We want to work with him to get this site cleaned up now," said Vince Ryan, Harris County attorney

Following the meeting, Administrator Pruitt delivered remarks to the Texas Oil & Gas Association in The Woodlands, Texas to discuss EPA’s agenda to provide regulatory certainty in the marketplace.