CHF STAFF
The AP reported that they had visited several “highly toxic waste sites in and around Houston”. The EPA, at the end of this weekend, stated that they only had the chance to visit via Drone over 41 of Texas’ Superfund locations, citing 13 of those have been confirmed to have “experienced flooding”.
“On Saturday, hours after the AP published its first report, the EPA said it had reviewed aerial imagery confirming that 13 of the 41 Superfund sites in Texas were flooded by Harvey and were “experiencing possible damage” due to the storm.” – AP / ABC
The toxic locations are of concern, because of their designation as “SuperFund” sites.
EPA’s Superfund program (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980) was implemented to “help protect human health and the environment by managing the cleanup of the nation’s worst hazardous waste sites”.
In a pushback statement, the EPA said the report by the AP was an “incredibly misleading story”. Then went on to support this by stating, “through aerial imaging, EPA has already conducted initial assessments at 41 Superfund sites..28 of those sites show no damage…13 have experienced flooding”.
“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 team of experts on the ground working with our state and local counterparts responding to Hurricane Harvey. Anything to the contrary is yellow journalism.” – EPA Associate Administrator, Liz Bowman
The AP’s executive editor Sally Buzbee replied:
Statement from @AP executive editor Sally Buzbee about @JHDearen and my report on flooded #Superfund sites in #Houston. @EPA #Harvey pic.twitter.com/qeegU1q3eT
— Michael Biesecker (@mbieseck) September 3, 2017
READ FURTHER:
ABC
CNN Int.
Chicago Tribune
The New York Post
The New York Times
Here are some related Tweets:
We are inspecting flooded Superfund sites as quickly as our personnel can access them as the floodwaters recede.
— U.S. EPA (@EPA) September 2, 2017
Just an official govnt agency attacking a reporter in a campaign-style statement accusing him of deliberately misleading the American people pic.twitter.com/SdcpSaz4sx
— Matthew Nussbaum (@MatthewNussbaum) September 3, 2017
Visit the Highlands Acid Pit, a contaminated Superfund site that #Harvey left underwater, in a #360video. Our story: https://t.co/RIMLiJvBNm pic.twitter.com/hAf1NaMJZH
— The Associated Press (@AP) September 2, 2017
EPA says this story was reported from "comfort of Washington." Photos, video, details in report suggest otherwise. https://t.co/oTeqOw8c6X
— Julie Pace (@jpaceDC) September 3, 2017
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