"EPA To Clean Up Toxic Texas Site Damaged By Hurricane Harvey"

"WASHINGTON — Federal environmental regulators have reached a long-awaited agreement with the owners of a polluted toxic waste site in Texas that was damaged during Hurricane Harvey, releasing dangerous chemicals into a river.

The Environmental Protection Agency says it reached a final deal with International Paper Co. and McGinnes Industrial Maintenance Corp. to design a plan to remove dioxin-contaminated materials from the San Jacinto River Waste Pits Superfund site, located outside Houston.

Both companies, which had fought cleanup efforts for years, said in statements that they look forward to working with EPA to protect the river and community.

EPA says the estimated cost for the project is $115 million and is expected to take more than two years.

The Associated Press reported last year that more than a dozen Superfund sites including the San Jacinto pits were flooded by Harvey. EPA’s press office assailed AP’s reporting as fear-mongering “yellow journalism” but weeks later acknowledged leaks of potentially harmful materials from San Jacinto and a second Houston-area site."

Jason Dearen and Michael Biesecker report for the Associated Press April 9, 2018.