[StBernard] Environmental group warns about dangers in N.O. soils

[Westley Annis]

Article from wwltv.com

Environmental group warns about dangers in N.O. soils

08:52 PM CST on Thursday, December 1, 2005
Cain Burdeau / Associated Press
 


This city's parks, playgrounds, yards and streets would be contaminated
for years to come with dangerous chemicals and cancer-causing heavy
metals unless the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency orders a
widespread cleanup of areas flooded by Hurricane Katrina,
environmentalists said Thursday. 


The findings, which were in drastic conflict with official assessments,
were released by the Natural Resources Defense Council and several
Louisiana groups. 


EPA has not said, so far, that sediment contamination warrants a major
cleanup. Instead, the agency says the contamination is not widespread.
In the meantime, state regulators deny the need for removing large
amounts of sediment. 


Dr. Gina Solomon, a NRDC senior scientist, said: "Until these problems
are cleaned up, it's not a good idea to have people moving for the
long-term into these communities." 


In contrast, Tom Harris, a toxicologist with the Louisiana Department
of Environmental Quality, said soil samples "do not justify a wide-scale
removal of sediment." 


He added: "The vast majority of the city, we see nothing that is
problem for long-term exposure." 


The clash over the dangers lurking in the sediment is the latest
disagreement between environmentalists and regulators over the effects
of Katrina. Environmentalists charge that regulators have downplayed the
risks caused by environmental waivers for plants, debris disposal and
oil spills. 


Independent soil tests show high levels of arsenic and other
contaminants throughout New Orleans, the environmental groups said. 


Harris disagreed with the groups' assessment of arsenic risks, saying
that arsenic is a naturally occurring metal that is found everywhere in
concentrations like those found in New Orleans after Katrina. 


"It's a little irresponsible to tell people they can't go back in their
houses because of the level of arsenic because wherever they go they
will find arsenic in the soil," Harris said. 


Tests also showed banned pesticides from a closed-down plant and
contaminants from an old landfill that were flooded are leaching into
the surrounding areas, said Wilma Subra, an environmental chemist who
conducted the tests. 


"These banned chemicals are outside the fences, on the sidewalks, in
the streets," Subra said about contamination from the old pesticide
plant, the Thompson-Hayward facility. "This is totally unacceptable." 


Harris denied that the two sites contaminated surrounding areas. 


Erik Olson, an NRDC attorney, argued that government regulators are
"spinning their own data" on test results to come up with assessments
that the health and environmental risks are minimal. 


Monique Harden, an attorney for the New Orleans-based Advocates for
Environmental Human Rights, said the public should be better informed
about the risks and given the gear to protect themselves against
contamination while they are in the city cleaning up. 


She said her group hopes to convince EPA to order a cleanup and avoid
facing legal action. 


A cleanup could be done within months if regulators "get their nose to
the grindstone," Olson said. 


(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) 



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