P.M. BRIEFING : EPA Adds 101 Dumps, Including 4 in California, to Superfund List
The Environmental Protection Agency today added 101 sites in 33 states, including four sites in California, to its list of hazardous waste dumps that pose the greatest long-term threat to public health and the environment.
The additions bring to 1,163 the number of waste sites eligible for federal funds under the EPA’s $8.5-billion Superfund cleanup program.
The California additions to the list were Modesto Ground Water Contamination, Newmark Ground Water Contamination in San Bernardino, Southern California Edison at Visalia and Valley Wood Preserving Inc. at Turlock.
Of the total sites identified so far, New Jersey’s 107 is the most for any state. Pennsylvania is second with 94, followed by California with 88. The list was started in 1983.
EPA identifies and ranks the sites on its list according to health threats to nearby populations through contamination of ground water, surface water or air. Money for the cleanup fund comes from taxes mainly on the chemical industry.
The latest additions to the Superfund list include garbage dumps, refineries, dry cleaners, chemical dumps and a variety of manufacturing plants, including a steel company, tanning company, paint works and a forest products company.
Pennsylvania had the most sites added today, 12, followed by New York with 10 and Michigan with 7.
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