The Region : Firms Wary of Cleanup Cost
A coalition of local industries has asked federal environmental officials to undertake more studies of the extensive underground water pollution in the San Gabriel Valley before spending any of the $47 million proposed to begin cleaning up the problem in Azusa, Baldwin Park and Irwindale.
Studies conducted for the San Gabriel Basin Industrial Coalition indicate that the plan by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency may be overreaching and more costly than is necessary, said Bill Peters, an El Monte businessman and spokesman for the group.
“The San Gabriel Valley business community cannot finance that over-design without severe impacts on business activity and employment,” he said.
EPA officials, who had a hearing on the plan May 20 in Baldwin Park, say they hope to finance their proposal by requiring payments from businesses that polluted the water.
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