HOUSTON, Texas — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered remediation work to begin at the northern section of the San Jacinto River waste pits, advancing cleanup efforts at the Superfund site nearly eight months after approving a remediation plan.
The EPA signed the order last week, requiring cleanup of the northern impoundments and sand separation area near Baytown. The site, designated as a Superfund location in 2008, contains dioxins, chemicals linked to cancer that have spread through flooding and erosion since the pits were created in the 1960s to store paper mill waste.
International Paper Co. and McGinnes Industrial Maintenance, the companies responsible for the cleanup, said they are reviewing the order and will continue cooperating with the EPA process. McGinnes is a subsidiary of Waste Management of Texas.
The EPA estimated the northern site remediation will cost more than $262 million. The order states the companies could face fines of up to $71,545 per violation per day if they fail to comply with the cleanup requirements.
The EPA previously ordered cleanup of the southern waste pit in 2021. Construction began in 2022, and environmental groups said remediation of the southern section was completed in 2024.
Community advocates and environmental groups welcomed the latest order during a Wednesday press conference. Carolyn Stone, president of the Channelview Health and Improvement Coalition, said the order establishes deadlines for remediation and penalties for delays.
The Texas Department of State Health Services released a report last year showing elevated rates of certain cancers in East Harris County near the San Jacinto River, though the report did not determine a cause.
The Texas Health and Environment Alliance, which has advocated for cleanup of the site for years, described the EPA action as a significant step forward in the remediation process.