HURRICANE UNIFIED COMMAND Cameron Parish fry ¦h. PRO"** LOUISIANA i October 2006 Completion Report ACCOMPLISHMENTS 6 Drinking Water Plant Assessments 1 Wastewater Facility Assessments 5 Industry Damage Assessments 156,032 Hazardous Waste Containers Collected* 3,164 Electronic Items Collected* 13,488 Pounds of Ammunition/ Explosives Collected* 2,233,384 Pounds of Cumulative Waste Disposed* 6 School Lab Assessments Since September 2005, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) have worked together to address environ- mental hazards from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to help Cameron Parish recover. One of EPA and LDEQ's first priorities was to ensure residents returning to all the cities affected by the hurricanes had safe drinking water. Throughout Louisiana, assessments were conducted at drinking water facilities, of which 6 were in Cameron Parish. Similarly, one wastewater treat- ment plant was assessed for damage. Next, EPA and LDEQ turned to federally-permitted facilities. The agencies conducted inter- views and site visits at hazard- ous waste storage, transfer or disposal facilities. Facilities in south- ern Louisiana were addressed, including 5 facilities in Cameron Par- ish. The site visits and interviews established that employees could return to work at facilities operating in accordance with federal and state regulations. Because of concerns that damaged chemicals in school biology and chemistry laboratories could cause a health hazard, EPA and LDEQ conducted assessments at schools in southern Louisiana. Some chemical containers were found to be damaged by the hurricanes, by flood waters and/or from heat exposure. EPA and LDEQ, in coordina- tion with the Louisiana State Police and local fire departments, re- moved dangerous chemicals from schools in southern Louisiana. Six schools in Cameron Parish were assessed; chemicals were removed from four of them. Paint, computers, washing machines, and refrigerators in homes under normal circumstances are not usually considered hazardous. However, when hundreds of thousands of these items become waste products at the same time, the hazardous components in them could create problems. To help remove these materials from the waste goingto Louisiana's municipal landfills, EPA and LDEQ collected 156,032 units consisting of hazardous waste containers and home electronics. The hazardous materials were recycled or disposed in landfills designed to handle them safely. In Calcasieu Jefferson Davis ,Camerdn]Parish« -v . southwestern Louisiana parishes, EPA and LDEQ have disposed of 2,233,384 pounds of waste as of September 30, 2006. In response to community concerns about potential harm from fire- arms, ammunition and explosives, EPA began collecting these mate- rials for appropriate disposal in January 2006. In southwestern and south-central Louisiana parishes, 224 firearms and 13,488 pounds of ammunition, explosives, fireworks and other similar items were collected. Above: EPA collecting scattered and damaged hazardous waste containers from throughout Cameron Parish marshes. * Reflects more than Cameron Parish activities. ------- |