Toxic metals: Ventura County Superfund site is expanding into wetlands

Contamination is spreading from an old coastal Oxnard metal recycling plant, which is now a federal Superfund site. The Environmental Protection Agency reported Thursday that lead, zinc and other pollutants are migrating from the 40-acre Halaco plant to the neighboring Ormond Beach wetlands, which is home to several rare and endangered species.

Superfund project manager Wayne Praskins told the Ventura County Star that the discovery complicates cleanup efforts and the EPA will likely need to expand the Superfund cleanup to include areas adjacent to the site.

However, the EPA, which regulates air, water and toxics contamination nationwide, is a target of massive budget cuts proposed by Republicans in Congress who say the agency's rules are burdensome for businesses.

Halaco shut down the plant years ago and filed for bankruptcy, leaving a massive waste heap laden with heavy metals and trace amounts of radioactive thorium.

-- Margot Roosevelt, with the Associated Press

Comments

[Alan]

Funny no comments from the "ultra" right on how this is actually a commie pinko subversion of capitalism. Would have thought there would be 10 pages of comments.

When the bell tolls for us (J. Q public) to pay up for "unbridled" capitalism, not a single one around to answer for it. Just another BP'esqe failure of technology and lack of stewardship, but thats not the company's fault, right. What mental giant thought a recycling center with exposure to ocean corrosion was a good idea? Brilliant. Better yet, where was our "oppressive" anti business goverment when this lease was let?

[richard roe]

Oooh. Poor businesses are "burdened" by having to keep our air, water and land from being poisoned.

What's it matter when they can just go bankrupt anyhow and leave behind a huge toxic mess and pass the cleanup costs on to the taxpayer?

I'd love it if these whining Republicans were forced to live on this land site.