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EPA Inspector General Finds 100 U.S. Superfund Sites Vulnerable to Flooding, Wildfires
About 100 Superfund sites face flooding, wildfire, or storm surge risks, with many cleanup plans not addressing climate-driven threats, endangering millions of nearby residents, EPA watchdog found.
- The Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Inspector General issued reports last week assessing 157 federal Superfund sites, finding nearly 100 toxic waste sites face significant threats from flooding and wildfires.
- Five-Year plans governing expensive cleanups often fail to account for damage from sea-level rise and frequent storms, the review found; Betsy Southerland, a former EPA water protection director, called this a major planning failure.
- About 3 million Americans live within 1 mile of a Superfund site, while 13 million reside within 3 miles; 49 coastal sites face storm surge risk, 47 inland sites flood risk, and 31 face wildfire threats.
- President Donald Trump fired Inspector General Donnell last year, and the administration has scrubbed 'climate change' from federal websites, limiting the IG's ability to address climate risks in cleanup planning.
- Researcher Lara Cushing at University of California, Los Angeles called the reports 'noteworthy and important,' noting they echo a 2017 Associated Press investigation that found 327 vulnerable Superfund sites following Hurricane Harvey.
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33 Articles
The IndependentReposted by 
The Independent (US)
The Independent (US)Watchdog group finds US’ most hazardous waste sites are vulnerable to flooding, fires
Many Superfund sites face multiple disaster threats: 49 coastal sites are vulnerable to sea-level rise or hurricane storm surges, often near populated areas and ecological zones like Chesapeake Bay
·London, United Kingdom
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EPA watchdog finds nation’s most contaminated sites are vulnerable to flooding, wildfires | 100.1 FM and AM 1020 KDKA
w n weather government-programs public-health wildfires climate-and-environment climate-change health u-s-news general-news washington-news | 100.1 FM and AM 1020 KDKA
·Philadelphia, United States
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Associated Press News+17 Reposted by 17 other sources
EPA watchdog finds nation’s most contaminated sites are vulnerable to flooding, wildfires
About 100 of the nation’s most contaminated toxic waste sites are in areas prone to flooding and wildfires, a potential public health threat to millions of Americans.
·United States
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources33
Leaning Left9Leaning Right1Center21Last UpdatedBias Distribution68% Center
Bias Distribution
- 68% of the sources are Center
68% Center
L 29%
C 68%
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