Update: Cleanup Continues in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana
DALLAS, TEXAS (October 15, 2025) – After leading cleanup efforts for almost two months, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that it has entered into a consent order with Smitty’s Supply, Inc. to assume responsibility for the cleanup of the facility. EPA also announced that it has issued a Pollution Removal Funding Authorization (PRFA) to the state of Louisiana to continue cleanup efforts of the Tangipahoa River and nearby ponds under EPA oversight. Response by the Numbers: -7,123,053 gallons of liquid wastes recovered -11,089,449gallons of liquid wastes removed for disposal -22,400 feet of containment boom laid -4,955 bales of sorbent material -Over 450 EPA and contractor personnel deployed Accomplishments to date at the Smitty’s Supply fire response include extinguishing the fire and stabilizing the facility to prevent leaks; building earthen dams, setting booms, and rainwater collection around the site to contain runoff; deploying boom and sorbent material in ponds and the Tangipahoa River to capture contaminated runoff; and increasing the recovery rate of oily material. EPA is continuing to conduct additional sampling of the river, ponds, and ditches in the area to increase the amount of information and data we have about the range of pollutants that are present in the water and sediment. EPA and its partner agencies continue to engage with Smitty’s Supply to ensure the cleanup activities conducted at the facility remain efficient and complimentary of cleanup efforts in the drainage ditches, ponds, and the river. Cleanup Operations Cleanup operations on October 14 continued at the facility, drainage ditches, ponds, and the Tangipahoa River. At the facility, 13 frac tanks were decontaminated and an additional 12 frac tanks were demobilized from the site. Soil and impacted vegetation removal excavation continues in the drainage ditches along Highway 10 that were impacted by oily wastes and firefighting runoff. Collection of oily wastes continues in the ponds. A collection point has been expanded to support additional vacuum trucks in Pond D2. Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique (SCAT) continues to be the focus of EPA’s river operations. Planned operations for October 15 include: additional decontamination and demobilization of frac tanks; continuing SCAT operations and recovering any oily waste product at established collection points; and adding more skimmers to Pond D2. Community Engagement EPA has met with over 2,254 community members throughout Tangipahoa Parish and answered their questions during established office hours and other events that have taken place since September 12. EPA continues to go door-to-door to engage with residents in Roseland. EPA has interacted with 354 residents through its door-to-door efforts since October 5. Residents are invited to continue engaging with our response staff at the upcoming events listed below. Community Office Hours: -Hammond Senior Center, Thursday, October 16, 1pm – 4pm -Amite Public Library, Thursday, October 16, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM -Vintage Market Days of Southeast Louisiana: Friday, October 17, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM, -Vintage Market Days of Southeast Louisiana: Saturday, October 18, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM -Vintage Market Days of Southeast Louisiana: Sunday, October 19, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Online Resources Visit EPA's response website for regular updates, including sampling results, cleanup progress, field photos, and an interactive story map: https://www.epa.gov/smittys-supply-fire. Social Media Highlights Connect with the Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 on Facebook, X, Instagram. Facebook: U.S. EPA South Central: EPA continues on-the-ground outreach in Tangipahoa Parish, with updated times and locations for community office hours supporting residents affected by the Smitty’s Supply fire. See the times and locations for today! For more updates please follow: https://www.epa.gov/smittys-supply-fire U.S. EPA South Central: Check out what EPA Regional Administrator Scott Mason had to say in The Tangi Times about EPA’s ongoing work in Tangipahoa Parish—leading cleanup efforts, coordinating with local partners, and keeping residents informed following the Smitty’s Supply fire. https://www.tangitimes.com/.../smittys-supply-incident... U.S. EPA South Central: EPA's On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs) continue to lead operational efforts to contain and cleanup oily wastes in Tangipahoa Parish following the Smitty's Supply fire in Roseland, LA. OSC Randy Nattis describes how EPA crews are using soil excavation and interceptor trenches in the drainage ditches that were impacted by oily wastes and firefighting runoff. During this process, EPA discovered pathways hidden by heavy foliage that allowed the oily wastes to flow into the ponds. For the latest updates, please visit our hub site: https://www.epa.gov/smittys-supply-fire. U.S. EPA: Daily Smitty’s Supply Fire Response Update For more information: https://spgv.io/6186B9CY X: @EPAregion6: EPA continues on-the-ground outreach in Tangipahoa Parish, with updated times and locations for community office hours supporting residents affected by the Smitty’s Supply fire. See the times and locations for today! For more updates please follow: https://epa.gov/smittys-supply-fire @EPAregion6: Check out what EPA Regional Administrator Scott Mason had to say in The Tangi Times about EPA’s ongoing work in Tangipahoa Parish—leading cleanup efforts, coordinating with local partners, and keeping residents informed following the Smitty’s Supply fire. https://tangitimes.com/news/smittys-supply-incident-update @EPAregion6: EPA's On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs) continue to lead operational efforts to contain and cleanup oily wastes in Tangipahoa Parish following the Smitty's Supply fire in Roseland, LA. OSC Randy Nattis describes how EPA crews are using soil excavation and interceptor trenches in the drainage ditches that were impacted by oily wastes and firefighting runoff. During this process, EPA discovered pathways hidden by heavy foliage that allowed the oily wastes to flow into the ponds. For the latest updates, please visit our hub site: http://epa.gov/smittys-supply-fire. @EPA: Daily Smitty’s Supply Fire Response Update For more information: https://spgv.io/6018B9Cm Media Availability For interview requests or to coordinate site visits, contact Ed Mekeel at mekeel.edward@epa.gov. |