To address the ongoing concerns of Camp Minden and the explosives disposal, and given the recent increase in interest over the holidays, please read about my previous actions and planned actions as your State Representative regarding this issue of extreme importance. Since early 2013, I have fought for control and funding over this issue so that we could be certain that first the product would be properly stored to eliminate immediate threats, so that we could utilize the method of disposal with the smallest impact to human and environmental health, so that those who did this would be held accountable, and so that new policy would ensure it never happens to us again. Here’s what’s worked: - The product was safely moved and relocated to bunkers for a temporary period. This slows down the process of degrading and removed it from exposure to things like lightening and other threats. - New State policy was passed in the 2014 Legislative Session which gives the Louisiana Army National Guard and Louisiana State Police more oversight authority of private industries at Camp Minden. This should prevent this from ever happening again. - We explored various options of disposal, met with experts, and determined that a clean incinerator burn with filtered emissions would be not only safe, but affordable. - We searched all local, state, and federal funding sources and engaged as the State, Department of Defense, and EPA all played hot potato with this issue. The Governor made it clear that Louisiana could not sustain the millions of dollars in cleanup costs; so ultimately it was left to the feds to fight it out. - I visited D.C. with other local delegation and community leaders to push for a dedication of funds. Senator Landrieu was the only federal elected official who responded to this issue; and she ultimately secured what funds she could—nearly $30 million of Superfunds, which would allow the process to be an expedited emergency cleanup. We needed an expedited process due to the product’s instability. All agreed that if the State could not maintain funding and control, then this was the best (and the only) alternative option. - The EPA moved in to Camp Minden to begin research and studies and testing a few months ago. The EPA Federal Region 6 has jurisdictional oversight and is now the lead agency on this project. - Several community meetings have been held as well as closed agency-head meetings to keep elected officials continually briefed. - I have had to have several “come to Jesus” conversations with the EPA Project Manager over disagreements and information sharing. I will not back down. Here’s what hasn’t worked: - We didn’t get to control where the funding came from; so we lost some control on the process. - We had thoroughly researched and discussed the use of incinerator and were under the impression the EPA would hear about our findings and desired method; however upon the first on-sight meeting, we were informed that they would only entertain open tray burning. We have and will continue to state our strong position; however I can offer no guarantees at this time that we will be successful. I can only guarantee that I along with many others will continue to push, learn, research, and engage. - I have requested environmental impact studies and additional research and have yet to be guaranteed one. The provisions of Superfund money, because it’s considered emergency status with time constraints, do not fund or allow for complete EISs, but rather tests with monitoring which have been conducted and results shared with the public. - When it became clear a few weeks ago (an hour before the December 16 public meeting) that the EPA would not entertain other options, I decided it was time to begin reaching out to more of our federal leaders. However, due to the timing of the then-approaching holidays, these calls had to wait. What I will be doing TOMORROW: - I will spend all day on the phone now that US offices are back open from the holidays. I will call John Fleming, Page Delgatto (EPA), David Vitter, Bill Cassidy, and President Obama’s office. - My objectives will be to 1) increase awareness of the concerns and magnitude of the situation and potential impacts; 2) ask for a delay (with safety provisions for the degrading explosives) so that further research and studies can be conducted; 3) demand that explosives experts be added to the project management team. - I will also be calling Brian Salvatore to learn more about his information and research beyond what I learned at the December public meeting. Please stay engaged, follow along, support our actions, and be present at the upcoming public meetings to express your concerns. I welcome your calls, comments, and feedback. Thank you.
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 04:25:41 +0000