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HOUSTON, TX — Harris County Attorney Jonathan Fombonne issued the following statement after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a unilateral administrative order requiring long-overdue remedial action at the San Jacinto River Waste Pits Superfund Site in Channelview:

“For far too long, the people living along the San Jacinto River have waited for remediation work to begin. Cleanup of the northern impoundments has lagged, with progress delayed for years. This order from the EPA finally puts real enforcement behind the remedial design approved last year and makes clear that further delay is no longer acceptable.

This order establishes firm expectations and accountability, requiring the responsible parties to move forward with cleanup while ensuring progress is closely monitored through regular reporting to the agency. It also guarantees the public will be kept informed about timelines and the status of the work.

This is a critical step toward turning years of promises into real, on-the-ground action. We are looking to the EPA to ensure accountability for the community and to prevent any further delays.”

Background on the San Jacinto River Waste Pits

Superfund sites in Harris County are highly contaminated locations, such as former industrial plants or landfills, targeted by the EPA for long-term cleanup due to severe hazardous waste pollution. The San Jacinto Waste Pits were designated a Superfund site in 2008, and remediation was first ordered in 2018.

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