Congressman Asks for Delay of Tarpon Spring's Cleanup
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Representative Michael Bilirakis (R, FL) has asked the U.S. EPA to delay deciding on how to clean
up the former Stauffer Chemical site in Tarpon Springs. His September 11 letter urged the agency
to first perform more asbestos testing of the Superfund site, which harbors heavy metals and
radioactive materials.
In May, EPA air monitors detected traces of asbestos on the property near the Pinellas-Pasco county line, causing concern among residents. The agency plans to send about 10 radiation and asbestos experts to Tarpon Springs on September 25 to 27 to discuss these concerns. EPA's contingent, however, would arrive at about the time of the agency's proposed issuing of its Record of Decision on the means of cleanup. The company managing the property of the former chemical plant supports a delay. Stauffer Management said recently it is would wait another six months to allow for the testing. EPA officials have said they would prefer to keep the original schedule of releasing the Record of Decision first and testing later. Bilirakis chairs a subcommittee that deals with health and environment issues. His call for postponing the Tarpon Springs's cleanup comes at a time when the EPA is under increasing pressure from Congress to accelerate Superfund cleanups. Stauffer stopped operating the plant in 1981, and the site was placed on the Superfund federal cleanup list in 1994. Edited by Paul Hersch |