EPA’s Office of Inspector General warned the agency about the threat of wildfires and floods hitting some of the nation’s most contaminated sites, spreading dangerous chemicals and wasting taxpayer dollars.
According to two watchdog reports released Thursday, about one-third of federal Superfund sites are at risk from inland flooding and one-fifth of federal sites are at risk from wildfires.
Without proper analysis and protections, “there is an increased risk that such events may cause toxic contaminants to be released, threatening the health and environment of millions of U.S. residents,” each report says.
The two reports conclude a three-part series looking into the exacerbated dangers natural disasters and extreme weather events may have if they impact any of the approximately 150 Superfund sites under the federal government’s control. The first report, released last summer, found sea-level rise risks potentially affecting 31 percent of federal sites.
