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Katrina EPA Response
Here's the EPA's Response Activity for Thursday, September 15, 2005 relating to hurricane Katrina:
Sediment Sampling: EPA is collecting sediment samples in New Orleans . Initial results are expected to be released this week.
Public Advisory – On 9/14, EPA released a public advisory warning of potential environmental health hazards when returning to homes and businesses after Hurricane Katrina.
Fuel Waivers – On 9/13, EPA issued a second, temporary waiver of highway diesel fuel sulfur requirements through 10/5 for states that continue to be affected by disruptions to the fuel production and distribution system caused by Hurricane Katrina. This action will allow diesel fuel normally used in off-road equipment to be used in highway vehicles in those impacted states. The states affected by the second waiver of highway diesel requirements are: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Tennessee and the District of Columbia. In addition, EPA waived the federal enforceability of the summer grade gasoline required under state law in California , Eastern Texas and Phoenix , AZ. On 8/31, EPA waived the federal requirement for summer grade gasoline nationwide. Under normal circumstances that requirement ends in all parts of the country on 9/15, except for the three areas mentioned above which, under state laws, extend the requirement until 9/30 (Phoenix), 10/1 (Texas) and 10/1 (California). The three states have requested that EPA waive federal enforceability of these requirements.
Response to Oil Spills- There have been 5 major oil spills in the New Orleans area to date. EPA continues to assess the situations as it becomes aware. On 9/12, EPA sampling teams collected 3 sediment environmental samples and the Trace Atmospheric Gas Analyzer (TAGA) bus conducted air sampling at the Murphy oil spill area.
Debris Assessment and Collection: EPA teams continue collection of household hazardous wastes (HHW) and orphan containers. In addition, EPA personnel continue to offer technical assistance in the disposal of hazardous waste and other debris left behind by the storm. EPA has collected a total of 17,547 HHW/orphan containers in Region 6 and 2,739 HHW/orphan containers in Region 4.
 Drinking Water Assessment– EPA continues assessment of damage to local drinking systems and providing technical assistance to help restore service in AL, MS, and LA. Many systems were disabled or impaired by loss of electrical power, and some are now operating under boil water notices. In Louisiana , EPA sent teams to conduct drinking water assessments and provide technical assistance. Teams reassessed 60 systems to determine extent of repairs. To date, they have conducted 28 drinking water assessments and provided technical assistance at 14 public water systems; a total of 476 systems have been logged for tracking purposes. In MS and AL, EPA is providing technical assistance to states and localities as well as conducting resource needs analyses. The total number of systems that remain under a boil water advisory, are not operating, or are awaiting further information is estimated to be: 1 in AL, 321 in MS, and 281 in southeastern in LA. EPA has 2 mobile laboratories in MS and 2 in LA.
Air Surveillance – In coordination with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, EPA's airplane ASPECT has flown 15 flights to obtain environmental screening data. Results of this surveillance were posted on the EPA website 9/14. Compounds identified were not found to be at levels exceeding OSHA standards with one exception. In this instance, the detection was reported to EPA responders on the ground. The responders located the source, a 55-gallon drum containing 4 inches of Chloro Acetic Acid. The drum was secured by EPA response personnel. On 9/14, the results were posted on the website.
Air Monitoring – 2 EPA Trace Atmospheric Gas Analyzer (TAGA) buses continue to perform air monitoring in New Orleans area.
Flood Water Analysis - On 9/14, in coordination with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, EPA posted flood water sampling data for chemicals from 9/4-6. The data has been reviewed and validated through a quality assurance process to ensure scientific accuracy. Hexavalent chromium and arsenic, in addition to lead which was previously detected on 9/3, were detected in the water. Arsenic and lead were found at levels which exceeded EPA drinking water standards. These compounds would pose a risk to children only if a child were to drink a liter of flood water a day. Long-term exposure (a year or longer) to arsenic would be required before health effects would be expected to occur. Thallium was detected at one sampling location and while levels are slightly elevated, they are 10 times lower than levels at which there would be a health effect. Editor’s Note: Due to a programming error, sampling test results for September 6 contained two inaccuracies. Values of arsenic and hexavalent chromium were displayed three orders of magnitude lower than the actual results. At one site, for instance, the value for arsenic was shown as 0.013 micrograms/liter when it actually was 13.0 micrograms/liter. The safe drinking water level for arsenic is 10 micrograms/liter. With respect to hexavalent chromium, the value of 0.015 micrograms/liter was originally displayed, when in fact the correct value should have been 15 micrograms/liter. This level is below the safe drinking water level of 100 micrograms/liter.
The 9/5 data is currently undergoing review and validation. The data will be released once this process is complete.
Flood water sampling data for biological pathogens from 9/6-10 have also been posted for public review. E. coli levels are still greatly elevated and remain much higher than EPA’s recommended levels for contact. The public and emergency responders should continue to avoid contact with flood water when possible. If contact occurs, EPA strongly advises the use of soap and water to clean areas if available.
Please see the following message for the remaining stories.
Superfund Sites: On 9/13, EPA and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) sent teams to conduct in-depth reconnaissance at the four accessible National Priority list sites. EPA will do an overflight assessment of the 5 th site, since it is currently under water. EPA also plans assessment of three Superfund sites that are not on the National Priorities List site.
Katrina stories
Major Developments in Katrina's Aftermath
IEA Emergency Oil Stock Release Unchanged
The International Energy Agency plans no changes to the emergency oil-stock release put in place after Hurricane Katrina.
Bush to Outline New Hurricane Aid Package, Newsview: 3 Crises Define Bush Presidency
President Bush is offering a package of new federal aid to help victims of hurricane Katrina, announcing a new reconstruction plan on television from New Orleans Thursday night.
The three are the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, the war in Iraq, and Hurricane Katrina.
Katrina Funds Keep Flowing on Capitol Hill, Â Senators seek post-Katrina "Marshall Plan", Airlines Ask Congress for Fuel Tax Relief, Â Gov't Credit Cards for Katrina Draw Fire
Congress has approved a variety of measures to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Senate Republican Majority Leader Bill Frist and the rest of the Senate Republican leadership want President George W. Bush to establish a "Marshall Plan" for the recovery after Hurricane Katrina.
Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines filed for bankruptcy protection Wednesday. Airlines asked Congress for help because of Hurricane Katrina and record fuel costs as well as taxes and fees imposed after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Roughly 250,000 federal employees have government credit cards, usually with a purchase limit of $2,500. The limit has been increased to $250,000 to speed up the hurricane Katrina relief effort, but lawmakers are concerned at the level and at the opportunity for abuse.
Katrina swells ranks of unemployed
71,000 Americans filed new claims for jobless aid last week; probably 68,000 are due to hurricane Katrina. More claims are in the pipeline.
Katrina Brings Financial Plight to Focus
Hurricane Katrina has blown away the veil over the differences in the financial circumstances of blacks and whites on the Gulf Coast. Many blacks had no bank accounts and hid their cash in their homes, and have lost it all. Those who had mortgages were far more likely to have high-cost, "subprime" mortgages than whites. The NAACP has called for lenders to freeze mortgage foreclosures and suspend late fees on loans for hurricane victims. Predatory lenders are a concern.
Feds Plan to Ensure Flu Shots for Evacuees
Federal health officials plan to make sure that hurricane evacuees get flu vaccinations this year as well as the usual at-risk populations such as nursing homes. The elderly will be vaccinated first.
Corps of Engineers Admits Sandbag Error
The commander of the Army Corps of Engineers said that the government should have pre-positioned more sandbags and helicopters in the New Orleans area before Hurricane Katrina struck.
Some 390,000 customers still lack power after Katrina
About 28 percent of Louisiana customers are still without power, and about 80,000 customers in Mississippi. Several oil refineries are unable to get power either because they are damaged or because their transmission lines are still under water. Not all power plants are back up, but generating capacity is sufficient to meet demand.
Katrina Makes Top 10 Deadliest Disasters, Â The Nation's Top 10 Natural Disasters, Hurricane Katrina death toll rises, Â Reported Katrina Deaths, State by State
With an official death toll of 710 so far, Hurricane Katrina will be at least the seventh deadliest natural disaster to strike the USA. The top 5 are: Galveston (Texas) Hurricane, 1900, (8,000 dead), Great Okeechobee Hurricane in Florida, 1928 (2,500-plus dead), Johnstown, Pa., Flood, 1889 (2,200-plus dead), Louisiana Hurricane, 1893 (2,000-plus dead), South Carolina-Georgia Hurricane, 1893 (1,000-2,000 dead). The 6th was the Great New England Hurricane, 1938, with 720 deaths.
Death toll: Alabama 2, Florida 14, Georgia 2, Louisiana 474, Mississippi 218, total 710.
La. Governor Takes Blame for Response
Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco said, "We all know that there were failures at every level of government: state, federal and local. At the state level, we must take a careful look at what went wrong and make sure it never happens again. The buck stops here, and as your governor, I take full responsibility."
La. Congressman Had Guard Escort to Home
When Louisiana Rep. William Jefferson, D-La. decided to check out his home in New Orleans, he was given a National Guard escort because of looting and lawlessness.
Returning Guardsman Arrive in Louisiana
Members of the Louisiana National Guard have returned. Others are not expected until the end of September. Many have lost their homes.
Parts of New Orleans to Open Next Week, Â Key parts of New Orleans to reopen, Parts of New Orleans to Open Next Week, Â New Orleans, silent, fights to sing and play again, Bacteria, Lead Taint Water in New Orleans, Â Poll: Rebuilding New Orleans High Priority
Large sections of the city will reopen next week, beginning with Algiers on Monday. The Uptown area, including Tulane University and the Garden District, will be opened later in the week. The French Quarter will re-open the following week - the authorities want to make sure there are no problems and that they can deal with any fires before switching the electricity back on. The Convention Center will be used by major retailers to supply returning residents with food
New Orleans has lost its music for the time being; it is not known when the musicians will return, and the electricity is not yet on.
Environmental Protection Agency tests are showing dangerous levels of sewage-related bacteria, lead, hexavalent chromium and arsenic in the floodwaters in New Orleans. Five Superfund sites were flooded in the city, and 31 in total in the affected parts of the Gulf Coast. Five oil spills were found in the New Orleans area. According to Sen. James Jeffords, I-Vt., "We heard that the degree of environmental damage is considered catastrophic. We also heard that the EPA is still in the very early stages of collecting the soil and water samples that are needed to determine whether it is safe for residents to return to the area."
A CBS-New York Times poll released Wednesday reported that most Americans feel that rebuilding New Orleans is more important than cutting taxes or changing Social Security.
Miss. to Offer Evacuees Room on Ship
The cruise ship will be docked off Mobile, Ala. as Mississippi coastal waters are currently too dirty for its water-treatment system. About 2,000 travel trailers and mobile homes are in the pipe line.
Along Bayou Road, Family Survives Flood
The few people who stayed through the storm in the Bayou Road area have no intention of leaving.
Grandmother Fired for Katrina Absences
A grandmother who had been babysitting her 18-month-old granddaughter while the parents were on a short business trip was left holding the baby when they could not return because of hurricane Katrina. She felt she had no option but to stay home and look after the child even though she had used up all her leave days. She was fired.
Ex-FEMA Chief Witt Lobbies for Insurance
The company of former federal disaster chief James Lee Witt has registered to lobby for an insurance company with the mission "to draft and introduce model legislation creating a natural disaster catastrophe fund". Witt was recently hired by Louisiana. Gov. Kathleen Blanco to advise on relief work, and will do no lobbying work that relates to other clients in Louisiana.
Katrina Rescue Effort Begins for Dolphins, Â Katrina-Hit Dolphins Found!
Eight dolphins from Gulfport's Marine Life Oceanarium were swept out to sea during hurricane Katrina, but they kept together and were spotted by scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration assessing hurricane damage to natural resources from the air. Scientists are now trying to rescue them, as they do not know how to fend for themselves in the wild. One of 19 missing sea lions was found alive on land.
Other stories
Katrina Forces Calif. to Gauge Flood Risks
There are 6,000 miles of levees in Northern and Central California. Hurricane Katrina has made people stop taking them for granted, and to wonder if they would survive a major earthquake or hurricane.
Major Quake Could Be Worse Than Katrina
Government researchers studying the Puente Hills fault under Los Angeles have modelled a worst-case scenario for a major earthquake. The result was a hypothetical 18,000 dead and over $250 billion in damages.
Hurricane Ophelia Weakens, but Soaks N.C., Â Hurricane Ophelia pelts North Carolina, Hatteras Residents Defy Hurricane Ophelia
Hurricane Ophelia continued crawling along the North Carolina coast, weakening. Hatteras residents, who are used to hurricanes, are staying put.
Mice Infected With Bubonic Plague Missing, Â Plague-Carrying Mice Missing
Three mice infected with the bubonic plague bacterium are unaccounted-for at the Public Health Research Institute at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. They are not sure if they escaped, were stolen, were eaten by other lab animals, or simply misplaced in a paperwork error. If they got out, they would be dead of the plague by now.
US children's hospital on frontline in bird flu war
St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital in Memphis' Robert Webster has been warning us about bird flu for years. His international team is studying the virus, vaccines and antivirals.
Birds flu fears haunt Netherlands again
Two years ago, 30.7 million birds were culled in the Netherlands because of a bird flu outbreak, at great cost to the industry. This time they are taking no chances and are bringing their birds indoors.
US funds Vietnam bird flu surveillance network
The United States is to provide $2.5 million to help Vietnam with its bird flu surveillance network over the next five years, to help prevent a pandemic.
U.S. Joins in Anti-Malaria Campaign
First lady Laura Bush and representatives from Angola, Tanzania and Uganda endorsed a U.S. initiative to reduce the spread of malaria in Africa on Wednesday night.
Anti-cancer compound found in beans, nuts, cereals
Beans, nuts and cereals have been found to contain the natural substance inositol pentakisphosphate which inhibits the growth of tumours. It is also found in lentils and peas.
Tests Find High Mercury Levels in Fish
A University of North Carolina Lab found mercury levels above the legal limit in store-bought swordfish from supermarket chains.
Frozen-thawed ovaries transplanted in sheep
Israeli scientists have transplanted into sheep eggs which had been obtained from ovaries that had been frozen then thawed. They hope to use the same technique on women.
Entangled Whale Calf Frees Itself
A humpback whale calf that had been entangled in crab pot gear near Juneau for days appears to have extricated itself and is swimming normally with its mother.
Fire at India Fireworks Factories Kills 32
Three illegal fireworks factories in houses in a village in eastern India caught fire, killing 32 people. Some of the owners have been arrested.
Fire Breaks Out at Oil Well in India
An oil well that was damaged in an explosion on Tuesday in northeastern India caught fire on Thursday. Russian experts were called in. There were no injuries.
Bulb Malfunction Sends 18 to Hospital
A malfunctioning halide light bulb in a school gym sent 18 people to the hospital with severe sunburn. The special membrane that blocks the UV rays in such laps must have broken.
Index of topics in this series.
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