WM accused of funding anti-cleanup organizations

Waste Management (WM), Houston, is being accused of secretly funding a grassroots organizations opposing the cleanup of a Channelview, Texas, Superfund Site, a report by FOX 26 Houston says. The San Jacinto River Waste Pits site contains half a billion pounds of dioxin-contaminated waste that can cause cancer.

If the cleanup were to occur, WM would have to pay the $100 million cost out of pocket, the report says. Court records obtained by FOX 26 revealed the independent citizen groups, such as Keep It Capped and the Galveston Maritime Business Association, Galveston, Texas, were receiving resources from WM and its subsidiary McGinnes Industrial Management Corp. (MIMC).

The collaborations were never revealed in multiple public meetings regarding the Superfund site, the report says.

J.T. Edwards, presidents of the Galveston Maritime Business Association says in the report that the association just learned of WM’s involvement but knew there was a donor who was using his or her own money. Edwards says in the report he sees no conflict of interest with WM’s financial backing.

A spokesperson for WM responded to FOX 26’s request for comment with the following statement: “Counsel for MIMC and the WM entities advised the court in December that they had just learned that an additional PR (public relations) firm had been retained to assist MIMC with advice and community outreach efforts relating to the proposed EPA remedy for the San Jacinto Superfund site. The companies do not believe that the community outreach efforts are relevant to the personal injury or property claims involved in the pending litigation. MIMC continues to engage constructively with EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington) in the remedial design phase of the selected remedy for the site.”

Galveston residents will be allowed to publicly comment on the risks and rewards of dioxin removal when the EPA comes to the area on Jan. 30.