FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Robbie Wilbur
April 7, 2010 601/961-5277
MDEQ RELEASES SAMPLING AT GULF STATES CREOSOTE SITE
(Jackson, Miss.) -- The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) released letters written to Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny L. DuPree and to the Forrest County Environmental Support Team concerning additional sampling conducted by MDEQ around the Gulf States Creosote site in January and February. Samples taken and analyzed by MDEQ have indicated there were low levels of some creosote compounds in some of the samples, but the results show there is not a health or environmental risk to the surrounding community.
These additional samples, collected at the end of January and the middle of February, confirmed the presence of some compounds associated with creosote but in amounts that are not harmful to the public or Gordon’s Creek. MDEQ will continue to require Tronox to remove minor amounts of creosote out of wells on a quarterly basis, as outlined in the remedial action plan that was approved in 2002. Copies of the analytical results from the recent sampling events will be placed on MDEQ’s web site in the coming weeks.
As a precautionary measure and in response to concerns raised by Hattiesburg citizens, MDEQ is requiring surface water samples to be collected from Gordon’s Creek on a periodic basis to ensure creosote does not adversely impact the creek in the future. For further information about the history and cleanup of the Gulf States Creosote site, go to MDEQ’s web site at: http://bit.ly/bsLO2q or contact MDEQ at 601-961-5171.
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