Harris County - After 3,121 days since the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) signed the 2017 Record of Decision for the San Jacinto River Waste Pits Superfund Site, EPA has issued a Unilateral Administrative Order (UAO) compelling the responsible parties to carry out the long-delayed cleanup of the Northern Impoundment—marking a major victory for years of sustained community advocacy.

Signed on April 28, 2026 by EPA Region 6 Administrator Scott Mason, the order legally requires International Paper Company and Waste Management subsidiary, McGinnes Industrial Maintenance Corporation, to excavate and remove dioxin contaminated material and complete the cleanup in accordance with federal standards.

For communities along the San Jacinto River, the order marks a significant step forward after years of delay, uncertainty, and concern over ongoing exposure risks.

“For years, this community fought to force a real cleanup of the San Jacinto River toxic wastepits, and today we are finally seeing the result of that pressure,” said U.S. Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia. “For too long, polluters stalled, cut corners, and left families to live with the risk. That ends now. They are being forced to clean up their mess. This did not happen by accident. It happened because people refused to back down and demanded accountability. I want to thank the residents, advocates, and local leaders who never gave up. But we are not done. We will keep the pressure on until the contamination is gone, and families are no longer living with the risk.”

“We appreciate the EPA taking this important step to move the San Jacinto Waste Pits toward cleanup,” said Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey. “This action is long overdue, and it reflects years of persistence from the surrounding communities. Now, the priority must be ensuring the cleanup moves forward safely, thoroughly, and without further delay.”

“Just before the Record of Decision was signed in 2017, I told the EPA Administrator at the time that many people in my community, including my own father, didn’t believe they would live to see this site cleaned up,” said Jackie Medcalf, Executive Director of the Texas Health and Environment Alliance (THEA). “After organizing more than 55,000 people around this cleanup, this order represents a major step forward—and proof that community pressure works.”

The EPA’s action follows years of back-and-forth over how the cleanup should be carried out, including disputes over sampling methods that raised concerns about whether contamination could be left behind. EPA ultimately rejected approaches that relied on modeling alone and is requiring confirmation sampling to verify that contamination is fully removed.

At the same time, the cost of cleanup has increased significantly. In 2017, the estimated cost to remediate the Northern Impoundment was approximately $105 million. In a 2026 update, EPA revised the estimate to between $210 million and $262 million, more than doubling the projected cost of the cleanup.

“This increase reflects not only the complexity of the site, but the consequences of delay,” Medcalf said. “Every year that passes without action makes this problem harder and more expensive to fix. However, this isn’t just about removing contamination. It’s about safeguarding our communities, restoring trust, and ensuring future generations are protected.”

Under the UAO, the companies must:

• Excavate and remove roughly 230,000 cubic yards of contaminated material
• Transport waste to a permitted disposal facility
• Implement strict safety measures to protect workers and water quality
• Demonstrate financial assurance to complete the cleanup

If the companies fail to comply, they may face penalties of up to $71,545 per day. EPA also retains the authority to take over the cleanup and pursue additional damages, reinforcing the legal weight of the order.

Under the order, the companies have 10 days to respond before the order moves toward implementation. This marks the beginning of a critical phase, where timelines, contractor selection, and final plans will determine how quickly cleanup efforts move forward.

Community leaders emphasized that while the order is a critical milestone, the focus now shifts to ensuring the cleanup is carried out fully, safely, and without further delay. For many residents, this moment is deeply connected to ongoing public health concerns. A recent cancer assessment identified elevated rates of several cancers across communities along the San Jacinto River floodplain, reinforcing long-standing concerns about local environmental exposures.

“This is a major step forward,” Medcalf said. “But what matters most now is what happens next. EPA has every ounce of authority to see this is done right. Our communities have waited long enough, we will see this cleanup through.”

Visit www.txhea.org for more information.