Overview

• The EPA approved the responsible parties’ final remedial design for the northern impoundment and attached more than 40 conditions, with any future changes requiring EPA approval.
• The plan now mandates pre‑excavation and post‑excavation sampling to confirm the effectiveness of the cleanup.
• International Paper Co. and McGinnes Industrial Maintenance received the approval letter through their contractor GHD Services Inc.
• Local advocates, including the Texas Health and Environment Alliance, called the decision a victory, noting state data showing higher rates of certain cancers near the site without assigning a cause.
• Officials have not provided a timeline for field work, and next steps could include a federal order, contractor onboarding, and construction of a cofferdam within about a year of that agreement.