This story was initially revealed by the Louisiana Illuminator.

It’s downright mystifying at instances the lengths some officers will go to color a rosy image in probably the most dire circumstances. Certain, there are occasions when a dose of positivity will assist people by a tricky scenario, however there comes a degree when actuality should be confronted.

That’s the place Gov. Jeff Landry seemingly discovered himself final Sunday after new aerial drone video footage from photographer Eric McVicker revealed the sorry state of the cleanup at Smitty’s Provide Inc. in Tangipahoa Parish – greater than 5 weeks after the Aug. 22 explosion and fireplace. The video confirmed an adjoining giant pond coated in petroleum merchandise that leaked from the plant, and it pans over to indicate an oily slick extending into the close by Tangipahoa River. 

That petrochemical runoff has flowed some 40 miles downriver towards Lake Pontchartrain, although officers say that physique of water has not been affected to date. 

The governor was so moved by what he noticed on McVicker’s footage that he posted his personal video from the Governor’s Mansion to precise his dissatisfaction with remediation efforts.  

“They’re not going quick sufficient,” he mentioned in regards to the U.S. Environmental Safety Company-led effort. 

Landry mentioned he organized a name with EPA Regional Administrator Scott Mason, Louisiana Environmental High quality Secretary Courtney Burdette and state Conservation and Vitality Secretary Dustin Davidson. 

“Beginning tomorrow morning, issues are on the brink of begin altering on the cleansing up of that website,” the governor mentioned Sunday.

However when the governor led a information convention Wednesday in Tangipahoa Parish, his tone had softened significantly. In response to reporters’ questions in regards to the enhanced response measures Landry had promised, he got here to the EPA’s protection.  

“Whereas I do know it’s actual straightforward to throw popcorn from the stands and it’s straightforward to make criticisms while you’re not on the bottom, I’ll inform you that this incident is a singular incident. It falls between regulatory our bodies,” Landry mentioned.

Questions aren’t criticism, governor. It’s what journalists do in conditions when officers can’t or gained’t present info the general public wants. 

Living proof: The EPA withheld info in regards to the hazardous product stock at Smitty’s Provide for 5 weeks, saying it wanted firm clearance first. The company made the information public a day after the Illuminator revealed a report revealing why it had been saved secret. Thus far, there’s been no clarification as to why it took so lengthy to disclose what neighbors of the ability have been determined to study for well being and security causes.

The lack of know-how from Smitty’s Provide because the explosion is conspicuous. Nobody from the corporate has taken half in information conferences, and so they’ve not responded to our questions on its position within the cleanup. 

The EPA mentioned final month it has $39 million in environmental remediation funds accessible to reply to the catastrophe however that it’s going to want extra. Smitty’s Provide will not be at the moment paying for the cleanup however shall be liable for the price, in response to federal officers. 

Tangipahoa President Robby Miller instructed AN17 Native Information Wednesday it’s been obvious for a number of weeks that extra sources are wanted to sort out the cleanup, and he mentioned the EPA responded with extra tools in latest days.

“If I’ve an actual criticism in regards to the EPA, our federal authorities, it’s how lengthy it takes them to get issues achieved,” Miller mentioned. “All of us acknowledged three weeks in the past that we wanted extra frac (pump) vans, we wanted extra vacuum vans. Then it took a couple of week to persuade individuals to come back see that we actually did. Then it took a couple of week for them to get that every one put collectively, and all of it occurred to type of culminate … Monday. ” 

“It was simply good timing on the governor making that assertion on the similar time all that work was occurring,” the parish president added.

The governor will need to take credit score for getting the EPA to deliver extra forces to bear for Tangipahoa cleanup. That’s tremendous. It’s what politicians do, no matter whether or not they truly deserve it.

However it will even be nice if Landry positioned simply as a lot emphasis on holding Smitty’s Provide accountable as a substitute of the child glove therapy they’ve been afforded to date.

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