Jonathon Berman, jonathon.berman@sierraclub.org
Houston, TX -- Today, the Houston Chronicle reported that Donald Trump and Scott Pruitt is set to close EPA’s Region 6 Environmental Services Laboratory. The majority of the lab’s work has been concentrated on the dozens of Superfund sites in the region, 13 of which flooded and released toxic chemicals when Hurricane Harvey devastated Houston. it has doubled as a staging area for EPA staff. The closure is slated for 2020, far earlier than when the recovery from Hurricane Harvey is expected to conclude.
In response, Sierra Club Lone Star Chapter Director Reggie James released the following statement:
“It’s disgusting that as Texas communities are trying to assess the destruction caused by Hurricane Harvey and figure out a way forward as we rebuild, Scott Pruitt and Donald Trump are trying to close down the offices that exist to protect us by testing water and soil samples. Since Pruitt and Trump can’t defend their climate denial in the face of a climate-fueled disaster, they’re trying to shutter the very offices that serve to protect Texans from future environmental and climate disasters. Thirteen Superfund sites flooded during Harvey, and as air and water pollution from the refineries and facilities here in Texas and across the country continue to fuel climate change, these sites will only be further affected, threatening our homes and our communities. As us Texans know: Talk is cheap, actions matter. Pruitt and Trump’s actions speak volumes.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.