Most people are aware that USEPA regulates public water supplies under the Safe Drinking Water Act and wastewater disposal under the Clean Water Act. And, we know that EPA also fights bed bugs (see my posting January 16, 2012 "EPA Brings Bed Bugs To Justice"). Now we learn that EPA is in the landscaping business as well.
According to EPA'a June 5, 2012 press release, it has completed clean-up of arsenic-contaminated soil at some 600 homes in a South Minneapolis residential neighborhood (#12-OPA044). According to the press release, the neighborhood is near a location where a pesticide containing arsenic was produced for 30 years starting in 1938. "Contaminated material from an open-air conveyor belt railcar-unloading and product-mixing operation is believed to have been wind-blown into surrounding neighborhoods," according to EPA.
EPA removed over 50,000 tons of soil from the yards of the houses, refilled the yards with clean soil, and replanted the yards with new vegetation and grass.
The cost incurred by EPA for this work was $28,000,000. That works out to be approximately $46,000 per house. Residents of these houses paid nothing, although EPA said that the work "enhances the resale value of these properties."
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