The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued a sweeping enforcement order requiring the cleanup of the longcontaminated San Jacinto River Waste Pits, formally moving the Superfund site into the remedial action phase after years of delay. The decision compels the companies responsible to begin removing toxic waste from the river environment and surrounding areas, a step advocates and local officials say is overdue.
On April 28, 2026, EPA Region 6 Administrator Scott Mason signed a Unilateral Administrative Order legally requiring International Paper Company and Waste Management subsidiary McGinnes Industrial Maintenance Corporation to carry out the cleanup of the Northern Impoundment and nearby areas. The order mandates the removal of an estimated 230,000 cubic yards of contaminated material and requires the companies to meet strict cleanup standards that were first established nearly a decade ago to protect nearby communities and Galveston Bay.
For residents along the San Jacinto River, the ruling represents a major milestone following years of community organizing and concern about prolonged exposure risks caused by repeated delays in remediation. The waste pits, designated a Superfund site in 2008, contain highly toxic substances, primarily dioxins and furans, linked to severe health and environmental harm. Remediation was first ordered in 2018, but progress stalled amid disputes over cleanup methods and costs.
Environmental advocate Jackie Medcalf, founder, CEO, and executive director of the Texas Health and Environment Alliance, said the EPA’s action is a critical step forward but emphasized that it follows years of unnecessary delay. She noted that the responsible companies had pushed for a cleanup approach based on modeling rather than direct field verification, an argument the EPA ultimately rejected.
“After 3,121 days since the Record of Decision was signed, the EPA has finally ordered the cleanup of the San Jacinto River Waste Pits, moving the site into the remedial action phase where the work can begin,” Medcalf said. She praised the agency for requiring postexcavation testing, independent oversight, and stronger community involvement, but cautioned that continued public engagement will be essential to ensure the cleanup is “thorough, transparent, and complete.”
Local officials also welcomed the enforcement action. Jonathan Fombonne, Harris County Attorney, issued a statement applauding the EPA for putting “real enforcement” behind the approved remedial design and making clear that further delays will not be tolerated.
“For far too long, the people living along the San Jacinto River have waited for remediation work to begin,” Fombonne said. He added that the order establishes firm expectations and accountability, requires regular reporting to the EPA, and ensures the public will be kept informed about cleanup timelines and progress.
The EPA’s decision follows an updated explanation of significant differences from the original 2017 cleanup plan. While the basic remedy— excavation and offsite disposal of contaminated soil and sediment—remains unchanged, the estimated cost for cleaning the northern impoundments has more than doubled due to refinements made during the remedial design process. EPA officials have indicated that any future modifications to excavation plans will be formally documented and must still meet protective cleanup goals.
Site documents related to the cleanup are available to the public through local libraries and online repositories, allowing residents to track the progress of a remediation effort that many hope will finally turn years of promises into action.
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