Daily Update: EPA Cleanup Continues in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana

Daily Update: EPA Cleanup Continues in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana

October 6, 2025

DALLAS, TEXAS (Oct. 6, 2025) - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to lead the cleanup of the impacted area in Roseland, Louisiana, following a fire at the Smitty's Supply facility on August 24.

Response by the Numbers:

• 9,725,331 gallons of liquid wastes recovered
• 5,700,000 gallons of liquid wastes removed for disposal
• 22,400 feet of containment boom laid
• Over 400 EPA and contractor personnel deployed

Accomplishments to date include extinguishing the fire and stabilizing the facility to prevent leaks; installing earthen dams, booms and rainwater collection around the site to contain runoff; deployed boom and sorbent material in ponds and the Tangipahoa River to capture contaminated runoff; and increased the recovery rate of oily material. EPA has also started additional sampling of the river, ponds, and ditches in the area to increase the amount of information and data we have about the range of pollutants that are present in the water and sediment.

EPA appreciates the continued coordination and response efforts of our state and local partners and the cooperation of residents as our recovery efforts continue.

Cleanup Operations

EPA's cleanup operations in the Tangipahoa River are focused on flushing oily waste in the river downstream to established collection points where it is removed and placed in containers for disposal. At the ponds, crews are working 24 hours a day to contain and recover oily wastes.

This week EPA increased the rate of oil recovery with new equipment, including six drum skimmers, two foilex skimmers, and five marsh buggies. The number of frac tanks, which store recovered material prior to disposal, has been increased to 52.

This week, EPA crews at the Smitty's Supply response have been planning and preparing for significant rainfall, including installing stormwater control measures, fortifying ditches, and building underflow dams to prevent material from reaching the river. Part of that plan is allowing a controlled release of stormwater from the Smitty's Supply facility to move across the road and into the ponds adjacent to the site, where EPA is already operating, and where we have control over the inflow and outflow.

EPA initiated the controlled discharge of excess stormwater across the road into the ponds at approximately 8 am on October 6, 2025. At this time, EPA's assessments show the ponds have enough capacity to contain stormwater runoff from the Smitty's facility. EPA also has plans in place if ponds reach capacity. If capacity is reached in the ponds, runoff will discharge to the river, via underflow dams, which allow water to pass through, but hold back most of the oily material in the ponds. As an additional precaution, mitigation measures including containment boom and bank to bank boom have been put in place in the river downstream. EPA is sampling stormwater coming from the facility, and we will sample the outfall from the ponds into the river if needed.

Community Engagement

EPA has met with hundreds of community members and answered their questions at regular office hours and events. Residents are invited to continue engaging with our response staff at the upcoming events listed below.

Community Office Hours:

• Amite Dollar General: Monday, October 6, 2-5:30 pm
• Amite Public Library: Monday, October 6, 5-7:30 pm

• Amite Senior Center: Tuesday, October 7, 8:30 am-12:30 pm
• Amite Dollar General: Tuesday, October 7, 1-5:30 pm
• Amite Public Library: Tuesday, October 7, 2-5 pm

• Amite Community Center: Wednesday, October 8, 10 am-2 pm
• Ponchatoula Public Library: Wednesday, October 8, 10:30 am - 2 pm
• Hammond Public Library: Wednesday, October 8, 2 - 6:30 pm

• Amite Senior Center: Thursday, October 9, 8:30 am -12:30 pm
• Amite Public Library: Thursday, October 9, 10 am - 1 pm
• Amite Community Center: Thursday, October 9, 2 pm - 5:30 pm

• Ponchatoula Public Library: Friday, October 10, 9 am - 12:30 pm
• Connect with the Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 on FacebookExit EPA's website, XExit EPA's website, InstagramExit EPA's website, or visit our homepage.

Online Resources

Visit EPA's response website for regular updates, including sampling results, cleanup progress, field photos, and an interactive story map: https://www.epa.gov/la/smittys-supply-fireExit EPA's website

Media Availability

For interview requests or to coordinate site visits, contact Jennah Durant at [email protected].