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EPA Receives Additional $4M in FEMA Support to Continue Hazardous Material Recovery from Iowa Floods

Release Date: 07/01/2008
Contact Information: Dianna Whitaker, 913-551-7598, whitaker.dianna@epa.gov

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Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Kansas City, Kan., July 1, 2008) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 7 announced today that it has received an additional $4 million in funding from the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) to continue hazardous material and oil-related operations in flooded areas throughout Iowa.

EPA had previously received $1,508,000 from FEMA for these operations.

EPA's ongoing activities in Iowa include:

• Retrieval and disposal of orphaned hazardous containers and drums, such as fuel and propane tanks
• Response to chemical and oil releases
• Collection and disposal of flood-damaged household hazardous waste and large appliances including refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners that may contain hazardous materials
  

EPA on-scene coordinators (OSCs) are currently deployed in several locations across Iowa. The OSCs are working closely with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), the National Guard 71st Civil Support Team and other state and local officials as part of the coordinated flood response in Iowa. An EPA on-scene coordinator is also serving as the Agency's liaison at the Joint Field Office in Des Moines, Iowa.

To report orphaned hazardous containers or chemical/oil releases, citizens should call the IDNR hotline at (515-281-8694).