Daily Update: EPA Cleanup Continues in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana
DALLAS, TEXAS (October 14, 2025) – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in partnership with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, continues to lead the cleanup of the impacted areas in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, following a fire at the Smitty’s Supply facility on August 22.
Response by the Numbers:
-10,892,721 gallons of liquid wastes recovered
-6,944,049 gallons of liquid wastes removed for disposal
-22,400 feet of containment boom laid
-4,944 bales of sorbent material
-Over 450 EPA and contractor personnel deployed
Accomplishments to date at the Smitty’s Supply fire response include extinguishing the fire and stabilizing the facility to prevent leaks; building earthen dams, setting booms, and rainwater collection around the site to contain runoff; deploying boom and sorbent material in ponds and the Tangipahoa River to capture contaminated runoff; and increasing the recovery rate of oily material.
EPA is continuing to conduct 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 and its partner agencies continue to engage with Smitty’s Supply to ensure the cleanup activities conducted at the facility remain efficient and complimentary of cleanup efforts in the drainage ditches, ponds, and the river.
Cleanup Operations
Cleanup operations on October 13 continued to focus on oily waste collection from the facility and in the drainage ditches and ponds. River operations continue to focus on removing recoverable product and performing Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique (SCAT) to determine if cleanup endpoints, such as no recoverable oil and no coated debris, are being met. SCAT is a normal part of EPA’s cleanup operations for waterways.
Planned operations on October 14 include the continued decontamination of empty frac tanks for demobilization; the continued removal of oily vegetative debris along the river; and the continued removal of oily vegetative debris and oily waste in the ponds. EPA continues to excavate impacted soils and debris in the drainage ditches that were impacted by oily wastes and firefighting runoff.
Community Engagement
EPA has met with over 2,100 community members throughout Tangipahoa Parish and answered their questions during established office hours and other events that have taken place since September 12. EPA continues to go door-to-door to engage with residents in Roseland.
EPA has interacted with 340 residents through its door-to-door efforts since October 5.
Residents are invited to continue engaging with our response staff at the upcoming events listed below.
Community Office Hours:
**More community office hours will be added throughout the week, and posted on our social media platforms and on our hubsite**
-Amite Dollar General: Tuesday, October 14, 10am – 1:30pm
-Roseland Dollar General: Tuesday, October 14, 1:30 – 5pm
-Vintage Market Days of Southeast Louisiana: Friday, October 17 – Sunday, October 19 (times TBD)
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/smittys-supply-fire.
Social Media Highlights
Connect with the Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 on Facebook, X, Instagram.
Facebook:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Daily Smitty’s Supply Fire Response Update For more information: https://spgv.io/6186B9CY
CLICK HERE TO READ AND SHARE.
U.S. EPA South Central Region: EPA continues on-the-ground outreach in Tangipahoa Parish, with updated times and locations for community office hours supporting residents affected by the Smitty’s Supply fire. See the times and locations for today!
For more updates please follow: https://www.epa.gov/smittys-supply-fire
U.S. EPA South Central Region: PA, in coordination with Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and Tangipahoa Parish Government, continues to address impacts from the Smitty’s Supply fire in Tangipahoa Parish.
Check out these before-and-after photos from the U.S. Highway 10 that show the progress made removing oily waste over the last month. EPA is committed to protecting public health and restoring the environment in affected communities. To stay up to date with the latest information, visit: www.epa.gov/smittys-supply-fire.
U.S. EPA South Central Region: EPA Community Involvement Coordinators have been all over Tangipahoa Parish answering residents’ questions and providing information about the Smitty’s Supply Fire Response in Roseland, LA. We’ve heard your feedback and plan to post videos that cover topics based on your frequently asked questions. Check out this video for a quick overview, and remember to visit our hub site for the latest information: .
We want to hear from you! To voice your concerns or questions, please contact us at:
📲Phone: 800-533-3508 (toll free) or 214-665-6718 ✉️Email: R6Community@epa.gov
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Daily Smitty’s Supply Fire Response Update
For more information: spgv.io/6019B9Bv
X:
@EPA: Daily Smitty’s Supply Fire Response Update For more information: https://spgv.io/6186B9CY
CLICK HERE TO READ AND REPOST.
@EPAregion6: EPA continues on-the-ground outreach in Tangipahoa Parish, with updated times and locations for community office hours supporting residents affected by the Smitty’s Supply fire. See the times and locations for today! For more updates please follow: https://epa.gov/smittys-supply-fire
@EPAregion6: EPA, in coordination with @louisiana_deq and @TeamTangipahoa, continues to address impacts from the Smitty’s Supply fire in Tangipahoa Parish. Check out these before-and-after photos from the U.S. Highway 10 that show the progress made removing oily waste over the last month. EPA is committed to protecting public health and restoring the environment in affected communities. To stay up to date with the latest information, visit: http://epa.gov/smittys-supply-fire
@EPAregion6: EPA Community Involvement Coordinators have been all over Tangipahoa Parish answering residents’ questions and providing information about the Smitty’s Supply Fire Response in Roseland, LA. We’ve heard your feedback and plan to post videos that cover topics based on your frequently asked questions. Check out this video for a quick overview, and remember to visit our hub site for the latest information: http://epa.gov/smittys-supply-fire.
We want to hear from you! To voice your concerns or questions, please contact us at:
Phone: 800-533-3508 (toll free) or 214-665-6718
Email: R6Community@epa.gov
@EPA: Daily Smitty’s Supply Fire Response Update
For more information: http://spgv.io/6019B9Bv
Media Availability
For interview requests or to coordinate site visits, contact Ed Mekeel at mekeel.edward@epa.gov.