Update: Cleanup Continues in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana
DALLAS, TEXAS (October 16, 2025) – After leading cleanup efforts for almost two months, on Wednesday, October 15, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced plans to transition work at the facility to Smitty’s Supply, Inc. and to the state of Louisiana for the Tangipahoa River and nearby ponds through a consent order and a Pollution Removal Funding Authorization (PRFA), respectively. EPA will continue oversight of all cleanup operations related to the cleanup efforts to the Smitty’s Supply fire that started on August 22, 2025.
Response by the Numbers
- 7,319,781 gallons of liquid wastes recovered
- 11,207,889 gallons of liquid wastes removed for disposal
- 22,400 feet of containment boom laid
- 4,955 bales of sorbent material
- 452 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.
Cleanup Operations
Cleanup operations at the facility are now being performed by Smitty’s Supply and its contractors. All work performed at the facility is being overseen by EPA. Smitty’s Supply has submitted workplans, and continues to develop and submit workplans, to EPA for approval before performing cleanup work.
On October 15, EPA continued the decontamination and demobilization of frac tanks used for rainwater collection. Fourteen tanks were decontaminated and eight were demobilized. There is a total of 90 empty frac tanks waiting to be decontaminated.
EPA continued 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’s river operations continued boom evaluation, decontamination, and replacement.
Today’s cleanup activities included collecting more samples from the impacted ponds; continued collection of oily wastes in the impacted ponds; performing Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique (SCAT) in the river; and continuing decontamination and demobilization of EPA resources in the Smitty’s Supply facility.
Community Office Hours
EPA will continue to engage with community members at events and through its door-to-door efforts.
-Vintage Market Days of Southeast Louisiana: Friday, October 17, 9am – 4pm
-Vintage Market Days of Southeast Louisiana: Saturday, October 18, 9am – 4pm
-Vintage Market Days of Southeast Louisiana: Sunday, October 19, 10am – 4pm
-Hammond Senior Center, Friday, October 24, 10 – 11am
Community Engagement
EPA has met with over 2,380 community members throughout Tangipahoa Parish and answered their questions during established office hours and other events that have taken place since September 12.
EPA has interacted with 384 residents through its door-to-door efforts since October 5.
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. 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. South Central Region: Check out this news coverage from following yesterday’s announcement about Smitty’s Supply consent order and Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality’s Pollution Removal Funding Authorization. EPA remains 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.
CLICK HERE TO READ AND SHARE.
U.S. South Central Region: “When is the river going to open?” While canvassing Tangipahoa Parish in support of the Smitty’s Supply Fire Response in Roseland, LA, EPA Community Involvement Coordinators (CICs) have heard your feedback! One of the most frequently asked questions from you addresses the closure of the Tangipahoa River. CIC Olivia Cappo explains why the safety of the cleanup workers and community members are at the heart of our mission to protect human health and the environment. Stay up to date on the latest information: www.epa.gov/smittys-supply-fire
U.S. South Central Region: EPA continues to work closely with its state and local partners to address impacts from the Smitty's Supply fire in Tangipahoa Parish. Check out these before-and-after photos of Pond D3 that show the progress being made removing oily wastes from the pond. EPA is committed to its mission of protecting public health and the environment and working with our federal, state, and local partners. To stay up to date with the latest information, visit: www.epa.gov/smittys-supply-fire
CLICK HERE TO READ AND SHARE.
X:
@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: Check out this news coverage from following yesterday’s announcement about Smitty’s Supply consent order and Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality’s Pollution Removal Funding Authorization. EPA remains 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.
CLICK HERE TO READ AND REPOST.
@EPAregion6: “When is the river going to open?” While canvassing Tangipahoa Parish in support of the Smitty’s Supply Fire Response in Roseland, LA, EPA Community Involvement Coordinators (CICs) have heard your feedback! One of the most frequently asked questions from you addresses the closure of the Tangipahoa River. CIC Olivia Cappo explains why the safety of the cleanup workers and community members are at the heart of our mission to protect human health and the environment. Stay up to date on the latest information: www.epa.gov/smittys-supply-fire
CLICK HERE TO READ AND REPOST.
@EPAregion6: EPA continues to work closely with its state and local partners to address impacts from the Smitty's Supply fire in Tangipahoa Parish. Check out these before-and-after photos of Pond D3 that show the progress being made removing oily wastes from the pond. EPA is committed to its mission of protecting public health and the environment and working with our federal, state, and local partners. To stay up to date with the latest information, visit: www.epa.gov/smittys-supply-fire
CLICK HERE TO READ AND REPOST.
Media Availability
For interview requests or to coordinate site visits, contact Ed Mekeel at mekeel.edward@epa.gov.