(The Center Square) − The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency continues leading an extensive cleanup effort in Tangipahoa Parish following the Aug. 22 fire and explosion at the Smitty’s Supply lubricant manufacturing facility, which released millions of gallons of oily waste and hazardous runoff into nearby waterways.
The EPA reported on Tuesday that its response remains one of the largest environmental operations in the region. To date, crews have recovered nearly 9.8 million gallons of liquid waste, removed more than 6.1 million gallons for disposal, and deployed over 22,000 feet of containment boom, with more than 415 EPA and contractor personnel now assigned to the site.
EPA officials say the fire has been extinguished and the facility stabilized to prevent further leaks. Crews have installed earthen dams, booms, and rainwater collection systems to limit runoff, while sorbent materials continue to capture oil in nearby ponds and sections of the Tangipahoa River.
Sampling and monitoring of the river, ponds and surrounding ditches remain underway to determine the extent of pollutants in local water and sediment. The agency said this work is providing “critical data about the range of pollutants present” and will inform the next phase of cleanup.
More than five weeks after the blast, however, aerial footage captured by photographer Eric McVicker has renewed public concern about the slow pace of recovery.
The drone video, shared widely across social media, shows a large pond beside the plant coated in petroleum products that spilled from the facility. The footage pans toward the Tangipahoa River, revealing a broad, rainbow-colored sheen extending downstream.
Gov. Jeff Landry has voiced frustration with the pace of progress after viewing McVicker’s footage.
“That video showed a tremendous amount of oil still on the river system there,” Landry said. “It has been over a month now, and during that time contractors working for the EPA were supposed to be cleaning that up – and they’re not going fast enough.”
Landry said he immediately contacted representatives from the EPA, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, and the Department of Energy and Conservation.
“Things are getting ready to start changing on the cleanup of that site,” Landry said. “My commitment is to the citizens of this state – especially those in Tangipahoa Parish – to make sure that facility and the effects of that fire are cleaned up and restored to the same way it was before.”
EPA’s cleanup in the Tangipahoa River involves flushing oily waste downstream to controlled collection points where it is skimmed and removed for disposal. Around the clock, teams are operating six drum skimmers, rope skimmers, and five marsh buggies to increase recovery efficiency.
Recent heavy rainfall has challenged the effort, prompting EPA crews to install additional stormwater controls, reinforce ditches, and build underflow dams to block contaminated runoff. A controlled release of stormwater from the Smitty’s facility was conducted to direct flow into nearby ponds; EPA confirmed the runoff “did not reach the Tangipahoa River.”
For public safety, Highway 51 near the site remains closed to accommodate cleanup traffic, including trucks, rigs, and large equipment. Officials thanked residents for their “continued patience and understanding” as operations proceed.
EPA staff have met with hundreds of residents in recent weeks to answer questions and provide updates at regular office hours and community events. Additional meetings are planned to maintain communication as cleanup continues.
The explosion, which occurred on August 22, destroyed much of the 15-acre Smitty’s Supply complex that housed more than half a million gallons of flammable materials.
Subsequent testing found arsenic, barium, chromium, lead, and the carcinogen nitrobenzene in local soot, water, and soil samples. EPA maintains that the detected levels “do not pose a threat to human health,” though monitoring remains ongoing to ensure safety in the surrounding area.
