In a new letter, Senator Reverend Warnock urged the U.S.  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to investigate TAV Holdings, Inc. in Atlanta, Georgia for off-site hazardous and solid waste contamination and to clearly communicate public safety information with affected communities

Last month, the EPA announced an investigation into TAV Holdings, Inc. for mismanagement of hazardous waste materials, which can spread to the environment through runoff. The hazardous materials can also become airborne, posing a serious threat for the nearby Crawford W. Long Middle School

Senator Reverend Warnock: “These negligent actions put the health of our communities and environment at risk, and corrective action is needed immediately”

ICYMI: Warnock calls on EPA to investigate TAV Holdings – MORE HERE from Axios Atlanta

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) urged the EPA to expeditiously investigate TAV Holdings, Inc., an Atlanta-based metal processing center, about the facility’s role in failing to properly manage potentially hazardous waste materials. In a new letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Senator underscored how TAV Holdings’ negligence threatens Georgia families and communities, including a nearby middle school and stream, and urged the EPA to clearly communicate the findings of their investigation to Georgians in the surrounding community.

“These negligent actions put the health of our communities and environment at risk, and corrective action is needed immediately,” said Senator Reverend Warnock in a letter to the EPA. “I appreciate your agency’s efforts to ensure accountability, and I ask that EPA swiftly move forward with the remainder of its investigation to identify all potential off-site contamination.”

“The findings of this investigation must be shared openly and in a timely manner with the local community, including residents and school administrators,” Senator Reverend Warnock continued. “Public outreach from EPA should provide insights into the agency’s investigation and detail how violations will be addressed moving forward. Given the proximity of Crawford W. Long Middle School, I request that any public information sessions hosted by EPA be scheduled at a time that will be convenient for working parents and school officials who deserve access to these critical findings.” 

Senator Reverend Warnock has long championed healthy communities and a clean environment. He’s secured $143 million for Georgia’s community health centers, championed investments to build out Georgia’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure and introduced legislation to reduce air pollution through investments in sustainable aviation fuel.

Read Senator Reverend Warnock’s full letter below:

Dear Administrator Regan,

Thank you for recent efforts by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to investigate TAV Holdings, Inc. in Atlanta, Georgia for off-site hazardous and solid waste contamination. Given the significant threat such contamination presents to nearby populations and the surrounding environment, I urge your agency to move forward expeditiously with its investigation and to conduct public outreach to clearly communicate your findings with affected communities. 

According to an administrative order issued by EPA on January 10, 2022, TAV Holdings, Inc. was operating in a manner “that may present an imminent and substantial endangerment to health or the environment.” Sampling results detailed in EPA’s administrative order reveal excessively high levels of lead present both on-site and in a nearby tributary of the South River. This is particularly startling given the company’s proximity to Crawford W. Long Middle School, residential areas, and recreation sites such as Empire Park. 

These negligent actions put the health of our communities and environment at risk, and corrective action is needed immediately. I appreciate your agency’s efforts to ensure accountability, and I ask that EPA swiftly move forward with the remainder of its investigation to identify all potential off-site contamination. The findings of this investigation must be shared openly and in a timely manner with the local community, including residents and school administrators. Public outreach from EPA should provide insights into the agency’s investigation and detail how violations will be addressed moving forward. Given the proximity of Crawford W. Long Middle School, I request that any public information sessions hosted by EPA be scheduled at a time that will be convenient for working parents and school officials who deserve access to these critical findings. 

As the U.S. Senator for Georgia, I believe we must center the health and well-being of our neighbors and our environment. I thank your agency for its actions to address this concerning situation in Atlanta, and I urge EPA to take every step necessary to prevent future contamination at this site. Swift action is required to protect our communities, and I stand ready to support your agency to ensure this work is completed.

Sincerely,

Click here to view a PDF copy. 

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