The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declared El Paso a time-critical emergency Superfund site in July of 2002.  The emergency declaration was based on 35 residential sites sampled in West and Central El Paso neighborhoods that contained some lead and arsenic above screening levels.  EPA also notified Asarco that the agency had identified the company as potentially responsible for elevated metals in soils in residential areas near its El Paso copper smelter.  The EPA called for Asarco to immediately agree to an open-ended cleanup under the federal Superfund program.  
 
  Asarco called EPA's assumption "premature" and disagreed that an immediate emergency clean-up in the area was necessary.  Asarco asked for a sound scientific investigation using generally accepted environmental guidelines to be followed.  The company also pointed out several shortcomings and skipped steps in EPA's rush to invoke the cumbersome Superfund process and call for an emergency clean-up.

In this section you will find extensive information regarding EPA’s metal investigation in the areas around the American Canal.  The included information includes scientific reports from EPA, Asarco, and other sources, correspondence between EPA and Asarco, and information about lead.  The information about lead includes blood lead test results from the area, the model used to determine blood lead levels, and studies concerning lead based paint in the area.

 

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Last modified: 05/15/07