This past weekend marked the year anniversary of the Smitty’s Supply plant explosion in Roseland. The blast released stored motor oils, lubricants and fuel additives into the local environment and the Tangipahoa River. Pat Mashburn lives 35 miles south of the explosion site and told Talk 107-3 in Baton Rouge that wildlife still has not come back.
“And since this happened, I’ve not seen one fish jump out of the river, I’ve not seen one bird, I’ve not seen an alligator or a snake since this happened; not one,” Mashburn stated.
It’s been estimated 12 million gallons of oily liquid and industrial chemical waste were released into the local drainage systems and Tangipahoa River. Mashburn tells Talk 107-3 in Baton Rouge that he’s disappointed in the lack of updates from local leaders.
“Nobody who lives on the river has heard anything from their parish representative or the parish president. It’s as if everything happened just outside of that one-mile radius of Roseland,” Mashburn noted.
Smitty’s Supply has been responsible for cleaning its Roseland plant. The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality was put in control of operations related to the cleaning of the polluted riverways and ponds. The EPA says millions of gallons of oily runoff have been recovered, and containment systems remain active. But Mashburn tells Talk 107-3 in Baton Rouge that oil is still in the river.
“I’m looking out of my second-story window, looking at the river right now, and it’s much darker now than the day before the spill a year ago,” Mashburn said.