METRO violates Clean Water Act

Well, it appears Mayor White needs to go after METRO:

The Clean Water Act is designed to clean up our waters.

Thousands of people pass through METRO Transit Centers every day, but 11 News discovered that what they’re leaving behind could end up in Galveston Bay.

One of the act’s guidelines says you must prevent dirty water from going down storm drains. Regularly scheduled pressure washing goes on at all 19 METRO transit centers throughout the county.

“It was our understanding we were in compliance,” METRO spokeswoman Raequel Roberts said.

But 11 News uncovered they aren’t in compliance.

“The rules really require us to take all available measures to protect the water around us, and the storm sewer system is how all the water gets to the bayou,” Deputy Director of Public Works Andy Icken said.

Here’s one way you can do it: Collect the potentially contaminated water.

Think it’s a lot of work for nothing? Think again. There are high levels of oil, grease, metals and bacteria polluting Galveston Bay.

Galveston Bay is the second most productive estuary for seafood in the country.

Woops! Raequel Roberts (who famously said stray current leakage was akin to what a 9-volt battery discharges) first says METRO thought it was in compliance, but later in the story says, "Now we have a better idea of exactly what is needed to follow the regulations, and we’re going to do that." Which essentially means METRO couldn't have thought it was in compliance because that would have meant METRO had done its homework, and METRO would have known what it was doing was in violation of the Clean Water Act.

Mayor White needs to get on this. This has to be right up there with refinery pollution.

Posted by Anne Linehan @ 05/17/08 05:05 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Sphere | Comments (3)

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