The Baytown Sun:

At the entrance gates of the San Jacinto River Waste Pits, environmental watchdogs stood at the forefront with glasses of champagne and toasted to the people, the bay and the overall health of the environment since the Environmental Protection Agency announced they would remove the toxic pits.

Jacquelyn Young, Texas Health and Environmental Alliance director, Scott Jones, director of advocacy for the Galveston Bay Foundation, and Terry 0 ‘ Rourke, special counsel to Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan’s office, praised the EPA Thursday for electing to fully remove the waste pits to “protect human health and the environment.”

However, they understand the fight is far from over.

“All of us have worked together –    it’s not party, it’s not philosophy or anything – to really save this place from the hell and horror of the dioxin pits,” said O’ Rourke.”This is not the end, it is the beginning because now we must work with the Environmental Protection Agency to make this happen in a safe way for removal.”

“And if we have one more prayer or one more plea it would be for the responsible parties to work with the government and to work with us to clean it up and get out right away,” he added. “Because we can’t wait for a hurricane to hit us.”