Gov. Edwards makes big announcement on Capitol Lakes

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - After decades of trying to fix the contamination in the water caused by pollution, Louisiana might have just gotten the help it needs to fix it. Since about the 80′s, the Capitol Lakes have been plagued by PCBs, microscopic particles that are toxic to wildlife.

“There’s not been any fishing, there’s not been any swimming, and in fact, if you read the warning signs that have been posted around the lakes for decades, you shouldn’t have any contact with sediments in the lakes,” said Greg Langley with the Department of Environmental Quality.

There have been several attempts to clean it up, but in 2017, we learned the problem had only gotten worse.

“Back in 2017, sampling by DEQ showed that contamination was still present at unacceptable levels, and it wasn’t encapsulated it was actually in the water,” said Governor Edwards.

Funding has been a hurdle to fix the problem for a while and now the governor is looking to Washington for help.

“On this past Friday, I sent a letter to the EPA as the final step required to classify the long-polluted capitol lakes as a superfund site,” Governor Edwards added.

As a superfund site, the lakes would be eligible for federal oversight, clean up and funding with a 10% match from the state.

“And now, we have the opportunity to breathe new life into the lakes, make them safe for wildlife and recreational use. It is going to take some time,” the governor continued.

Now that the governor has sent his letter to the EPA, they will review comments and concerns around the project this spring and from there determine how to move forward and acquire the funding needed. However, it could be anywhere from three to five years before any work can actually begin.

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