EPA finds buried tanks
By JIMMY GALVAN

Members of the Environmental Protection Agency and Texas Commission for Environmental Quality served a search warrant on a home in rural Newton County Monday, Jan. 8, in search for buried chlorine cylinders.

Billy Ted Smith, coordinator for Jasper, Newton and Sabine counties, confirmed that the EPA had received information that hazardous cylinders had been buried on property owned by Kevin Hester.

Hester runs Simply Aquatics, Inc. in Kirbyville. Attempts to contact Hester for comment were not returned.

Calls to the TCEQ office in Austin were forwarded to U.S. Assistant Attorney Jim Noble in Tyler.

Noble said he couldn't comment on the case but added there are no federal indictments pending against Hester at the present moment. He added that the case is still under investigation.

Smith, though, said Hester might face federal charges after 120 cylinders were uncovered on his property.

Smith confirmed that a former disgruntled employee of Hester's informed the EPA on the situation.

"They have been following up on this case for several months," Smith said, and added he was not aware the federal investigation was ongoing.

Smith said the cylinders that have been removed are being sent off for testing to determine if they have any chlorine in them.

According to Newton County Sheriff Joe Walker, the warrant to search Hester's property was served Monday. But Walker said his office had not been notified of the investigation until Tuesday, Jan. 9.

Walker said EPA and TCEQ investigators contacted Newton County Judge Truman Daughtery late Tuesday afternoon about the situation and then Walker was notified.

"I didn't even know they were here," Walker said. "They are doing their deal and didn't tell us anything about it.

"This was a surprise to Newton County with them being in here Monday (Jan. 8) and us finding out about it Tuesday (Jan. 9) and with them doing what they have to do," Walker said. "I believe the only reason they notified us was that they had some requirements that they have to do so. The problem is that they didn't call me but they called the county judge. Public safety is my job. This is my county and these people are my responsibility."

Walker said EPA investigators plan to dig a hole next to the site where the cylinders are buried to remove them.

"They are hoping to excavate along the side of the cylinders without breaking one of them," Walker said.

Walker said Hester told investigators that the cylinders buried are empty and thus not a hazard to the public.

Authorities evacuated residents in a half-mile radius from the site as a precaution.