The number of wetlands restored through Corps actions has declined by almost two thirds since 1992. Permit inspections have dropped nearly 40 percent. Litigation by the Corps over unauthorized wetland destruction fell by nearly 80 percent between 1992 and 1998. The Visalia site was used from the 1920s to the 1980s to treat wooden power poles with creosote to make them rot-resistant. Creosote seeped into subsurface pools which continue to contaminate groundwater.
Similar conditions exist at many Superfund sites.
In 1976, Edison began pumping and treating groundwater. Recognizing the need for a better cleanup system, the Edison team worked with researchers at UC Berkeley and LLNL to adapt steam enhanced extraction. The technology was originally developed to recover oil by the petroleum industry. Steam is injected into the ground to drive the contaminants to recovery wells, which pump them to the surface for further treatment. The governors of New York and New Jersey have now declared drought emergencies in their states, joining Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia in placing mandatory restrictions on water use.