California environmental officials have confirmed this morning that there is no active chemical leak from the corroding storage tank at the Meridian Industrial Complex. But the risk of a catastrophic release has not been eliminated. Sources inside the California Environmental Protection Agency tell me the tank, which holds over 500,000 gallons of toxic hydrofluoric acid, is structurally unsound.
Inspectors found evidence of metal fatigue and cracks in the welding. The agency has issued a 'imminent hazard' notice, but stopped short of ordering an evacuation. A company spokesperson, who refused to be named, claimed the tank was 'stable'.
But internal documents I have seen tell a different story. They show that the tank's corrosion rate has accelerated in the past six months. Maintenance logs were falsified.
The company knew. They did nothing. The question now: how long before the next failure?
And who will be held accountable when it happens?
