The massive sinkhole that has swallowed more than 5 acres of land in Assumption Parish and contaminated an aquifer has cost the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources more than $2 million for response efforts. (Associated Press)
Assumption Parish sinkhole costs DNR $2M so far
Last Modified: Tuesday, October 30, 2012 10:54 AM
BATON ROUGE (AP) — A massive sinkhole that has swallowed more than 5 acres of land in Assumption Parish and contaminated an aquifer has cost the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources more than $2 million for response efforts.
And there's no estimate of when the emergency response needs will end.
Department spokesman Patrick Courreges says the state will seek reimbursement for the spending from Texas Brine, which it blames for causing the sinkhole. But there are no assurances the company will cover the costs.
The sinkhole opened up along Bayou Corne in August.
Much of the Department of Natural Resources' spending on the sinkhole, about $1.6 million, has been paid to Baton Rouge-based Shaw Environmental and Infrastructure Inc., for area testing and for overseeing drilling operations to remove gas from the aquifer.
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