Dive Brief:

• Hundreds of dead fish were seen floating in a lake near the West Lake Landfill in Bridgeton, Missouri. The landfill contains radioactive waste and is a designated Superfund site. 
• It is uncertain what caused this fish kill. Speculation runs from lack of oxygen to snow and ice forming on the body of water. The possibility of water contamination does exist, but has not been proven. 
• This discovery comes at the same time that an advocacy group, representing 47 municipalities across North St. Louis County, is requesting the Army Corps of Engineers to remove the hazardous waste. 

Dive Insight:

Residents critical of the landfill are advocating federal jurisdiction for the site, but congressional action would be necessary to shift the responsibilities of the landfill. The organization, North County Incorporated, is citing the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program in an effort to transfer the site to the Corps. Some areas of the site that were found to have radioactivity present have already been placed under the authority of the Corps.