U.S. Sen. Doug Jones has joined Mayor Randall Woodfin in calling for the Environmental Protection Agency to place the North Birmingham Superfund site on the National Priorities List to expedite its cleanup.

Jones sent a letter to Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler on Monday asking for the EPA to reconsider its previous decision not to place the site on the National Priorities List in wake of corruption. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell has also expressed her support for placing the site on the NPL.

"While the EPA's decision not to place the North Birmingham Alabama 35th Avenue Superfund site on the NPL was disappointing to many in the community, it was perhaps understandable given the strong vocal opposition with the state," Jones stated in the letter to the EPA. "However, it is now abundantly clear, as evidenced by the July 19, 2018 convictions of a former state legislator, a business executive and attorney on a number of federal charges including conspiracy, wire fraud and bribery, that the EPA's initial public review process was undermined by an illegal misinformation scheme to prevent the North Birmingham site from being added to the NPL."

Balch & Bingham attorney Joel Gilbert and Drummond Company Vice President David Roberson were convicted of bribery, three counts of honest services wire fraud, and money laundering in July.

Prosecutors said the two men bribed former state Rep. Oliver Robinson to oppose the EPA's expansion of a Superfund site, and also to oppose prioritizing the site's expensive cleanup. Robinson has pleaded guilty to federal charges.

Woodfin has said as a result of these illegal actions, thousands of people remain at risk, including the 1,070 people living in 394 public housing units and 751 children attending Hudson K-8 school.

Last week, the mayor asked residents to sign a petition urging the EPA to take action. As of Tuesday morning, about 1,500 people have signed.

The EPA issued this statement last week in response to Woodfin's letter: "EPA received numerous comments on the proposed listing. At this time the Agency has not made a decision to finalize the site on the NPL. The site will remain on the proposed list until a decision has been made to go final or until the site has been cleaned up by the removal program."

In his letter to the EPA, Jones stated that the EPA can "now play an important part in rectifying this injustice and improving the lives of the residents of this community, by reviewing and reconsidering its prior decision not to place the North Birmingham 35th Avenue Superfund site on the National Priority List, an action that the EPA would likely have taken years ago if not for this criminal activity.

"Residents of this community deserve better from their local, state and federal governments," the letter continues. "Like residents of any other community in our state and country, they deserve to live in communities free of soil, water and air contamination. By all accounts, the EPA has taken steps in the past to do the right thing to protect this vulnerable community. This community needs your Agency's continued help and assistance. Your action will give all parties including the local business community, an opportunity to work for the betterment of this community. I stand with many community leaders in offering whatever assistance I can offer in this process."

U.S. Sen. Doug Jones' letter to EPA on Scribd