The City of Reedley is trying to dispel misinformation about an illegal laboratory on 850 I Street.
City Manager Nicole Zieba says there is no threat to the public, and there never was. As soon as city and county officials became aware of the site, they began working with state and federal agencies on abatement. They also made sure that none of the hazardous materials were circulating in the community.
"The city of Reedley took a look at their water systems,” said Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig. “They took a look at the sewer systems. Our Department of Public Health instigated a program where they wanted to make sure that there was no immediate threat to people who lived anywhere near this particular site. And so public safety was the number one priority for the county as well as the city of Reedley.”
A rumor that a nearby grocery store had been impacted by toxins or rodents from the lab is also false, said Zieba. The grocery store is currently closed because of structural problems with its roof, not because of the lab.
Zieba has also rejected allegations of an attempted coverup. City officials never intended to keep residents in the dark, she said, but they initially had to be tight-lipped for the sake of the investigation.
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