No radioactivity detected at mystery sinkhole

Officials say initial readings from monitoring equipment taken today at a sinkhole in Assumption Parish do not show any signs of naturally occurring radiation. “Based on the first round of data, we are confident that the potential exposure of citizens to NORM [naturally occurring radioactive material] is not a problem in this matter. We will continue to provide data based on air and water sampling to Assumption Parish and DNR,” Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Peggy Hatch says in a news release. DEQ says the slurry hole near Bayou Corne is near areas that have been used for oil and gas exploration. Low levels of radioactivity may be remaining from the work, though not at harmful levels, officials have said before today’s initial testing. Department spokesman Rodney Mallett says such material tends to accumulate in low levels on equipment used to drill for oil and gas. Scientists say the sinkhole might be related to brine contained in an underground salt cavern owned by Houston-based Texas Brine Co. Investigations continue at the site. Texas Brine announced this afternoon it will hold a news conference at 11 a.m. Friday to provide an update on the salt cavern and sinkhole. Scientists today also took four water samples and a soil sample, which will be sent to the lab for more detailed analysis. Those results will be known early next week, DEQ says.