residents of the surrounding community alleged that pollution from the plant leached into the groundwater and caused increased rates of cancer amongst other health problems. arsenic, boron, cadmium, lead and other dangerous chemicals were detected in residential wells surrounding the plant. the federal environmental protection agency cautioned state officials about potential health risks associated with leaky equipment and corroded stacks allowing underwater leaching and spills from coronet, but residents were not notified of ongoing problems with the company's lack of environmental controls. the state department of environmental protection secretary david struhs expressed concern over "potential systemic problems that prevented the situation from being identified and corrected sooner" in the tampa office of the dep. legislation requiring the state of florida to notify area residents in such events was proposed.