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For years, the U.S. also denied responsibility for Agent Orange cleanup, despite the recognition of dioxin-associated illnesses among U.S. veterans and testing that revealed continuing dioxin exposure among potentially tens of thousands of Vietnamese.

Southern Pacific and three other companies ultimately paid $40 million in compensation for the spill, most of which went to the state to cover the costs of cleanup and restoration.

Almost 8,800 property owners have asked the Army Corps of Engineers to direct the cleanup of burned homes.

Those tests typically had been used to determine whether cleanup crews should remove more than the first 6 inches of topsoil.

So far, the county has announced results only from standing homes, which are not eligible for cleanup from the Army Corps of Engineers; results from land parcels with damaged or destroyed structures are still pending.