In an urgent bid to gather crucial environmental data, Fifth Ward residents in Houston have been canvassing their neighborhood, pressing neighbors to allow soil testing on their properties for cancer-causing chemicals. The tests, spearheaded by Union Pacific and overseen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), aim to determine whether historical contamination from an old creosote wood-treatment operation at a nearby rail yard has led to a health crisis in the community. According to a report by FOX26 Houston, the EPA recently extended the soil-testing deadline, granting residents additional time to consent to the assessments vital for potential remediation efforts.
The push for more soil samples comes after a past study identified the area as a cancer cluster. With Union Pacific setting a goal of 343 soil samples, only 185 have been taken so far. The testing followed concerns raised by local inhabitants about the persisting health issues, with some, like Fifth Ward resident Joetta Stevenson, suggesting a link to the railyard contaminants. "I’ve had breast cancer twice, twice, and I grew up at least one block from a rail line," Stevenson told FOX26 Houston.
The need for signed consents from homeowners, however, remains a significant hurdle. "It is very, very important. Why? Because it is the only way to tell if a contamination is on a property, so without a signed agreement, we cannot go on private property and take that sample of soil," Toni Harrison, a spokesperson for Union Pacific, emphasized in a statement obtained by FOX26 Houston. The response from property owners has been tepid, with only about 55% permitting the testing, leaving many properties at risk of remaining untested and, consequently, ineligible for cleanup.
As the deadline loomed, community members like Sandra Edwards and Fifth Ward Super Neighborhood president Joetta Stevenson accelerated their outreach. They encountered a mix of reactions, with some developers seemingly reluctant to admit the presence of the toxin on their properties, according to the Houston Chronicle's reporting. Edwards expressed frustration over the challenge, especially with parcels like the overgrown lot on Erastus Street, which may offer pristine samples but for which the owners are untraceable.
The stark mistrust between Union Pacific and the community has not gone unnoticed, with residents voicing their skepticism at various meetings. "We do not trust y’all," stated Joe Ballard, a longtime neighbor to the rail yard, at a recent community forum. Efforts by Union Pacific to build trust through door-knocking campaigns and social media initiatives have been met with mixed success, as noted by Union Pacific spokeswoman Robynn Tysver who said, "We canvassed the neighborhoods six times, knocking on doors and talking to residents face-to-face, and we sent seven mailers to each property owner with information about the soil tests." This significant outreach effort was highlighted in a Houston Chronicle interview.
As the investigation continues, the results of the soil sampling, expected in January, are highly anticipated by the community, which has long awaited concrete answers about their exposure to creosote.
