Frustrated neighbors packed the auditorium at Whiting High School on March 26 as U.S. EPA officials laid out an interim plan to dig up lead-contaminated soil from yards near the former Federated Metals smelter. The agency said it will focus on properties where soil tests are above its 200-parts-per-million cleanup trigger and noted that hundreds of nearby parcels have already been sampled during the investigation. Residents pushed for clear start dates and specific answers on what the work means for their pets, vegetable gardens, and any contamination lurking deeper in the ground.
What EPA Is Proposing
EPA's March 2026 proposed plan spells out the details: investigators collected composite soil samples at 240 properties during a 2016 to 2023 survey and found roughly 215 parcels with lead levels above 200 parts per million, of which about 160 residential yards remain candidates for cleanup. The agency's preferred option calls for excavating contaminated soil to a maximum depth of 12 inches at selected homes, backfilling with clean topsoil, and restoring yards as an interim remedy. For more on the proposed approach, see the U.S. EPA fact sheet.
Neighbors Asked Tough Questions
About 75 people attended the hearing and pressed EPA staff on timing, sampling procedures, and whether pets and homegrown produce could be affected, according to the Chicago Tribune. One resident, Ed Williamson, told the paper his yard is scheduled for testing on April 15, and several attendees urged the agency to move faster in areas where children play.
Site History And Past Work
The Federated Metals facility operated from roughly 1937 to 1983 along the shore of George Lake, and EPA added the property to the Superfund National Priorities List in 2023 to prioritize long-term cleanup, according to a U.S. EPA news release. EPA also carried out a short-term removal in 2018 and 2019 at the highest-priority homes and has continued sampling and evaluation since then, as described in its Superfund materials.
Local Cleanup Efforts Underway
The city of Hammond has run a parallel soil removal effort since 2021, using federal relief dollars and other funds to clean dozens of yards ahead of the federal work, local reporting notes. City officials say that local remediation has provided some households with relief even while EPA advances its larger interim plan, according to Northwest Indiana Business Magazine.
Timing And Next Steps
EPA staff told residents they expect to begin excavation in roughly summer or fall 2027, though the schedule could shift into 2028 depending on additional sampling results and the presence of sensitive populations, the Chicago Tribune reports. The agency is taking public comment on the proposed interim cleanup from March 16 through April 15, 2026, and says it will review feedback before finalizing the plan.
How Residents Can Participate
EPA's proposed plan and fact sheet, along with an information repository at the Whiting Public Library, include maps of sampled parcels, cleanup alternatives, and contact information for community coordinators. Residents who want testing, health resources or guidance on gardening and pets can also contact local health services and the Lake County health department. Public comments on the proposed plan are due by April 15, 2026.
Sources: U.S. EPA fact sheet; U.S. EPA news release; Chicago Tribune; Northwest Indiana Business Magazine.
