Upcoming health risk assessment will determine next steps
HOUSTON, April 2, 2025 – In collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Union Pacific released another round of soil test results from 143 properties near the former Houston Wood Preserving Works (HWPW) site in Fifth Ward. These results are consistent with previously shared data that show no immediate risk to human health.
“There are long-standing concerns tied to the area’s complex industrial history, and we understand the community is waiting for answers,” said Toni Harrison, Union Pacific Community Liaison. “We’ve prioritized sampling, independent testing, timely data, and clear communication. The health risk assessment will determine next steps.”
The screening level is determined by assuming 24/7 exposure by a young child for the first six years of life. This is the third set of test results released in the most extensive soil sampling effort ever conducted in the Fifth Ward.
The most recent results cover Zones 2, 3, and 4:
- Results from 112 properties are below EPA’s protective screening levels.
- Results from 31 properties are above EPA screening levels, but below thresholds that pose an immediate health risk or require urgent action.
EPA uses regional screening levels to identify areas in need of further evaluation. Test results are communicated directly to each property owner – or their attorney of record – to maintain resident and property owner privacy.
“Union Pacific remains fully committed to ongoing remediation and long-term monitoring,” Harrison said.
Union Pacific inherited the site in 1997 through its merger with Southern Pacific and has conducted testing and remediation in the neighborhood for more than two decades. Previous assessments have consistently found no pathways for contamination from the former HWPW site to reach surrounding properties.
The complete soil sampling effort spanned properties in five geographic zones and included more than 2,000 samples collected under EPA oversight, in coordination with the TCEQ, the City of Houston, and Harris County. Results from the final group of properties tested as part of the deadline extension, between November and December 2024, are expected to be mailed before the end of April. Once the comprehensive results are validated, the health risk assessment will be completed and released this summer to determine next steps.
The EPA will host an open house on April 10 with Union Pacific representatives on-site to answer community questions. More details about the open house will be announced in the coming weeks.
For more details on the HWPW site and Union Pacific’s ongoing remediation efforts, visit visit www.houstonwoodpreservingworks.com.
ABOUT UNION PACIFIC
Union Pacific (NYSE: UNP) delivers the goods families and businesses use every day with safe, reliable and efficient service. Operating in 23 western states, the company connects its customers and communities to the global economy. Trains are the most environmentally responsible way to move freight, helping Union Pacific protect future generations. More information about Union Pacific is available at www.up.com.
Union Pacific Media Contact: Robynn Tysver at 402-544-6037 or [email protected]
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