Former Houston Wood Preserving Works Soil Testing
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Union Pacific entered into a legal agreement requiring Union Pacific to conduct the testing.
- EPA approved the work plans and testing map submitted by Union Pacific. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), City of Houston, Harris County, and Bayou City Initiative also reviewed and commented on all testing plans Union Pacific submitted to the EPA.
- Union Pacific will pay for all sampling and testing. The test results will be made available to the community once they have been reviewed, validated, and approved by the EPA.
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Union Pacific entered into a legal agreement requiring Union Pacific to conduct the testing.
- EPA approved the work plans and testing map submitted by Union Pacific. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), City of Houston, Harris County, and Bayou City Initiative also reviewed and commented on all testing plans Union Pacific submitted to the EPA.
- Union Pacific will pay for all sampling and testing. The test results will be made available to the community once they have been reviewed, validated, and approved by the EPA.
- Union Pacific recognizes the community’s concerns and fears and assures that neighborhood sampling, testing, and any actions to follow will be thorough, transparent, and effective.
- During the first public meeting, the EPA told the community that the testing was being completed for the following two reasons:
- The results of the TxDSHS Cancer Assessment (Cluster Report)
- The results of the Houston Health Department’s dioxin sampling results from 2022.
- The results of the testing will be used to determine the potential exposure to the community for chemicals in the soil, such as dioxin and furan, or compounds related to creosote contamination.
- Union Pacific did not own the HWPW site when the contamination happened. Since inheriting the property in a 1997 merger, Union Pacific has made measurable progress with site cleanup under the direction of the TCEQ and is committed to finishing the job.
- Yes, EPA will review and approve the work plan for sampling and testing and will monitor Union Pacific throughout the process. EPA and Union Pacific are committed to maintaining transparency throughout the process, ensuring the community is informed about testing activities and the results.
- The test results will be made available to the community once they have been received from the EPA-approved laboratory and validated by scientists. The EPA will also hold a public meeting to explain the results.
- Testing is the only way to assess whether potential contamination exists on your property, how much there is, where it’s coming from, and whether it could pose any risk to your household.
- EPA urges all property owners to sign access agreements to allow sampling and testing of their soil.
- Union Pacific will make the complete test results available to the public once they have been received from the EPA-approved laboratory and validated by scientists. The EPA will also hold a community meeting to explain the results.
- The results will also help inform a human health risk assessment to enable EPA to make decisions about any next steps required to protect the community.
- Union Pacific or its representatives will be in the neighborhood on Sept. 15, 2023, and subsequent week(s) to begin distributing and collecting property access agreements. Soil sampling is projected to begin later in fall 2023.
- The approved testing plan requires landowners to sign an access agreement permitting Union Pacific contractors and authorized EPA representatives to access your property to collect samples to test.
- EPA urges all property owners to sign access agreements to allow the sampling and testing. Properties without signed access agreements will not be tested.
- Soil sampling is a simple and low-intrusive process. No damage to your property is expected. The soil sampling locations will be refilled with soil after the sample is collected.
- Technicians will be on your property for approximately 2-4 hours to collect soil samples.
- The testing plan requires landowners to sign an access agreement permitting Union Pacific contractors and authorized EPA representatives to access the property to collect samples for testing. In the unlikely event of damage, Union Pacific will repair it according to the terms of the property access agreement.
- The landowner only needs to be home if they must provide access to the yard area (i.e. if a gate is locked or similar).
- The EPA will determine if your property will be included in the soil vapor intrusion sampling and will discuss that process with you when appropriate.
- The former HWPW site on Liberty Road is contaminated with creosote. Some areas near the closed site, including parts of the Fifth Ward, may have been impacted. Testing will determine if there are compounds related to creosote in the soil or other types of contamination, like dioxins or furans. A complete list of chemicals and the screening levels can be found in the approved work plan on Union Pacific’s HWPW website, https://www.houstonwoodpreservingworks.com, and on the EPA hub, https://fifth-ward-kashmere-gardens-uprr-epa.hub.arcgis.com/.
- The testing plan requires landowners to sign an access agreement permitting Union Pacific contractors and authorized EPA representatives to access your property. Testing crews must have approval from the landowner to collect samples.
- The landowner only needs to be home if they must provide access to the yard area (i.e. if a gate is locked or similar).
- Yes, soil at Atherton and Dogan Elementary Schools will be tested along with nearby parks and Julia C. Hester House.
- No, Union Pacific will pay for all sampling and testing.
- No, Union Pacific or its contractors will provide a three-day notice before accessing your property to collect samples for testing.
- Details related to timing and duration are specified in the access agreement.
- The EPA approved the comprehensive work plan and testing map. The plan was developed to get a holistic view of the area and provide a thorough analysis of the extent and source of any contamination. The EPA will hold a community meeting before resident sampling to explain the testing location decision-making process.
- Union Pacific coordinated with TCEQ, City of Houston, Harris County, and Bayou City Initiative to review and provide input on all testing plans submitted to EPA.
- Union Pacific will make the complete test results available to the public once they have been received from the EPA-approved laboratory and validated by scientists. EPA will also hold a public meeting to explain the results and what they mean for the community.
- Union Pacific will generate a final report summarizing the testing process and results. The report will be public record and shareable. It will not contain any personal information about your property. The report is expected to be posted on EPA’s webpage.
- The results from testing will also be used to guide a human health risk assessment which will enable the EPA to make informed decisions on any next steps required to protect the community.
- Union Pacific cares about the safety of the Fifth Ward community and is actively working on remediation of the former HWPW site. Measurable progress with on-site cleanup has been made since acquiring the property in a 1997 merger. Union Pacific is committed to finishing the job and will pay for what it is responsible for.
- Union Pacific is currently focused on additional testing to accurately determine the true extent and source of contamination in the neighborhood.
- Relocation should be based on a human health risk assessment, which the test results will inform.
- Union Pacific remains steadfast in its commitment to the community and has been actively engaged in remediation efforts at the former HWPW site under the direction of TCEQ since acquiring the property through a 1997 merger, 13 years after its closure. Actions taken to date include:
- More than 11,000 tons of creosote-impacted soil was consolidated onsite and covered with a soil cap to prevent exposure.
- 120+ groundwater monitoring wells have been installed.
- Implementation of a creosote removal program to pump and remove it from recovery wells.
- Union Pacific has made measurable progress on site cleanup and is committed to finishing the job remaining.
- Testing is the only way to assess whether potential contamination exists on your property, how much there is, where it’s coming from, and whether it could pose any risk to your household.
- EPA urges all property owners to sign access agreements to allow the sampling and testing. Properties without signed access agreements will not be tested. Access agreements must be signed prior to the date that sampling will begin in the community. EPA will hold a community meeting prior to the start of residential sampling.
- Union Pacific recognizes the community’s concerns and fears and assures remediation, neighborhood sampling, and testing, and any actions to follow will be thorough, transparent, and effective.
- Testing is the only way to assess whether potential contamination exists on your property, how much there is, where it’s coming from, and whether it could pose any risk to your household.
- Test results will also help inform a human health risk assessment to enable EPA to make decisions about any next steps required to protect the community. Union Pacific will pay for all sampling and testing.