More people have signed up in the Park Hill neighborhood for their yards to be cleaned up by the state and U.S. EPA. The yards back up to the former Black Leaf Chemical property in Louisville, Ky.
“Protecting people is the top priority for KDEP and EPA in this cleanup,” said Tim Hubbard, Kentucky Division of Waste Management assistant director. “Replacing soil and grass is an important step forward in doing that. We hope all bordering property owners will agree to allow cleanup.”
The cleanup began this week. Residents and media watched Monday as the first scoop of contaminated soil was removed. Since then, cleanup on three yards has begun. In yards being cleaned up, the first top 1-foot of soil is being removed and replaced with clean dirt and grass or seed.
Five new access agreements have been received since the beginning of the week and four more are in the works, bringing the total number of properties allowing cleanup to 49.
“We are going door-to-door to talk with residents about the cleanup and answer questions. We are making every effort to protect, involve and inform the community,” said Hubbard.
An information center is set up in the Park Hill neighborhood at 17th and Wilson Avenue to answer any questions residents may have. It’s staffed by KDEP Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. (weather permitting).
Current information will also be posted here, on KDEP’s blog, Naturally Connected.
For additional information, contact Kentucky Division of Waste Management staff Tim Hubbard or Sheri Adkins at 502‐564‐6716. For properties being cleaned up by EPA, contact Art Smith, EPA on-scene coordinator, at 502‐582‐5161.
At the same time yards are being cleaned up, the Commonwealth is negotiating with potentially responsible parties and will seek to have the actual site cleaned up at the earliest possible date.
Read all KDEP posts related to Black Leaf here.
Naturally Connected 