Settlement Agreement Results in Investigation and Evaluation at the Fifth Ward/Kashmere Gardens UPRR Superfund Site in Houston, Texas

On February 27, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reached a settlement with Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) to investigate and evaluate contamination at the Fifth Ward/Kashmere Gardens UPRR Superfund site in Houston, Texas. The site is located in a community with potential environmental justice (EJ) concerns. 

The investigative work is being done under an administrative settlement agreement and order on consent (AOC) pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA, also known as Superfund). It will identify the extent of contamination, if any, at the site, and is valued at $6.8 million.

On this page:

• Information about Union Pacific Railroad
• Information about the Fifth Ward/Kashmere Gardens UPRR Superfund Site
• Overview of the Administrative Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent
• Contact Information

Information about Union Pacific Railroad

UPRR is conducting the work at the site, under the direction and oversight of EPA Region 6 pursuant to the AOC. UPRR had previously merged with Southern Pacific Railroad, which owned and operated the site as a wood preserving facility.  

Information about the Fifth Ward/Kashmere Gardens UPRR Superfund Site

The Fifth Ward/Kashmere Gardens UPRR site (also called the UPRR Houston Wood Preserving site) is located within the Greater Fifth Ward area in the City of Houston, Texas. The site consists of a 125-acre tract of land formerly used for creosote wood treating operations. The site ceased operating as a wood preserving facility in 1984. After creosoting operations ended, all on-site buildings were dismantled in the early 1990s.

The site is currently used for railroad storage and other railroad operations. It was acquired by UPRR in 1997 through a merger with Southern Pacific. Contamination, including creosote, dioxin, and other contaminants usually found at wood treating and preserving operations, was found both on- and off-site and in the groundwater. The groundwater investigation and cleanup are being addressed under a permit with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and the groundwater is not used as a drinking water source. More information about the site is available on the Fifth Ward/Kashmere Gardens UPRR Superfund Site profile web page.

Overview of the Administrative Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent

EPA’s consent order includes a statement of work requiring UPRR to perform several actions, including on-site and off-site soil sampling; vapor intrusion investigations at potentially affected residences; evaluating the off-site storm sewer system for potential contamination associated with the site; developing a proposal supporting EPA’s community involvement plan for the site; and conducting a risk evaluation.

Contact Information

For more information contact:

Adam Weece
Community Involvement Coordinator
Region 6
U.S. EPA
1201 Elm St. Dallas, TX 75270
214-665-2264
Weece.Adam@epa.gov

Casey Luckett-Snyder
Primary EPA Project Manager
Region 6
U.S. EPA
1201 Elm St. Dallas, TX 75270
214-665-7393
Luckett.Casey@epa.gov

Edwin Quinones
Site Attorney
Region 6
U.S. EPA
1201 Elm St. Dallas, TX 75270
214-665-8035
Quinones.Edwin@epa.gov