Learn about the UPRR Site
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is conducting activities under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), including permitting, enforcement, investigation, and cleanup.
Overview and Background
The Union Pacific Railroad Houston Wood Preserving Works site (UPRR) is located adjacent to the Kashmere Gardens community within the Fifth Ward in the City of Houston. Formerly owned and operated by Southern Pacific Railroad, the site ceased operating as a wood preserving facility in 1984. It was acquired by UPRR in 1997 through a merger with Southern Pacific. Contamination associated with the former wood treating operations has been identified both on and off-site, including creosote contamination in groundwater. The groundwater is not used as a drinking water source.
Investigations and Studies
On February 27, 2023,EPA announced an Administrative Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent with UPRR. The consent order compels UPRR to investigate and evaluate potential contamination in and around the former wood preserving facility in the Greater Fifth Ward area of Houston, Texas. UPRR is conducting the investigation under the direct oversight of the EPA. The field work began in November 2023 and is expected to be complete in late summer 2024.
Ongoing investigation and cleanup of the site is being conducted by UPRR under a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Industrial and Hazardous Waste Permit. A proposed renewal and modification to the permit incorporating the facility’s response action plan for cleanup is currently posted for public comment.
Several health studies have been conducted in the area by the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) which identified increased incidences of cancer in the community.
Resources for Additional Research
Several research papers and informational documents have been published describing how dioxins in soil affect plants.