Congressman Christian D. Menefee joined Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens residents Monday morning to demand the Environmental Protection Agency release a long-delayed health risk report concerning contamination at a Union Pacific site in northeast Houston.
The report could help families living near the contaminated site better understand potential health risks. However, the EPA has had a draft of the evaluation for 396 days, according to Menefee’s office, and residents are still waiting for answers.
The historically Black communities have spent years raising concerns about toxic contamination, cancer diagnoses and the potential impact on their families’ health.
In July, Menefee sent a formal letter to the EPA demanding answers about the investigation, when the report would be released and whether Union Pacific had requested extensions.
Although the agency responded in September, Menefee said residents still have not received a firm release date.
During Monday’s press conference, residents directly impacted by the contamination shared their personal experiences and concerns about the lack of information.
Menefee and community leaders called on the EPA to release the report, provide a clear timeline for its completion and give residents 60 days to review the findings and submit comments.
The press conference, titled “Release the Report, EPA,” was scheduled for 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 9.
Expected participants include:
The gathering intended to put renewed pressure on the EPA to provide transparency and accountability to residents who have been waiting for answers about the potential health effects of contamination in their neighborhoods.
