The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has scheduled a second public meeting to inform north Wichita residents of a plan to deal with groundwater contamination along a Union Pacific rail corridor.

A briefing was held Wednesday with City Council member Brandon Johnson, Sedgwick County Commissioner Lacey Cruse, State Senator Oletha Faust-Goudeau, and State Representative K.C. Ohaebosim, along with former City Council member Lavonta Williams.  They are urging people to submit public comments on the KDHE plan for the site.

A public meeting was held on the plan in September, and another meeting has been scheduled for Saturday, November 5th at 1 p.m. at the Boys and Girls Club near 21st Street and Opportunity Drive.   Johnson said around 2,500 flyers will be distributed with information in English and Spanish on the upcoming meeting and how to deliver public comment.

The contamination was first discovered in the 1990s as the city was looking into the redevelopment of the 21st Street Corridor, and it was traced back to a portion of the Union Pacific rail yard in that area.   The main contaminant is trichloroethylene (TCE), which is commonly used for metal degreasing operations.

Johnson says residents have concerns about the people who are still living in the area, and people who formerly lived in the area.   He said KDHE is still gathering data on cancer deaths in the area that could be related to the contaminants in the groundwater and soil.

Williams said the situation is an “environmental injustice” and she said she’s very disappointed that it has taken this long for something to be done about the contamination.  She said she is ready to move forward and get the situation solved as soon as possible.

A copy of the KDHE plan for the area is available at the Maya Angelou Branch Library and with the web site  https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/1938/29th-and-Grove-Site