Jacobsville Neighborhood Soil Contamination
Evansville, Indiana

Site Description

The Jacobsville Neighborhood Soil Contamination site is located in a mostly residential area of Evansville, Vanderburgh County, IN. Four now-closed facilities operated outdoor foundries in the area from 1880 to 1950. These operations likely released lead and arsenic particles into the air that eventually ended up in the soil.

EPA has divided the site, which includes an area larger than the Jacobsville Neighborhood, into two phases. The first phase includes 141 acres and approximately 500 residential properties. The second phase extends outward from the first area in an area consistent with wind patterns for the City of Evansville; it covers 4.5 square miles. Because the lead and arsenic levels found in the 141-acre first phase area are higher than those found in the second phase area, EPA will address it first.

Current Site Status and Cleanup Actions to Date

• EPA conducted a time-critical short-term cleanup action from late 2007 to May 2008. This action addressed residential soils within the first phase area with lead concentrations above acceptable levels (1,200 parts per million [ppm]). Eighty-three residential properties were addressed by excavating soils down to two feet (for off-site disposal) and backfilling with clean soils.
• In February 2008, EPA selected the final cleanup plan for the first phase of the site.
• The design and implementation of the cleanup action will occur in three parts. Each part will address approximately 150 properties. The final cleanup approach includes excavating up to two feet of residential soils with lead concentrations above 400 ppm and/or arsenic concentrations above 30 ppm. Backfill and compaction of clean soil and restoration of property will follow the excavation and removal of the contaminated soil.

Current Funding Status

• Cleanup activities for the excavation of contaminated soils at the first phase residential properties were not funded in Fiscal Year 2008.
• To date, EPA has obligated approximately $1 million for cleanup activities at this site.

For more information on this site, please read the Jacobsville Neighborhood Soil Contamination site fact sheet (http://www.epa.gov/region5superfund/npl/indiana/INN000508142.htm) on the Region 5 Superfund web site.