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Union Pacific Railroad cleaning contaminated soil
A local lot of contaminated soil is being fixed after 10 years of testing.
According to Gary Richards, Kansas Department of Health and Environment project manager, a crew is working on a lot on North National Avenue near the Marmaton River to "return the site to a beneficial use."
The lot, owned by Union Pacific Railroad, was formerly the site of Double Circle Farm Supply's fertilizer warehouse, according to Mark Davis, spokesperson for the Northern Region of Union Pacific Railroad. Davis said that the warehouse was located there from 1985-1995. He said that in September 1993, the Marmaton River flooded into the warehouse causing the contamination.
"In 1993, the store reported a release of a large amount of fertilizer and that had subsequently contaminated the soil at the site," Richards said.
The soil is reportedly contaminated with ammonium nitrate from the fertilizer as well as diesel fuel, Davis said. According to Richards, the contamination could result in the soil's inability to support growth of vegetation and could potentially harm the groundwater.
"Investigations were completed at the site over the course of the last 10 years and they finally developed a plan to remediate the contaminated site," Richards said.
A crew from Genesis Environmental Solutions, based out of Blue Springs, Mo., has removed about 3,400 yards of soil from the site which will be replaced by clean soil, according to Davis. He added that seed would be planted once the soil has been replaced.
"We've been working with them as part of the state's voluntary clean up program, to clean up that land," Davis said.
A representative from Genesis Environmental Solutions said they hope to have the soil replaced by Friday but it could be a few extra days due to the rain on Tuesday.