Westside Atlanta federal soil cleanup reaches halfway point

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The garden offers affordable fresh fruits and vegetables to people in Vine City on Atlanta's Westside.

Credit: Amanda Andrews / GPB News

The Environmental Protection Agency has reached a halfway point in removing toxic soil from a Superfund site in Atlanta’s Westside neighborhoods. The agency is crediting community engagement in English Avenue and Vine City for their progress on remediation.

The EPA presented Atlanta resident Rosario Hernandez with a National Notable Achievement Award for her work in building trust and sharing the agencies' message with her neighbors.

Heavy metals were first found in the soil at Hernandez’s house through a study by Emory University and then turned over to the EPA. Hernandez said she still works with the researchers from the university to inform the community.

“We have air quality monitors in my backyard, but I feel like, you know, for us here, we have to do it our way,” she said. “I've been here 15 years, and, you know. We just have to figure it out on our own.”

Lead and other toxic metals have been removed from the soil in half of the 600 properties in the Westside Superfund site. Remedial Project Manager Alayna Famble Martin said initially, people were hesitant to trust a government agency.

“We couldn't have gotten this far with our remediation and our progress without her and other community advocates saying, 'Hey, EPA came in, they did what they told us they would do, and we're better for it. I don’t have to worry about lead on my property anymore.””

Famble Martin said they’re cleaning 10 houses a month and focusing on properties with pregnant women and children. The soil cleanup of the former industrial site is expected to be complete by 2028.