News Releases from Region 06
EPA Recognizes Excellence in Site Reuse in West Dallas
"Through EPA's Superfund Redevelopment Initiative, our cleanups have helped communities across the country return over 850 of the nation's worst hazardous waste sites to safe and productive uses," said Mathy Stanislaus, EPA's assistant administrator of the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. "There is no stronger testament to the power of redevelopment at a former hazardous waste site than what has occurred in west Dallas at the RSR site."
The community is home to new commercial businesses including the 275,000-square-foot headquarters for Goodwill Industries of Dallas. The cleanup further provided opportunities for the establishment of facilities including the Lakewest YMCA, Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity, both public and private schools, redevelopment of a shopping center and a new grocery store. Local residents also now have an animal care clinic, the Mattie Nash Myrtle Davis Recreation Center, restaurants and a wider range of housing options as west Dallas continues to grow.
"This project shows the dramatic transformations that happen when the Superfund program meets a strong and engaged community committed to redevelopment," said EPA Regional Administrator Ron Curry. "Innovative and beneficial reuse of Superfund sites, such as this one, supports economic growth and a more sustainable community."
In the '90s, the Dallas Housing Authority removed contaminated soil and buildings from a public-housing area located northeast of the smelter-cleaning over 400 properties. Dallas Housing Authority has invested more than $100 million in redevelopment and constructed more than 1,200 new housing units on portions the site.
The 13.6-square-mile site is an abandoned contaminated lead smelter. For nearly 50 years, the smelter processed used batteries and other lead-bearing materials into pure lead, lead alloys and other lead products. In 2007, EPA removed the site from the National Priorities List after successfully removing harmful contaminants.
EPA recognizes both Goodwill Industries and the Dallas Housing Authority for extraordinary results in revitalizing and reusing formerly contaminated sites and further raising public awareness and participation in our decision-making processes. Public participation enables EPA's cleanup and redevelopment programs to foster and facilitate successful reuse initiatives.
For more information please visit: http://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0602297.
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