– On Thursday, Union Pacific will start the process of testing soil surrounding the former Houston Wood Preserving site in Fifth Ward.area extensively over the past few years. We will also have the opportunity to watch crews sample the soil at Boyce Dorian Park and speak with a project manager who will explain how the process works.EPA meets with residents in Houston’s Fifth Ward cancer cluster
The testing will provide valuable insights into the extent of contamination, both associated and unrelated to past activities at the site. Results from soil sampling and recent vapor intrusion testing will be used to conduct a health risk assessment, which will help determine the next steps. “It’s been going on for so long. I want to trust the city but it’s hard to trust anyone,” LaTonya Payne said.“Don’t nobody care about us because we black and Hispanic, if it was River oaks, they would have done something,” Barbara Mouton said.