After seven years, Jacobsville Indiana to get cleaned up

September 18, 2007 - Cleanup of lead- and arsenic-tainted soil in the Jacobsville neighborhood Superfund site will begin in October, according to an U.S. Environmental Protection Agency official. The announcement comes nearly seven years after the contamination was discovered.

EPA officials and Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel will announce details to the public at 2:30 p.m. today at Central United Methodist Church, said Mick Hans, a spokesman for the EPA region that includes Indiana.

Although it is unknown how many people may have been affected by lead from the contaminated soil, the risk of exposure is high, EPA officials have said. Lead poisoning affects the brain, nervous system and kidneys. High levels can cause behavioral problems, learning disabilities, seizures and possibly death.

While it can affect adults, children 6 years old and younger are most at risk because they are still developing.

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