Lee's Lane Landfill

Overview

Lee's Lane Landfill sits in southwest Louisville, Kentucky. It covers 112 acres and operated as a quarry in the 1940s and 1950s before becoming a landfill through 1975. The EPA added it to the National Priorities List in 1983 because of contamination in groundwater, soil, surface water, sediment, and air. The site was deleted from that list in 1996 after cleanup goals were met.

Seven contaminants of concern were identified at the site. Arsenic and chromium were found in both soil and groundwater. Benzene and lead were found in groundwater. These chemicals were selected for cleanup after EPA evaluated potential exposures and health risks connected to each one.

The 1986 cleanup plan called for a gas venting system, surface waste removal, drum removal, and capping contaminated soil. Construction finished in March 1988. A water line was connected to nearby homes and businesses to provide safe drinking water. Vapor intrusion sampling in 33 nearby homes in 2014 found no landfill gases entering the homes. Methane is no longer considered a threat. The gas collection system was shut down in 2019 and removed in spring 2023 after the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection confirmed it was no longer needed. The Louisville/Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District handled operation and maintenance for 29 years until 2020, when the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection took over.

As of the most recent five-year review, completed in August 2023, the remedy remains protective of human health and the environment. There are no completed exposure pathways at the site. Institutional controls added in August 2022 include deed restrictions that limit certain land uses and prohibit groundwater well installation. The site boundaries are marked with signs and a gated access road. Larger, more visible signs were installed in late 2025. The site is estimated to reach sitewide readiness for anticipated reuse between September and November 2028.

Community members can follow site developments through EPA public notices and meetings. Questions about the site can go to the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager. Public documents are available through EPA's online database, and records can also be reviewed in person at the Shively Library at 3920 Dixie Highway in Louisville.