Jacobsville Neighborhood Soil Contamination

Overview

The Jacobsville Neighborhood Soil Contamination site spans 4.5 square miles of residential areas in Evansville, Indiana. Lead and arsenic from manufacturing and foundry operations running from the 1880s through the 1950s soaked into residential soils across 13 neighborhoods, including the Jacobsville neighborhood. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List in July 2004 after an initial assessment in September 2002.

The only contaminants of concern are lead and arsenic in soil. EPA flags properties where lead exceeds 400 parts per million or arsenic exceeds 30 parts per million. Groundwater is not a concern at this site. EPA determined that an unsafe level of contamination exists and that people could realistically be exposed through ingesting or touching contaminated soil.

Cleanup is organized into three operable units. The first, called the Focus Area, follows a 2008 Record of Decision calling for excavation, offsite disposal, and institutional controls. Operable Unit 2 follows a 2009 Record of Decision that adds onsite recycling as an option. A sitewide removal action ran from October 2007 to April 2008. Active soil excavation began in July 2009. As of December 2024, EPA has sampled 7,569 properties and cleaned up 4,483 residential properties. In 2024 alone, workers tested 338 properties and remediated 296. Funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will support remediation of more than 350 properties during the 2025 field season, with excavations resuming in spring 2025. Five-year reviews were completed in March 2017 and March 2022, and the next is estimated for March to May 2027. Construction is not yet complete across the full site.

Cleanup benefits extend beyond soil removal. EPA partnered with ECHO Housing Corporation to build a 26-unit home for homeless and disabled military veterans on two cleaned vacant lots, completed in mid-2011. Additional affordable housing projects are underway with Hope In Evansville and Habitat for Humanity. A local park was cleaned and later received landscaping and playground equipment added by an Eagle Scout. No residents were displaced by the cleanup work.

Residents can get involved in several ways. EPA samples soil at no cost to property owners who have not yet been tested. Those who received letters can return signed consent forms by mail, email, or text. If contamination is found above cleanup limits, EPA covers the full cost of soil removal and yard restoration. In-person availability sessions are scheduled for March 17 and 18, 2026 at Evansville Public Library locations, where community members can speak directly with EPA staff. Residents can also contact Community Involvement Coordinator Meshach Padilla or Remedial Project Manager Beth Reiner with questions.