Cleaning Up the Eastside

The Eastside makes up part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Environmental Justice Showcase Community. This area – which encompasses zip codes 32208, 32209, 32206, 32202, 32204, and 32254 – has a number of vacant and abandoned lots or other properties where contamination is suspected along with impacted waterways.

This is an ongoing, multi-year project involving the City of Jacksonville and a number of other community organizations and stakeholders. The goal is to address sites of concern and turn them into an opportunity to revitalize neighborhoods. Efforts so far have included a comprehensive study of fish and shellfish in two local fishing streams, “build your own” rain barrel and community garden workshops, and three community-industry forums.

Sites in this designated area are also part of the EPA’s Region 4 Superfund program. Superfund is the name given to the environmental program established to address abandoned hazardous waste sites. It Clean allows the EPA to clean up such sites and to compel responsible parties to perform cleanups or reimburse the government for EPA-lead cleanups.

Below are a list of Superfund sites that are located within Jacksonville’s EJ Showcase Community, which includes the Eastside area.

Kerr-McGee Chemical, LLC

A fertilizer and pesticide company operated on this 31-acre site located at 1611 Talleyrand Avenue from 1893 to 1978. Investigators found contamination in ground water, soil and sediment that could potentially harm people in the area. Concerns include volatile organic compounds and pesticides. Click here for more information.

Brown’s Dump

From the late 1940s to mid 1950s, the 250-acre site was used as a landfill and ash disposal. Investigators found contamination in the soil that could be potentially harm people in the area. Concerns include

Fairfax St. Wood Treaters

From 1980-2010, a wood treating facility operated on the site located at 2610 Fairfax Street. Investigators identified contamination in soil, sediment and surface water that could potentially harm people in the area.

Jacksonville Ash

The site, which includes three separate areas, was used to create and dispose of ash from 1910 until 1960s. Investigators found contamination in soil that could potentially harm people in the area. Concerns include lead and arsenic.