In light of the City of Houston’s announcement of a strike force that will begin work on a program to help relocate residents living on or around the creosote plume in Houston’s Fifth Ward from Union Pacific’s Houston Wood Preserving Works creosote treatment facility, Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee issued the following announcement:

“I fully support the City of Houston’s plan to offer relocation assistance for residents living in the area of the creosote plume in the Fifth Ward and to call on Union Pacific to assist in relocating people directly affected by the contamination from its own treatment site. These residents have dealt with cancer and health issues for too long, and the stakes are too high to continue to wait to take action.

Harris County and the City of Houston have done everything possible to work with Union Pacific to clean up this site and related ongoing harms. I’ve previously stated that our goal has been a remediation plan that makes life safe for the folks who live and work in these neighborhoods as quickly as possible, and a relocation option must be a part of that plan.

It’s time to act, and my office will do everything we can to support the community as we move forward.”