News Releases from Region 05

EPA begins soil cleanup at Hegewisch Little League field on Chicago’s Far South Side

CHICAGO (July 6, 2020) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), announced the start of a cleanup to remove soil contaminated with lead and arsenic at a site on Chicago’s Far South Side. Known locally as the Hegewisch Little League baseball field, the site is located at 12710 S. Carondolet Avenue in the Hegewisch neighborhood.

Starting tomorrow, July 7, EPA will excavate and remove lead- and arsenic-contaminated soil, backfill excavated areas with clean material and topsoil, and landscape the site after the cleanup is completed. The cleanup is expected to take about 20 working days to complete. EPA will spend up to $691,295 on the project.

EPA has worked with the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to analyze data, help secure residential sampling access agreements and answer health-related questions.

EPA has been studying ambient air in Chicago’s Southeast Side since 2013 in response to residents’ concerns about the area’s long industrial history. EPA began sampling soil in the Hegewisch area in summer 2019. 

For more information: https://19january2021snapshot.epa.gov/il/127th-street-soil-site