Lawsuit Tries to Prevent Chicot Aquifer Contamination

Lawsuit Tries to Prevent Chicot Aquifer Contamination

Lawsuit Tries to Prevent Chicot Aquifer Contamination

A new lawsuit is looking to prevent a potential environmental disaster.

It has to do with 40 acres of land in Downtown Lafayette, once owned by the Union Pacific Railroad Company.

According to the suit, the concern is what’s below ground, with reports of toxic waste, dangerously close to the Chicot Aquifer, which supplies drinking water.

What could be below ground at this old rail yard, could derail the I-49 connector project.  And that’s not all.

“Based upon information that we have discovered in our investigation, it presents an imminent and substantial endangerment to the Chicot Aquifer, which is the source of this communities drinking water,” says Bill Goodell, a Lafayette Environmental Attorney and prosecutor on the case.

The chemicals  are said to be a toxic stew, dangerously close to impacting the drinking water for Lafayette.

It’s a problem that’s been brought to court twice already.

“And we looked at their records and we saw nothing has been done since those lawsuits were ended. As far as cleanup, groundwater recovery, anything like that,” says Goodell.

The plaintiffs include the Salvation Army, and other nearby property owners.

They deny the timing of the suit coincides with renewed discussions of the I-49 connector project.

“The purpose and the object of this suit is to get the people, the state, the responsible parties to the table with us. And our experts. Lets hammer out a plan on this,” says Goodell.

Union Pacific had no comment on the lawsuit.