Former Tronox/Kerr-McGee Wood Treating Facility Cleanup Update

Cleanup and soil mitigation has been ongoing since February at the site of the former Tronox/Kerr-McGee wood treating facility located on the south side of Green St. at Hamilton Rd. in Bossier City, and work is expected to continue through August.

District 9 Bossier Parish Police Jury member Charles Gray, whose district includes the site, said he was pleased to see the progress that has been made since February. He was also impressed by steps taken by the contractor to keep the cleanup from interfering with life in the surrounding neighborhood.

"From what I saw, the contractor is getting this done in a timely manner and apparently with very little interruption in the everyday activities of people in the neighborhood," Gray said during a tour of the site. "This project is going on close to residences, but there's very little noise and the sites are fenced and well maintained."

Soil removal work is primarily on approximately 26 acres east of Hamilton Rd. on the south side of Green St. Another six acres lies west of Hamilton Rd. Beginning in 1930, Kerr-McGee Chemical and predecessors treated railroad ties with creosote and fuel oil on the property. The site was decommissioned in 1988.

Trucks haul contaminated soil from the site, but those heavy vehicles do not travel Green St. or any other residential street near the site.

"The contractor built a road from the site to Hamilton Road which keeps heavy trucks off neighborhood streets," Gray said. "That's good for public safety and it keeps those streets from possible damage from the heavy loads. I was happy to see how they addressed this."

Gray said he was very pleased to see the efforts the contractor has made to maintain good relationships with the people in the cleanup area.

"It's obvious they've worked hard to communicate with the people in the area and to address any concerns anyone may have," he said. "Good relationships are important."