For families in Houston’s Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens, the next chapter in their decades-long fight for environmental justice could depend on a federal report they have yet to see.
The findings could influence whether longtime homeowners remain in their neighborhoods, whether parents feel comfortable letting children play outside, and what steps may be necessary to address contamination linked to a former wood-preservation facility. But more than a year after the Environmental Protection Agency received a draft health risk assessment, residents are still waiting for answers.
U.S. Rep. Christian Menefee joined residents and community advocates Nov. 9 to demand the EPA release the findings, allow public input and establish a timeline for completing its review.
“Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency has sat on a draft health risk assessment for 396 days. The families who live beside the rail yard have never seen it,” Menefee said.
The dispute centers on the former Houston Wood Preserving Works facility, which operated from 1911 to 1984. The site used creosote to treat railroad ties and other wood products, leaving contamination that has fueled concerns about cancer risks.
In 2019, the Texas Department of State Health Services identified elevated rates of certain cancers in surrounding neighborhoods. Subsequent investigations documented additional cancer clusters.
Although the findings do not establish that the facility caused those cancers, they intensified demands for environmental testing and government accountability.
A report that could shape the future
In 2023, the EPA reached an agreement requiring Union Pacific to investigate contamination associated with the facility under federal Superfund law. The investigation included soil sampling and an assessment of potential health risks. The EPA received an initial draft in October 2025, but the document remains unavailable for public review.
For longtime homeowners, the stakes extend beyond environmental testing. Many families have invested generations of savings in properties representing financial security and family history. Questions about contamination complicate decisions about property values, home improvements, and whether to remain in the community.
“EPA has posted soil results, but numbers on a page don’t tell a mother whether her backyard is safe,” Menefee said. “No family should have to pay to guess at an answer that the administration has right now.”
The assessment is expected to evaluate potential exposure to contaminants and help determine whether additional cleanup or protective measures are necessary.
While it cannot establish the cause of individual cancer cases or fully account for decades of possible exposure, residents say its release is essential to understanding potential risks.
Residents question delays
The latest dispute adds to years of frustration among residents who have attended public meetings, participated in advisory groups and demanded more extensive testing.
Joetta Stevenson, chair of the EPA’s Community Advisory Group, said residents deserve an opportunity to examine the assessment and have independent experts review its conclusions.
“Give us that report so we can look at it, the public can look at it and do commentary about it,” Stevenson said. “We’re not playing with you.”
For community advocate Sandra Edwards, the fight is deeply personal. Shortly before the Nov. 9 press conference, Edwards learned another friend had died of cancer.
“We want that report. We want our report because you came out here to get the information. Give it to us,” Edwards said. “We need it to proceed. We need to know what our future looks like. We need to know where we stand.”
For families whose homes represent generations of stability and wealth, the uncertainty carries emotional and financial consequences.
Menefee sets December deadline
In a letter to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and Region 6 Administrator Scott Mason IV, Menefee demanded the assessment’s release, a 60-day public comment period and a firm completion timeline. He requested a written response by Dec. 1.
Menefee previously contacted the agency July 2, seeking access to draft materials, information about extensions granted to Union Pacific and an expected release date. The EPA responded Sept. 23 but did not provide the requested briefing or timeline, according to Menefee.
“The community is done waiting. As am I,” he wrote in his latest letter.
Menefee warned he would pursue additional congressional oversight if the agency fails to respond.
Union Pacific responds
Union Pacific maintains it has complied with EPA requirements throughout the investigation. Company spokesperson Robynn Tysver said Union Pacific submitted its initial assessment in October 2025 and a revised version in April 2026 at the agency’s request. The company says it has met all approved deadlines and cooperated with federal regulators. The EPA had not publicly explained the latest delay as of Nov. 9.
While Union Pacific maintains it has fulfilled its obligations, residents argue meaningful accountability cannot begin until they can review and question the findings.
The report’s release would not necessarily end the community’s fight. Additional testing, cleanup decisions and long-term monitoring could still be required.
But residents say access to the information would finally give them a voice in decisions affecting their neighborhoods.
“People in these communities are suffering, and the Environmental Protection Agency needs to do its job and get this report to communities so that they can know what’s what, provide public comment, and finally get the justice that they deserve,” Menefee said.
With a Dec. 1 deadline approaching, the next move belongs to the EPA.
For residents of Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens, the question is whether the agency will finally provide answers or allow another deadline to pass.
