Former Black Leaf Chemical Site

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Site Background 

The former Black Leaf Chemical site, located along Louisville's 18th Street Corridor, was identified for Superfund cleanup in 2011 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Both the EPA and the Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection have been involved in assessment and remediation efforts at the site. CEPM's involvement began through the 18th Street Corridor planning process, a collaboration with Louisville Metro's Department of Economic Growth and Innovation. A listing of EPA documents related to the site can be found on the EPA's website.

Cleanup Plans 

In October 2016, the Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection received two corrective action proposals for the site – one addressing industrial and commercial use, the other addressing residential areas and berm restrictions. In March 2018, Arcadis submitted a Final Corrective Action Plan to KDEP. 

These documents are being updated for accessibility and will be restored soon. Contact cepm@louisville.edu to request a copy of the Arcadis Final Corrective Action Plan (2018), the Industrial/Commercial Plan, or the Residential/Berm Restriction Plan. Community Meetings

CEPM has supported several community engagement efforts related to the Black Leaf site: 

  • January 2014: Councilman David James hosted a meeting with Matthew Cave (UofL School of Medicine) and research coordinator Lark Reynolds to discuss results of medical testing for residents who may have been affected by the site. Lauren Heberle facilitated. For information, contact Councilman James at 574-1106.
  • September 2013: The West Jefferson County Community Task Force held a meeting where EPA updated community members on yard cleanup progress.
  • August 2013: Councilman James hosted a meeting at the California Community Center where Matthew Cave and Lark Reynolds discussed exposure testing and answered community questions.
  • June 2013: EPA and KDEP held a public meeting at St. Stephen Church to discuss cleanup plans.
  • June 2012: EPA, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and Councilman James held a public meeting to share background on the site, soil testing results and plans for future action.
    • The EPA's presentation from this meeting (including maps and test results) is being updated for accessibility and will be restored soon. Contact cepm@louisville.edu to request a copy.

Black Leaf Related Documents 

We're in the process of making all documents fully accessible. Some resources will be temporarily unavailable while updates are completed. Contact us at cepm@louisville.edu and we'll be happy to share a copy directly.

  • Arcadis Final Corrective Action Plan March 2018
  • Industrial/Commercial Plan
  • Residential/Berm Restriction Plan