EPA Region 4 Marks Earth Day at the Historic Westside Gardens in Atlanta
ATLANTA (April 22, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 marked Earth Day at the Historic Westside Gardens (HWG) Elm Street Urban Farm in Atlanta. EPA leadership and staff joined local community volunteers in garden maintenance activities near the Westside Lead Superfund Site, where EPA has been working to clean up lead contamination since 2019.
“Through our Superfund work, we have built strong ties in Atlanta’s Westside and are grateful for the opportunity this Earth Day to serve the community in a different way,” said EPA Region 4 Chief of Staff John Nicholson. “The experience allowed us to reflect on how important action at the local level is to ensure a healthy planet.”
HWG was founded in 2010 with the mission to promote environmental and economically sustainable practices in the Westside community through educational programs, events and greenspaces that actively engage youth, families and individuals in their environment, health and community, and that develop skills in environmental science, sustainable urban living and organic gardening.
Background
The HWG Elm Street Urban Farm is located in the Westside Lead Site (WSL) which is located in heart of the City of Atlanta. WSL was listed on the Superfund National Priorities List in March 2022. The study area consists of approximately 2,097 residential properties encompassing 637 acres in the Vine City and English Avenue neighborhoods.
As of April 2024, 1,403 of approximately 2,097 properties within the Site boundary have been sampled. Of those, 581 properties were identified for cleanup and 277 have been cleaned up. To date, more than 62,627.3 tons of contaminated soil has been removed and safely disposed.