What's been happening in Flint, Michigan is an absolute tragedy. Children and citizens suffering from lead poisoning, and who knows what other health risks is heartbreaking. How sure are we that something like this won't happen here? As I just learned, there's reportedly a potential environmental disaster right below our feet.

According to our news partners KATC, Lafayette Environmental Attorney Bill Goodell has filed a lawsuit against Union Pacific. According to Goodell, 40 acres of land in Downtown Lafayette has a dangerous mixture of toxic waste below what was once a rail yard for Union Pacific.

Toxic waste anywhere is never good, but what makes this so dangerous is that the toxic waste is dangerously close to the Chicot Aquifer that supplies drinking water to sections of Lafayette.

Goodell tells KATC -

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.

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.

Goodell says the issue has been brought to court twice before, but action has yet to take place.

Below is a map showing the area the Chicot Aquifer supplies water to.

la.water.usgs.gov
la.water.usgs.gov
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For more information, head over to KATC.com

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