A Northwest Jacksonville neighborhood playground sits near toxic ground. Lonnie Miller Park contains dangerous chemicals that Jacksonville and the federal government have known about for years, but have not completely fixed.
Jerry Lester comes to Lonnie Miller Park all the time.
"Just about every morning to walk," Lester said.
But that peace and quiet is disturbed by signs saying land behind a fence is contaminated.
"It's a problem knowing its right there,” Lester said.
Action News obtained a 2008 settlement agreement between the Department of Justice, environmental protection agency and city of Jacksonville. The city agreed to clean up several sites that were formally garbage incinerators at a cost of $94 million. The agreement included Lonnie Miller Park.
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Action News tried to speak with the city about the time it's taking to cleanup Lonnie Miller Park, where EPA Site investigations found lead and arsenic. Instead, I was directed to Mayor Lenny Curry’s new budget. In it, $1.7 million is set aside for various projects as part of the settlement.
"Way I look at it, new administration feel like they should be able to clean up this contaminated land," Lester said.
The DOJ says a design plan to clean-up the park should be completed in the next two to six months. But how long it will take to break ground is unknown.
The DOJ said 63 residential sites have been cleaned up and six remain.
WJAX
