LAFAYETTE, La.
It stems from chemical leaks at a Union Pacific Rail yard more than 20 years ago.
The lawsuit was filed against Union Pacific Railroad, on behalf of the Salvation Army in 2016.
Secretary reviewed environmental tests done in the rail yard, before filing his Salvation Army v. Union Pacific case back in 2016.
In 1994, during testing of the former Union Pacific Maintenance Rail yard in Lafayette, Goodel says the results showed contaminents leaked from the facility into the Chicot Aquifer.
Those contaminents he says included benzene which is toxic.
continuously tests the water, and can guarantee that not only is it safe to drink, but free of toxic chemicals.
We have no records of any benzene being in the water ever," said Huval.
Goodel says that until there is a comprehensive assessment of the entire rail yard and all of the chemicals found there, he believes there is no way of knowing if the water is affected.
Huval states that if the water in the city was ever compromised or contaminated, the public would be notified immediately.