Cleanup of lead pollution in Westside Atlanta neighborhoods is continuing through the winter, but earlier this fall, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and its partners celebrated two significant milestones. At back-to-back events in English Avenue, the federal agency gathered neighbors to celebrate millions of dollars in investments for the cleanup and a job training initiative for local residents. 

In front of her freshly manicured lawn, Myrtle Dansby held some mail in her hand as she looked over her screened-in front porch and little yard filled with planter boxes with pink flowers. The house has been in her family for a long time. It’s where she raised her six kids, each of whom she put through college. It was virtually impossible to tell the EPA had just dug up the top two feet of dirt to dig out lead. 

“I didn’t know until [about the lead] really they came over and was talking to me about it,” Dansby said. She is one of the homeowners who has already had her property cleaned up and said she was happy to let them do so after learning about the harmful effects of lead. 

English Avenue and Vine City, two neighborhoods in West Atlanta, have a bit over 2,000 properties contaminated with lead pollution. Since Emory researchers tested for lead in the area in 2018 and found hazardous levels of contamination, the EPA conducted a lengthy study and named the area a Superfund Site, a federal designation for polluted areas that need cleaning. 

“We know that there are 2000 homes, or residences, and other properties in this area that potentially have lead that is above our risk levels that causes us to be concerned,” said Jeaneanne Gettle, EPA acting regional administrator for the Southeast. “We’ve been able to sample about 1000 of those, and so one of our asks is that residents in this area to look at our site map and see if you’re in that.” 

EPA remedial project manager Alayna Famble said many…