The Texas Health and Environmental Alliance (THEA) held a press conference on Thursday calling on the state to conduct a detailed investigation into the health of residents living in Cashmere Gardens and Ward 5.

Ronald Harden, 59, grew up in District 5, not far from the Union Pacific rail depot. Earlier this month, Harden, like many in his family, was diagnosed with cancer.

“My mother died here of cancer,” Harden said. “She left here with one of her kidneys. She died of leukemia. Her brother lost both kidneys. I’m on my way to extract one.”

Harden has kidney cancer. He said he believed living near a railroad depot contributed to his illness.

“When that water flooded, we played with it. We could see rainbows floating in the water. Chemicals coming out of trucks,” he said.

On Friday, Harden and several community members stood with THEA and asked the Texas Department of Health Services to conduct more research on community health.

“On September 21, the Houston Department of Health released information confirming the presence of dioxin in all 47 soil samples collected around the Union Pacific Railroad, and more than a quarter of the samples had dioxin levels. It exceeded the EPA’s non-standard carcinogenic risk-based treatment level for children,” said THEA Founder and Executive Director Jackie Medcalf.

Medcalfe said the type of dioxin found in the residential yards closest to the rail depot is known to be the type of dioxin derived from the wood processing process.

Dioxin is a toxic carcinogen and has been linked to cancer. Earlier this year, trace amounts of creosote were detected in test samples near a rail depot that was a creosote processing facility.

Union Pacific says it’s working to clean up the site, but residents like Latonya Payne say progress isn’t progressing fast enough. Believed to have brought leukemia to Corinthian.

“I believe that years of negligence caused by the railroad was a factor in his death,” she said.

THEA said it plans to write to the Texas Department of Health Services to request additional community testing.

See Also: Negotiations Begin on Cleanup Plan for Union Pacific Pollution Affecting Cashmere Gardens District 5

Houston’s Harris County plans to file a federal lawsuit against the Union Pacific Railroad over cancer clusters found in Cashmere Gardens in the 5th Ward.

District 5 residents in cancer cluster appeal to mayors, state senators for donations to campaign from Union Pacific

District 5 residents continue to call for action against cancer clusters found nearby

District 5 Residents Ask City to Reject Special Designation Bids by Owners Who Claim They’re Avoiding Decontamination

Houston’s East End, 5th Ward business owners say stopped trains are costing them money

EPA Administrator visits District 5 where cancer clusters were identified