Union Pacific is asking federal court for the dismissal of a class action federal lawsuit over groundwater contamination in Wichita.
The lawsuit was filed by some northeast Wichita residents living near a railyard and the site of a spill that happened decades ago near 29th Street North and Grove. The lawsuit was filed this week, alleging that the railroad exposed people to toxic and hazardous contaminants.
The railroad argues that the alleged spills took place more than 10 years ago, so the claims are barred by the 10-year statute of response. The motion to dismiss also argues that the people who filed the lawsuit did not plead a plausible claim.
Kansas health officials said earlier this year that there were higher rates of liver cancer among adults, and a higher rate of low birthweights among infants, in a study of the contamination area. The city and Sedgwick County have been working with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to address health concerns and find additional resources for residents in the area to help them get cancer screenings or medical information from a doctor.
