Welcome
This website is dedicated to the people of Somerville, a small central Texas community that for generations has been exposed to deadly concentrations of toxic chemicals. As cancer rates climb, residents are asking serious questions of their longtime corporate neighbor, a railroad tie treatment plant formerly owned by Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway(NYSE:BNI).
Cancer has struck indiscriminately throughout Somerville, leaving children to bury their parents and mothers and fathers to grieve the early deaths of their sons and daughters. Although it's home to fewer than 2,000 residents and just 400 households, hundreds have been diagnosed with cancer. Residents also endure high rates of birth defect and serious childhood illnesses.
Recent soil, air and water testing in and around Somerville reveal grave concerns about the health consequences of the railroad tie plant's legacy of pollution. More than 200 lawsuits have been filed against BNSF, which owned the plant from 1905 to 1995.
Lawsuits charge that the company's negligent practices caused widespread environmental contamination that has sickened employees, their families and town neighbors. Independent scientific analysis shows that Somerville residents continue to be exposed to high levels of harmful dioxins, chromated copper arsenic(CCA) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAH's) like pentachlorophenol(PCP) and benzo(a)pyrene.
Woodfill & Pressler LLP, Houston, Texas. (713)751-3080
Somerville, Texas
