Lafayette to Begin Paperboard Site Cleanup Project

A public meeting on the 14-acre environmental restoration project is scheduled for October 21, 2026.

Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Environmental

Lafayette to Begin Paperboard Site Cleanup Project

Live Poll

Do you believe local brownfield redevelopment projects improve your community's overall quality of life?

The Wabash River Enhancement Corp. has opened a 30-day public comment period regarding the cleanup of the former Lafayette Paperboard North site. A public meeting to discuss the project is set for October 21, 2026, at St. Ann's Memorial Center.

Why it matters

The $2.5 million remediation effort will decontaminate 9 acres of the 14-acre property, ultimately clearing the way for the extension of the Wabash River Heritage Trail into the Wabash Avenue neighborhood.

The project will target lead, PFAS, dioxins, and heavy metals on 9 acres of the site, including lead hot spots found at depths of 15 to 17 feet. Initial testing of the area cost $400,000 before the EPA grant and city match were finalized.

The players

Wabash River Enhancement Corp.

This local organization manages projects aimed at improving the environmental health and accessibility of the Wabash River corridor.

Environmental Protection Agency

This federal agency establishes standards and provides grants for the cleanup of contaminated land sites across the United States.

Amtrak

This government-supported corporation provides passenger rail service and manages infrastructure along shared rail corridors.

Norfolk Southern

This freight railroad company operates an extensive rail network that requires coordination for site access and crossing agreements.

The details

The cleanup of the property at 40 Chestnut St., which closed in 2006, follows finalized EPA requirements and new crossing agreements with Amtrak and Norfolk Southern. This work is essential to transform the brownfield into a usable extension of the local trail system.

The Lafayette Paperboard North site ceased operations in 2006.
The EPA grant ceremony was held in June 2025.
A public meeting at St. Ann's Memorial Center is scheduled for October 21, 2026.

The Big Picture

The project follows the standard funding and regulatory framework established by the EPA Brownfields Program to return idle industrial land to community use. This effort reflects a broader trend of leveraging federal grants to repurpose brownfields into public recreational infrastructure.

Residents of the Wabash Avenue neighborhood will gain access to the extended Wabash River Heritage Trail once the 9-acre site is decontaminated. The public comment period provides an opportunity for neighbors to review plans for the property at 40 Chestnut St.

The takeaway

Restoring abandoned industrial sites often requires long-term coordination between federal agencies, rail operators, and local municipalities. Communities benefit when these spaces are converted from environmental hazards into public greenways.