Sanford wants EPA money to study pollution at sites around city

SANFORD, Fla. — City leaders in Sanford want hundreds of thousands of dollars to figure out how to deal with dozens of polluted properties.

The majority of the city's 60 contaminated sites are around downtown.

Channel 9's Tim Barber learned, if officials get the money, they will have to pay even more.

The cleanup would not take place immediately but city leaders said us it is important that the community get this done so they can help sell prime properties, like some of those along Lake Monroe. 

Sanford tore down the town's old post office. Now their next step is to clean up the underground pollution underground.

Danielle White lives down the street from the site.

"I mean, that's pollution. Everyone wants to go green. They should clean it up," said White.

City officials are submitting paperwork to the Environmental Protection Agency, asking for $400,000 to study contaminated sites across the city.
   
"That is a lot of money," said Sanford resident Erma Jackson.

"Do you think it would be worth it?" Barber asked Jackson.

"I think it would. I think it really would be worth cleaning it up," said Jackson.

City records show Sanford has roughly 60 potentially polluted properties, most of which are in the historic districts or downtown.

The list includes four gas stations, the Coca-Cola bottling plant and two former dry cleaners.

Officials said the grant could improve the environment and the economy, giving properties like the old post office site a clean bill of health for investors.

"I am a taxpayer, I would not mind it. I mean, it's cleaning up the area, it's cleaning up Sanford, making it look better, making it look cleaner. Why not do it?" said White.

Sanford officials said that until a study can determine the level of pollution at each site, there is no way to know what the cost will be for cleanup.

WFTV