A day after the city of Wichita, the Sedgwick County Commission also approved a measure to fund medical testing of individuals affected by environmental contamination.
Hazardous chemicals were spilled at the Union Pacific railyard, near 29th and Grove in north Wichita, sometime in the 1970s or 1980s, contaminating ground water.
Chairman Ryan Baty says these individuals had no idea there was poison underneath their feet, and little has been done.
The city and county have each pledged $125 thousand. The county is eligible for $1.5 million in state funding without any local match. However, the state will match dollar for dollar, up to $1 million, to potentially bring the total to $3.5 million.
Any funds expended by the state must occur by June 30. Sedgwick County would need to spend those funds by the end of 2026.