Union Pacific is about to begin the final, two-year phase of clean-up and restoration from the May 27, 2000 derailment near City Lake. The railroad received approval from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality last month for its plan, which includes construction of a new bridge north of the lake and soil excavation and treatment.

Work must start by June 10 under the agreement and be completed by Jan. 26, 2010.

Railroad officials previewed aspects of the schedule with city officials and law enforcement representatives Wednesday at a luncheon at Charley’s.

The accident forced the evacuation of more than 3,000 Eunice-area residents after train cars carrying hazardous chemicals jumped the track.

In the aftermath, legal deliberations took two courses.

One was a class-action lawsuit in civil court. Union Pacific settled that with an agreement to pay $65 million to the 12,273 people, and their attorneys, who filed claims.

The other was the environmental damage and remediation negotiations between UP and DEQ.

Concerns centered on water - City Lake and the area water table - and soil - that along and adjacent to the rail embankment north of the lake.

Monitoring determined the lake safe for use and the water table undamaged. The lake, opened earlier, then closed due to what turned out to be a non-related issue, opened again in the spring of 2007.

UP proposed several alternatives for the final phase. DEQ chose one it thought most environmentally sound and economically justifiable. It includes building the new bridge and treating soil rather than removing it.

Road construction to provide site access for heavy equipment and construction of the bio-treatment pile will be initial activity, followed by the bridge construction.

Bridge replacement is planned for October – December this year.

That construction will involve driving of pilings, construction of caps, and final construction of the bridge. Some soils will also be excavated and placed in the bio-treatment pile during bridge construction.

Excavation and installation of the trench delivery treatment system will occur primarily in January/February 2009.

Periodic activity will occur throughout the remainder of 2009 and involve monitoring the trench treatment system and the bio-treatment pile.

Monitoring of groundwater and surface water will continue for some period afterward the completion date.