In the 1990s, coal tar was discovered under wetland soil in Greenville, just outside Unity Park. Today, the state is preparing to clean it up through a multi-year excavation proposal. But environmental advocates and some residents say it’s taken too long, and the clean-up isn’t thorough enough.

The contaminated soil is a remnant of a former manufactured gas facility that operated across the street for more than 30 years. The site is located in the Newtown neighborhood within Greenville’s Southernside, a historically Black neighborhood that has faced disinvestment and displacement as Greenville has grown.  

The Bramlett site has seen many studies and some voluntary cleanup since the pollution was discovered, but even now, the project could still be nearly a decade away from completion – something residents said they’re concerned about. Others fear those tasked with the cleanup won’t finish the project.