LOCKPORT, N.Y. — The EPA shared its plans to fix the 18 Mile Creek superfund site and the contaminants in the soil there Thursday night.

For Lockport residents, these EPA meetings about the lead contamination are nothing new.

“Your worst fear and worst nightmare,” said Lockport resident James Stiles.

Stiles says he has experienced the death of a pet and a cancer diagnosis within his family while living near the site and the contaminants in its soil.

Planted a garden which some people are telling us not to eat it,” said Lockport resident Beth Czaplicki.

Czaplicki and her husband were first time attendees in this series of EPA meetings. They say they bought their home during a tax auction two years ago. The retired couple were blindsided by the news that their new home is now one of 26 needing digging and soil replacement.

“Are they going to replace the deck? Replace the fences? What are they going to do? We don’t know,” Beth said.

“We absolutely plan to restore the properties to the original as much as possible,” said Jaclyn Kondrk, remedial project manager. “We’ve met with many of the homeowners one on one and discussed their concerns.

According to the EPA, shovels are expected to hit the ground within a year.

Guests also expressed concerns about when the site would be fully remediated.

The EPA reminded residents the remediation process is a huge undertaking.