For generations, residents in the East Phillips neighborhood have lived next to — and been poisoned by — multiple sources of municipal and industrial pollution, including residual arsenic from a defunct pesticide factory and hazardous air pollutants from Smith Foundry, Bituminous Roadways, and three highways. When a large vacant warehouse came up for sale, the community made detailed plans to convert the space into an urban farm and community hub. 

But the city of Minneapolis bought out the controversial site from under the community with the intent of demolishing the warehouse and expanding a public works facility and refueling station — that would add even more concentrated pollution to the area. 

For the last decade, residents in East Phillips have waged a long and complex resistance, in many levels of the courts, the city and state legislature and the streets.

With help from the state legislature, EPNI reached a monumental and historic deal with the City of Minneapolis to purchase the Roof Depot site in May 2023!

You can learn more about the layered history of this struggle and find additional resources on our about page and news page. View press photos here.