Jefferson, KY
Transparent derived index from EPA TRI / SDWIS / Superfund extracts: not an official EPA rating. Fixed caps: facilities ≤25 pts (50+ = max), log10 releases ≤25 pts, Superfund ≤25 pts (5/site), health-violation systems ≤15 pts (3/system), high-chemical facilities ≤10 pts. Bands: High ≥60, Moderate ≥30. See methodology. This is a different measure than the EJ Screening score for this county, which ranks it by percentile against other tracked counties rather than against these fixed caps.
Environmental data for Jefferson in Kentucky · Population: 777,392
TRI sites such as Louisville Gas & Electric Co. - Mill Creek Station; Clariant Corp 12TH Street Facility; Chemours Louisville Plant; SDWIS systems such as LOUISVILLE WATER COMPANY; NPL sites such as Distler Farm; Lee's Lane Landfill anchor Jefferson, KY's EPA extract. Derived burden score 68/100 (High Risk) uses fixed national caps on density, log release volume, Superfund count, and health-flagged systems - not an official EPA rating.
Louisville Gas & Electric Co. - Mill Creek Station; Clariant Corp 12TH Street Facility; Chemours Louisville Plant are among the largest Form R filers reporting in Jefferson; no SDWIS system here carries an active health-based flag. AQS median AQI 50 / peak 156 in 2024.
Burden score 68/100 (High Risk) is the only weighted composite on this page. The tables below list every TRI facility, SDWIS system, and Superfund site EPA has on record for Jefferson -- not just the names called out above -- reproducing the disclosure history as filed, not a current-safety verdict. Extract current as of 2026-08-25.
Release-over-release change
What changed for Jefferson, KY: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year
Same facilities, both years
-3.9%
64 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023
Whole inventory
-4.0%
4.0 million lb → 3.8 million lb, every facility that filed
Between the two reporting years, 1 facility filed for the first time and 3 stopped filing. Facilities entering or leaving the inventory are excluded from the same-facility comparison above.
- Jefferson, KY's total reported releases fell from 4.0 million lb in 2022 to 3.8 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Jefferson, KY's land releases rose from 508.1 thousand lb in 2022 to 746.7 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Jefferson, KY's water releases rose from 103.2 thousand lb in 2022 to 141.4 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Jefferson, KY's air releases fell from 2.3 million lb in 2022 to 1.7 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
Air Quality History (2020–2024)
EPA Air Quality Index (AQI) data showing how many days per year fall into each air quality category.
| Year | Good | Moderate | Unhealthy (SG) | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 186 (51%) | 168 | 11 | 156 |
| 2023 | 123 (34%) | 226 | 15 | 171 |
| 2022 | 147 (40%) | 211 | 7 | 136 |
| 2021 | 138 (38%) | 221 | 6 | 126 |
| 2020 | 151 (41%) | 208 | 7 | 115 |
Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County AQI categories: Good (0-50), Moderate (51-100), Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150), Unhealthy (151-200), Very Unhealthy (201-300), Hazardous (301+)
For real-time air quality readings and pollutant breakdowns in Kentucky, see the EPA's AirNow.gov.
Water Systems (1)
| System | System pop (SDWIS) | Violations |
|---|---|---|
| LOUISVILLE WATER COMPANY | 806,997 | 0 |
TRI Facilities (50)
Superfund Sites (2)
| Site Name | Status | HRS Score |
|---|---|---|
| Distler Farm | NPL Site | 34.62 |
| Lee's Lane Landfill | Deleted NPL Site | 39.52 |
Cities in Jefferson (2)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the environmental risk level in Jefferson, Kentucky? ▼
Are there Superfund sites in Jefferson? ▼
How many toxic release facilities are in Jefferson? ▼
What is the air quality in Jefferson? ▼
Is the drinking water safe in Jefferson? ▼
What environmental agencies cover Jefferson? ▼
What does this county environmental profile show?
This county environmental profile rolls up EPA Toxics Release Inventory facility reports, Safe Drinking Water Information System public-water-system filings, and Superfund National Priorities List sites for the county boundary defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Facility counts reflect facilities with a reporting address inside the county, not where downstream environmental effects may be observed. Population figures are from the most recent Census ACS 5-year estimate. The county detail page is updated whenever the upstream EPA programs publish revised data; see the methodology page for the documented ingest cadence and the editorial choices governing how aggregations are computed.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.