HENDERSON, Nev. -- Two million cubic yards of contaminated soil is being removed from a site in east Henderson where the Landwell Co. plans to build homes, offices and stores, according to the Las Vegas Sun.

The Sun said contaminated soil is more than enough to cover 31 football fields 30 feet deep. The site, northeast of Lake Mead Parkway and Boulder Highway, is 2,200 acres.

Crews have removed more than 250,000 cubic yards from the site, or about 13 percent of the total, according to the Sun.

Work began in May after 18 years of testing and planning. The project was approved by the Nevada Department of Environmental Protection, the Sun said.

The Sun said work is targeting 15 former collection ponds that manufacturing plants at the BMI Industrial Complex used for more than 30 years to collect runoff of dangerous chemicals and metals.