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Fact Sheet
March 2011
Remedial Action for the Second Street Subsite, Hastings Ground Water Superfund Site, Hastings, Nebraska
INTRODUCTION
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has contracted with a private construction company to perform a Remedial Action (RA) at the Second Street subsite. The RA is necessary to address contaminants left at the property by former operators of the Former Manufactured Gas Plant (FMGP). Hazardous substances are present in soils and have contaminated the ground water moving eastward from the FMGP property. The RA is being performed under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as the Superfund law. The City of Hastings is providing support to EPA as the remedy is implemented.
The project is also known as operable unit 12 (OU 12) of the Hastings Ground Water Contamination Site. In 2006, EPA completed the OU 12 Proposed Plan and announced a Public Comment Period for the plan. Based on input from the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) and other commenters, EPA prepared a Record of Decision (ROD) for OU 12 which selected the remedy to be implemented and a Responsiveness Summary to respond to the comments.
A summary of information contained in the ROD follows:
ABOUT THE CONTAMINATION
The source is the FMGP that operated until the 1930s. The contaminants include benzene, toluene, xylene, naphthalene and PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and other compounds. A building at the FMGP property was occupied by the Hastings police department and was vacated in 2001.
REMEDIAL ACTION
The RA work includes excavating and thermally treating contaminated soils and source materials and mitigating future releases to the ground water at the FMGP property. The ultimate goal for various OU 12 remedial action work being performed is restoration of contaminated ground water to its beneficial use.
Existing treatment systems at the FMGP property and groundwater treatment systems located east of Pine Avenue would continue to operate. Cleanup activities planned include the following:
- The contaminated soils and source materials located within 3 areas of the FMGP property will be excavated and thermally treated. Contaminated soils will be treated using a Thermal Desorber (TD) unit equipped with a high temperature thermal oxidizer that destroys the hazardous substances.
- The TD will be located away from the heavily populated areas.
- The work will involve heavy construction equipment and trucks. Noise levels in the area will increase.
- Both work sites will be secured with fencing and other measures.
- EPA's contractor is required to implement measures to control odors and air emissions including dust particles.
- EPA will be collecting air samples to insure project safety and will monitor activities at both work locations.
- All equipment will be removed and both work sites will be restored.
In addition to excavation and thermal treatment of contaminated soils, the ROD included provisions for directly treating the deeper soils and groundwater at the subsite using a process referred to as in-situ chemical oxidation (ISCO). This RA work is planned to begin at a later time.
The existing systems at the FMGP property have removed thousands of pounds of contaminants, but are not designed to treat the entire area of contamination. In addition to the Second Street subsite RA, work is underway at the former Foote Oil Gas Station to remove contaminants from the soils and ground water. The EPA works with the NDEQ to coordinate actions for these two projects.
December: RA Contract Award
January: Work Plan Preparation
February: Finalize Plans/mobilize
March-April: Excavation & backfilling
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The ROD and other site-related documents providing details of the nature and extent of contamination are part of the Administrative Record, available at the following locations during regular business hours:
Hastings Public Library
4th and Denver Streets
Hastings, Nebraska
EPA Region 7 Records Center
901 N. 5th Street
Kansas City, Kansas
If you have questions or need additional information, please contact:
Ben Washburn
Community Involvement Coordinator
EPA, Region 7
Office of Public Affairs
901 North 5th Street
Kansas City, Kansas 66101
913-551-7364
Toll-free 1-800-223-0425
e-mail: washburn.ben@epa.gov