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Fact Sheet
July 2005
EPA ANNOUNCES PROPOSED PLAN AND PUBLIC MEETING
10th Street Operable Unit 2, Columbus, NE
INTRODUCTION
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing a proposed plan for a remedial action to address sitewide soil and groundwater contamination at the 10th Street Operable Unit 2 Superfund site in Columbus, Nebraska.
The proposed plan recommends actions that will protect the city of Columbus' south municipal well field from contamination. Contaminants have been found in five of the seven wells in the south municipal well field and in the city's water distribution system.
EPA is asking for your comments on the proposed plan. Although EPA is recommending an action to address the contamination, a final decision will not be made until EPA reviews comments from the public. A 30-day public comment period will run from July 8, 2005 until August 8, 2005. A public meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 20, 2005 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the City Council Chambers. The community is invited to attend and present comments at the meeting. Written comments will be accepted until August 8, 2005. After all comments are evaluated, EPA will make a decision, which will be published in a Record of Decision (ROD).
The ROD will also include a summary of EPA's responses to the comments received during the public comment period.
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PUBLIC MEETING AND COMMENT PERIOD
EPA and NDEQ will hold a public meeting to give the
community the opportunity to make public comments
on the Proposed Plan for the 10th Street OU2.
The meeting will be held July 20, 2005, from 7:00 p.m.
to 9:00 p.m. at the City Council Chambers, 1369 25th Avenue
Columbus, NE.
Written comments must be postmarked no later than
August 8, 2005, and should be sent to:
Beckie Himes
Community Involvement Coordinator
U.S. EPA
901 N. 5th Street
Kansas City, KS 66101
himes.beckie@epa.gov
_______________________________________
THE CONTAMINANTS
Perchloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE) are the primary contaminants at the site. PCE and TCE are both chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents. PCE is commonly used in dry-cleaning fluid, spot removers, and degreasers. TCE is used as a degreaser and is also a degradation product of PCE.
Contaminated soil has been identified at the One Hour Martinizing facility, located on the southwest corner of U.S. Highway 30 and 25th Avenue. The contaminated soil is a source of the groundwater contamination that has affected the south well field. Reducing the source of the contamination is a critical part of the cleanup.
In October 2000, EPA installed an air sparging/soil vapor extraction (AS/SVE) system at the source to treat the contamination. In 2004, EPA installed a Groundwater Extraction and Treatment (GET) system to further address the contaminant plume and protect the city’s south municipal well field. Both the AS/SVE and GET system continue to operate.
THE RECOMMENDATION
EPA's recommendation includes actions to protect the city's south municipal well field, as well as actions to address sitewide soil and groundwater contamination.
Alternatives for Remediation of Contaminated Soil
! No Action
! Limited Action
! Excavation and Offsite Disposal
! Limited Excavation and Offsite Disposal
! In Situ Chemical Oxidation
! In Situ Soil Vapor Extraction
! Limited Excavation and In Situ Soil Vapor Extraction
! In Situ Soil Vapor Extraction Followed by In Situ Chemical Oxidation
! Thermally Enhanced In Situ Soil Vapor Extraction
Alternatives for Remediation of Contaminated Groundwater
! No Action
! Operation of the GET System at the Design Flow Rate
! Expand Treatment Capacity of GET System with Two Additional Extraction
Wells
! In Situ Enhanced Anaerobic Bioremediation Upgradient and Downgradient
of the GET System and Operation of the GET System
! In Situ Enhanced Anaerobic Bioremediation Upgradient of the GET System
and Operation of the GET System
! In Situ Enhanced Anaerobic Bioremediation Downgradient of the GET System
and Operation of the GET System
! In Situ Chemical Oxidation Upgradient and Downgradient of the GET System
and Operation of the GET System
! In Situ Chemical Oxidation Upgradient of the GET System and Operation
of the GET System
! In Situ Chemical Oxidation Downgradient of the GET System and Operation
of the GET System
! Groundwater Recirculation Treatment System Upgradient and Downgradient
of the GET System and Operation of the GET System
! Groundwater Recirculation Treatment System Upgradient of the GET System
and Operation of the GET System; and
! Groundwater Recirculation Treatment System Downgradient of the GET System
and Operation of the GET System
EPA’s preferred alternative as presented in the proposed plan is Limited Action in the soils, and In Situ Chemical Oxidation in the upgradient portion of the plume. As part of this alternative, the AS/SVE and GET systems would continue to operate. EPA encourages the public to review the information and provide input on EPA’s preferred alternative. The public will have an opportunity to comment on the final action.
HOW WILL THIS ACTION BE FUNDED?
The actions taken by EPA at the 10th Street site are being funded with money from Superfund. Congress established the Superfund program in 1980 in response to growing concerns posed to human health and the environment from hazardous substances.
EPA will pay for 90 percent of the cleanup costs at the 10th Street site with money from Superfund. The remaining 10 percent of the cleanup costs will be paid by the state of Nebraska. Several potentially responsible parties at the 10th Street site have been identified and notified of their potential liability. EPA will attempt to obtain reimbursement from the responsible parties for the cleanup costs.
IS THE CITY WATER SAFE?
Although contaminants have been found in several of the municipal water supply wells in the south well field, the city's water remains safe. The concentration of the contaminants in the water supply wells is within the acceptable level set by the Safe Drinking Water Act. In addition, much of the city's water comes from the north well field. However, the recommended actions are necessary to ensure that the south well field can continue to be used now, and in the future, and provide an adequate and safe water supply for the citizens of Columbus.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The proposed plan and other site-related documents provide details of the nature and extent of contamination and the work that has been completed at the site. These documents are part of the Administrative Record File, available during regular business hours at the following locations:
Columbus Public Library
2504 14th Street
Columbus, Nebraska
EPA Region 7
901 N. 5th Street
Kansas City, Kansas
If you have questions or need additional information, please contact:
Beckie Himes
Community Involvement Coordinator
EPA Region 7
901 North 5th Street
Kansas City, Kansas 66101
913-551-7003, Toll-free 1-800-223-0425
E-mail: himes.beckie@epa.gov
