Public Notice: Ogallala Ground Water Contamination Superfund Site; Ogallala, Keith County, Nebraska

Summary

Fourth Five-Year Review Completed

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 has completed the Fourth Five-Year Review for the Ogallala Ground Water Contamination Superfund site. Five-Year Reviews are required by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), commonly known as Superfund, when hazardous substances remain on-site above levels that permit unrestricted use and unlimited exposure. Five-Year Reviews provide an opportunity to evaluate the site remedy to determine whether it remains protective of human health and the environment.

This Five-Year Review found that the site-wide protectiveness determination of the remedy at the Ogallala Groundwater Contamination Site is protective for the short term and further information is needed. The following actions will be taken to gather information:

• Collect additional groundwater samples to map the full extent of contamination to the north and northwest and check whether it is moving into deeper layers.
• Test indoor air in homes and businesses within 100 feet of shallow contaminated groundwater to check for possible vapor intrusion.
• Conduct additional vapor testing if needed based on the results.
• Update the human health risk assessment with the latest vapor intrusion data.

EPA expects to complete this work by September 2028, at which time the agency will issue a sitewide protectiveness determination.

 This Five-Year Review Report was signed Sept. 18, 2026.

Site project information and the Five-Year Review are available to the public at web repositories. To view cleanup documents, please visit EPA’s Site Profile page (see Site Documents & Data). 

If you do not have internet access, you can view these documents online at this location:

Kathleen Lute Public Library
610 W. A St.
Ogallala, NE 69153
(308) 284-4354

If you have questions about the site, please contact:

Shaylee Borcsani
Community Involvement Coordinator
U.S. EPA Region 7 (CEERD/CPSIB)
11201 Renner Boulevard
Lenexa, KS 66219
Email: borcsani.shaylee@epa.gov
Phone: 913-551-7713
Toll-free: 1-800-223-0425