From the Desk of the Regional Administrator - "Accelerating Cleanups in the Heartland through the Superfund Solutions Initiative"

Portrait of EPA Region 7 Administrator Jim Macy — U.S. EPA Region 7 Administrator Jim Macy. (U.S. EPA)

LENEXA, KAN. (JULY 10, 2026) – EPA recently announced a new Superfund cleanup initiative with the goal of fast-tracking remediation projects at contaminated sites throughout the country. Through the Superfund Solutions initiative, EPA is focusing on enhancing project management, deploying the Agency’s tools and authorities earlier, and applying smarter science for smarter outcomes earlier to accelerate cleanups across the country – including the Heartland.

The Superfund Solutions initiative builds on the Agency’s commitment to gold-standard science and Region 7’s dedication to following that gold-standard while serving the communities in the nation’s Heartland.

Something I am especially proud of is the progress that Region 7 has made on four Superfund sites that were featured in the Superfund Solutions announcement, highlighting our commitment to finding innovative solutions to unique problems facing our communities.

PCE Southeast Contamination in York, Nebraska, for example, sped up the contaminated soil cleanup in downtown York with in-situ thermal remediation technology. By selecting in-situ thermal remediation as the remedy for the site, EPA completed the cleanup in York in two years — compared to an estimated 15 years for conventional excavation and disposal of contaminated soils.

Another thing that makes the PCE Southeast Contamination site special is our commitment to keeping local community businesses open during the remediation process. EPA accommodated businesses in downtown York by drilling before lunch and stopping during business hours; creating pedestrian walkways; moving the treatment system into the street to keep parking spaces available; conducting litter and snow removal; and moving our fence perimeter to allow a local business to get their equipment in-and-out of their garage.

Collaboration like this makes our work here in the nation’s Heartland unique and enables us to get our work done quickly with minimal impact to local communities. As the EPA Region 7 Administrator, I will continue to advocate for innovative and practical solutions that embrace our Midwest practicality.

Jim Macy is the administrator for EPA Region 7, which consists of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and nine tribal nations. He previously served in leadership roles at Missouri Department of Natural Resources and Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy.

New in 2026: EPA Region 7’s “From the Desk of the Regional Administrator” newsletter gives residents of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska a chance to hear from Regional Administrator Jim Macy on EPA’s work in their communities.