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Fact Sheet

April 2006

EPA Announces Proposed Plan and Public Meeting - North Landfill Subsite, Hastings Ground Water Contamination Site, Hastings, Nebraska

INTRODUCTION

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing a proposed plan for a remedial action to address contaminated ground water at the North Landfill Subsite of the Hastings Ground Water Contamination Site, Hastings, Nebraska.

The proposed plan recommends actions that will protect human health by eliminating exposure to ground water contaminated above maximum contaminant level (MCL) established by the Safe Drinking Water Act.

EPA is asking for your comments on the proposed plan. Although EPA, in consultation with the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ), 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 April 10, 2006 until May 9, 2006. A public meeting will be held on Monday, April 17, 2006 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Hastings Public Library. The community is invited to attend and present comments at the meeting.

Written comments will be accepted until May 9, 2006. 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.

THE CONTAMINANTS

Tetrachloroethylene (PCE), trichloroethene (TCE), 1,1-dichloroethene (DCE), 1,2-DCE, vinyl chloride (VC), 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA), and benzene 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. The rest of the contaminants are degradation products.

ALTERNATIVES FOR REMEDIATION OF GROUND WATER

EPA's recommendation includes actions to prevent exposure to the contaminated ground water. The alternatives for remediation include:

EPA’s preferred alternative as presented in the proposed plan is Alternative 3. This alternative includes ground water use restrictions, operation of the existing network of downgradient industrial wells, and delivery of water to the Whelan Energy Center for use as non-contact cooling water.

HOW WILL THIS ACTION BE FUNDED?

EPA will be requesting the potentially responsible parties at the North Landfill to fund the cleanup, which includes cost of the work performed and EPA’s oversight.

________________________________________

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 North Landfill Subsite of
the Hastings Ground Water Contamination Site.

The meeting will be held April 17, 2006, from 7:00 p.m.
to 9:00 p.m. at the Hastings Public Library, Fourth and
Denver Streets, Hastings, NE. Written comments must
be postmarked no later than May 9, 2006, 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
________________________________________

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:

Hastings Public Library
4th and Denver Streets
Hastings, 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

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