OLEM/OSRTI

Washington, DC 20460

NATIONAL PRIORITIES LIST (NPL) 

***Final Site*** April 2016 

IOWA-NEBRASKA LIGHT & POWER CO Norfolk, Nebraska

Madison County

 Site Location:

This site is located in the downtown area at the intersection of 7th Street and Norfolk Avenue. The east and northeast 

portion of the site is currently owned by Black Hills/Nebraska Gas Utility Company LLC. The remainder of the site is 

owned by Nebraska Public Power District. The site is approximately 2 acres in size. 

 Site History:

The site is a former manufactured gas plant. Waste products from the manufactured gas process are present in soil and 

ground water. The site is currently used as a concrete parking lot on the Black Hills portion and a fenced gravel lot on 

the Nebraska Public Power District portion. The site is located one-half mile upgradient of the east municipal well 

field which supplies drinking water to the city of Norfolk. Ground water flows to the east, migrating toward the east 

municipal well field. 

 Site Contamination/Contaminants:

Waste products from the manufactured gas process are present in soil and ground water at the site. Non-aqueous phase 

liquid is present in significant quantities in ground water and is an ongoing source of contamination. Polycyclic 

aromatic hydrocarbons including benzo(a)pyrene and naphthalene, volatile organic compounds including benzene and 

other hazardous wastes, pollutants or contaminants from MGP-related processes have been detected on the site above 

health-based benchmark levels. 

 Potential Impacts on Surrounding Community/Environment: 

On-site deposition of coal tar waste has resulted in the migration of ground water contamination off site. The 

contamination may affect residential and municipal wells downgradient of the facility. Ground water is used for 

drinking water. 

 Response Activities (to date):

The potentially responsible party, with the EPA’s oversight, has conducted a removal action. The removal action 

consisted of building demolition and excavation and disposal of approximately 10,495 tons of contaminated material. 

The site was restored with a concrete parking lot on the Black Hills portion and a fenced gravel lot on the Nebraska 

Public Power District portion. 

 Need for NPL Listing:

The state of Nebraska referred the site to the EPA because the site requires response actions and listing on the NPL 

will provide for investigation and remediation of the site. Other federal and state cleanup programs were evaluated, but 

are not viable options at this time. The EPA received a letter of support for listing this site on the NPL from the state 

of Nebraska.

[The description of the site (release) is based on information available at the time the site was evaluated with the HRS. The description may 

change as additional information is gathered on the sources and extent of contamination. See 56 FR 5600, February 11, 1991, or subsequent 

FR notices.]

For more information about the hazardous substances identified in this narrative summary, including general information regarding the effects of exposure to 

these substances on human health, please see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) ToxFAQs. ATSDR ToxFAQs can be found on 

the Internet at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/index.asp or by telephone at 1-888-42-ATSDR or 1-888-422-8737.