UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 


REGION 7 


11201 Renner Boulevard 

Lenexa, Kansas 66219 

OFFICE OF THE 

REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR MAY 2 9 2013 

The Honorable Dave Heineman 

Governor ofNebraska 

P.O. Box 94848 

Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4848 

Dear Governor Heineman: 

The United States Environmental Protection Agency is considering proposing the PCE/TCE1 Northeast 

Contamination site and the PCE Southeast Contamination site, both located in York, Nebraska, for 

inclusion on the Superfund National Priorities List. The NPL is a list compiled by EPA pursuant to 

Section 105 ofthe Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, 42 

U.S.C. § 9605, of uncontrolled hazardous substance releases that are priorities for long-term remedial 

evaluation and response. It is EPA's policy to determine the state's position on a potential listing before 

proposing the listing. A site must be listed on the NPL to be eligible for Federal Funding to 

address the groundwater contamination plume. With this letter, EPA is seeking the concurrence of 

the Governor on adding these sites to the NPL. 

The PCE/TCE Northeast Contamination site includes multiple contamination sources contributing to 

groundwater plumes that have contaminated certain residential water wells. In addition, the City of 

York has constructed a new well-field downgradient ofthe contaminant plume. Additional residential 

water wells are also located downgradient ofthe plumes, and since the plumes are uncontrolled, they too 

may become contaminated. To date, six residential water wells have been contaminated by the plumes. 

Two ofthese residences were connected by EPA to York's municipal water supply and the other four 

have been provided carbon filtration systems by EPA. 

In the same general vicinity is the PCE Southeast Contamination site. The PCE Southeast 

Contamination site includes multiple sources and groundwater contaminant plumes which, to date, have 

contaminated four residential water wells. EPA has provided carbon filtration systems to three of these 

residences; the fourth resident already had a treatment system in place. Further evaluation ofthese sites, 

the rate and extent of contamination, and the potential responsible party liability/viability still needs to 

be determined. 

EPA is committed to working cooperatively with the state and local community throughout the listing 

and subsequent Superfund cleanup process, and to ensuring that EPA's actions are conducted in an open 

and transparent manner. For a fund-financed remedial action, EPA and the state will collaborate in the 

development of a superfund state contract prior to initiation ofthe remedial action to provide the state 

assurances required by CERCLA, including, for example, the state's statutory cost share for the 

remedial action and the assumption of operation and maintenance responsibilities. 

1 PCE and TCE are common abbreviations used to refer to the chemicals tetracholoroethylene and trichloroethylene. 

Printed on Recycled Paper 
EPA is requesting a written response to this letter from your Governor's office or from the Nebraska 

Department ofEnvironmental Quality by July 1, 2013. EPA has set this date to allow adequate time to 

meet the proposed rule schedule. The response letter should indicate whether the state supports listing of 

the site on the NPL. If the state does not support list~n,g, the state should describe how the releases will 

be addressed. If we do not receive a response by the above date, or a request for further dialogue, EPA 

may proceed to make a listing decision without any formal state input. EPA will be sharing information 

with the community regarding the state's position, including posting the information on the internet. 

EPA will also invite NDEQ to participate in any community meetings during the listing process. 

We will continue to work closely with and seek input from the state as this process proceeds. We 

appreciate consideration ofthis matter. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 

(913) 551-7006 or have your staff contact Sarah Hatch, State Governmental Liaison, at (913) 551-7199. 

cc: 	 Mike Linder, NDEQ 

James Woolford, Office of Superfund 

Remediation and Technology Innovation, HQ 

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