The Naval Industrial Reserve Ordnance Plant sits on 83 acres in Fridley, Minnesota, about 700 feet from the Mississippi River. The U.S. Navy and its contractors have operated there since 1940, producing advanced weapons systems. The site was added to EPA's National Priorities List in November 1989. In 1981, trichloroethylene (TCE), a chemical solvent, was found in groundwater on the site and later detected in Minneapolis' drinking water intake pipe roughly 1,500 feet downstream.
EPA has identified 22 contaminants of concern at the site. They include volatile organic compounds such as trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, toluene, and xylene, as well as 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,1-dichloroethane, chromium, antimony, and iron. These contaminants are spread across groundwater, soil outside the main building, and soil beneath the building.
The site was divided into four operable units. For groundwater (Operable Unit 1), the selected remedy uses carbon adsorption, extraction through vertical wells, air stripping, and discharge. For the two soil areas (Operable Units 2 and 3), institutional controls were selected. Soil cleanup in those two areas is finished, and both received partial deletions from the National Priorities List, in August 2014 and September 2018. Groundwater remedial action wrapped up in March 2000, though monitoring and treatment continue. The site reached "sitewide ready for anticipated reuse" status in September 2014. In fall 2019, the former property was redeveloped into industrial and commercial space.
The most recent five-year review, completed in October 2023, found the remedy is protective of human health and the environment in the short term. Human exposure is currently under control across the entire site. However, the migration of contaminated groundwater is not yet stabilized, and the Navy is working on several issues to strengthen the long-term effectiveness of the groundwater remedy. The groundwater operable unit remains on the National Priorities List.
Community members can attend meetings hosted by the Southwest Fridley Community Advisory Group. The next meeting is Thursday, April 23, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. in the Fireside Room of Fridley City Hall, 7071 University Avenue NE, Fridley. Questions can also be directed to EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager.
