Prewitt Abandoned Refinery

Overview

The Prewitt Abandoned Refinery sits on 70 acres near Prewitt in McKinley County, New Mexico, about 20 miles northwest of Grants. The refinery ran from 1938 to 1957, then was shut down and dismantled. It was listed on the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1998, and Atlantic Richfield Company (now part of British Petroleum) and El Paso Natural Gas Company are responsible for cleanup.

Contamination at the site includes volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene in groundwater and soil. Lead has been found in soil and groundwater. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) including benzo(a)pyrene and chrysene are present in soil. Chlorinated compounds like 1,2-dichloroethane appear in groundwater. Asbestos was also identified in soil. All contamination falls under one cleanup unit, Operable Unit 01.

Cleanup has removed over 520,000 pounds of volatile hydrocarbons, about 800 cubic yards of asbestos-containing materials, 3,000 cubic yards of soil with PAH contamination, and 1,900 cubic yards of lead-contaminated soil. Surface cleanup is complete and protective of human health. Subsurface work continues through soil vapor extraction, groundwater extraction and treatment, and nutrient injection to encourage natural breakdown of contaminants. A fence restricts site access, and institutional controls prohibit drilling new water wells within the contaminated groundwater area and limit land use to agriculture and open space.

A Sixth Five-Year Review completed in May 2025 found the remedy protective in the short term. No residents are currently exposed to contaminated groundwater, and residential drinking water treatment units are operating. However, cleanup levels for lead in both groundwater and soil are no longer considered valid and must be re-evaluated. Residual lead in soil remains above updated health-based standards. The review could not confirm long-term protectiveness and calls for evaluating alternative cleanup approaches. The next five-year review is expected to be completed by May 2030.

About 50 to 75 people live within one mile of the site, and two residences directly east draw groundwater from the Sonsela Sandstone Unit. Community members can share feedback by contacting the EPA Community Involvement Coordinator or by calling the EPA Press Office at (214) 665-2200. The full 2025 Five-Year Review Report is available at https://semspub.epa.gov/work/06/100033429.pdf.