Hudson Refinery

Overview

Hudson Refinery is a 200-acre former petroleum refinery in Cushing, Payne County, Oklahoma. It operated from 1917 to 1982, producing gasoline, aviation fuel, diesel, and other fuels. Operations released hazardous substances into soil, groundwater, surface water, and sediment. The site was added to the National Priorities List (NPL) on July 22, 1999.

EPA has identified seven contaminants of concern across the site: arsenic, asbestos, benzene, benzo[a]anthracene, benzo[a]pyrene, lead, and thallium. These contaminants were found in soil, groundwater, surface water, and sediment throughout the site.

Cleanup work began with emergency removal actions in August 1998, targeting asbestos-containing material, hazardous process units, and stored chemicals. Additional removal work on refinery structures and equipment followed between September 2002 and June 2003. Long-term cleanup started in 2010 and included removing contaminated soils and sediments, treating surface water, removing light non-aqueous phase liquid (a type of floating contaminant) from groundwater, and putting institutional controls in place to restrict land use. The full cleanup remedy was selected in a Record of Decision issued November 23, 2007. It included monitoring, solidification and stabilization of contamination on site, excavation, off-site disposal, and pumping, among other methods. Physical construction was completed in November 2010, and remedial action was finished in December 2013. The site achieved "sitewide ready for anticipated reuse" status in September 2014.

EPA completed its most recent five-year review in July 2025. The review found that the remedy remains protective of human health and the environment. Human exposure is under control, with no unacceptable exposure pathways currently present. Groundwater migration is also under control, with contamination stabilized and no unacceptable discharge to surface water. EPA will continue monitoring to confirm affected groundwater stays within the original contaminated area. The next five-year review is scheduled for July 2030. The site has not yet been deleted from the NPL.

Community members can review site documents at the Cushing Public Library, located at 215 N Steele Ave, Cushing, OK 74023, or by calling (918) 225-4188. The public is welcome to participate in the five-year review process. For questions, residents can contact EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager directly. Media questions can be directed to the EPA Press Office at R6Press@epa.gov.