A former manufacturing facility in Hastings, Nebraska used industrial solvents to clean metal parts from 1978 to 2002. Leaks and spills from degreasing pits contaminated the soil and groundwater beneath the site. The site was added to the National Priorities List (NPL) in April 2006 after the facility's operator declared bankruptcy, and EPA has managed cleanup there ever since. One business currently operates on site, employing 100 people.
Five contaminants of concern have been identified in groundwater: chloroethene (vinyl chloride), cis-1,2-dichloroethene, tetrachloroethene (PCE), trans-1,2-dichloroethene, and trichloroethene (TCE). Soil also contains hexavalent chromium, 1,4-dioxane, benzene, and ethylbenzene. A PCE-contaminated groundwater plume has spread roughly two miles east-southeast from the source and continues to move slowly at up to two feet per year. The soil beneath the facility is highly contaminated to a depth of 110 feet and could continue leaching contaminants into groundwater for years.
EPA has taken several steps to protect people from exposure. All private and commercial wells affected by the plume have been tested, and properties with contaminated wells were connected to the municipal water supply. The city of Hastings stopped using two affected municipal wells, and groundwater use in the zone is restricted to prevent new private well installations. EPA also operates soil vapor extraction and groundwater extraction and treatment systems to limit further spread. Human exposure is currently under control, though groundwater migration is not yet stabilized and physical construction of cleanup work is not complete.
The site is divided into two operable units (OUs). OU1 covers source area soils and groundwater. An Interim Record of Decision for OU1, selecting in-situ thermal treatment, was issued in October 2025, with remedial design work planned for completion in 2028. OU2 addresses the groundwater contaminant plume based on a Record of Decision from September 2017. Remedial design for OU2 finished in December 2024, and remedial action, which will include installation of a groundwater extraction and treatment system, is planned to start between June and August 2027. EPA is carrying out this work in collaboration with the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment.
Community members can join the site mailing list to receive updates and learn about future participation opportunities. EPA's Technical Assistance Services for Communities (TASC) program provides free support from independent scientists and engineers. Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) of up to $50,000 are also available to qualified community groups to hire their own technical advisors. Site records are available for public review at the Hastings Public Library at 314 North Denver Avenue in Hastings, Nebraska.
