The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a settlement agreement concerning the Iowa-Nebraska Light & Power Company Superfund Site in Norfolk, Nebraska. This agreement involves three parties who are tasked with addressing contamination at the site.
The settlement was filed in the United States District Court of the District of Nebraska and will undergo a 30-day public comment period before final court approval. The deadline for public comments is December 9, 2024.
As part of the settlement, Brightspeed Kansas Holdings LLC, Nebraska Public Power District, and Black Hills-Nebraska Gas LLC will carry out a cleanup action that received EPA approval in 2022. The cleanup will involve treating contamination on-site and conducting environmental monitoring to ensure it meets health and environmental safety standards. The EPA will review and approve all work performed at the site. Additionally, the involved parties are required to reimburse the EPA for costs related to reviewing their work.
The Iowa-Nebraska Light & Power Company Superfund Site includes areas where a manufactured gas plant operated until the 1940s. These plants typically produced fuel by heating coal, resulting in soil and groundwater contamination from substances like coal tars, motor oil compounds, and metals. The EPA has been overseeing investigation and cleanup efforts at this site since the 1990s.
Details on how to submit public comments can be found on the Federal Register via EPA’s website.
