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Work begins on EPA Second Street Subsite
Installation of thermal wells that will clean soil and groundwater at U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Hastings Groundwater Contamination Superfund Second Street Subsite Operable Unit 12, began Sept. 19, 2023.
EPA’s remediation contractor, EA Engineering, Science and Technology, Inc. PBC and thermal remediation subcontractor TerraTherm will install 265 various types of thermal wells and borings that will remediate soil and groundwater at the Second Street Subsite.
The EPA’s thermal soil remediation project at the Second Street Subsite Operable Unit 12 (OU12), near the former Hastings Police Department station, is being funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The Subsite lies on the eastern edge of the downtown Hastings business area and is bounded by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) right-of-way to the south, the former Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) to the east, Second Street to the north, and Minnesota Avenue to the west.
Installation of the thermal wells and borings is anticipated to take six months to complete, with the remaining system construction taking an estimated two months longer to complete.
Operation of the thermal system is set to begin in late Spring 2024 and remain in operation for approximately eight months. Groundwater from the site will be tested throughout the project’s duration.
The site will be one of Hastings Utilities’ largest electrical customers during operation, using approximately 5 megawatts of power.
While Hastings Utilities is not for profit and the budget is always set to balance, there is a certain amount of fixed cost within the infrastructure that is needed to supply electricity. More sales to customers spreads that fixed cost, which help keep rates down.
As with any active construction site, the public is encouraged to use caution around the site and be mindful of large construction equipment and system components. The project is not expected to affect the environmental quality in the surrounding area.
Noise will emanate from the project site while the thermal system is in operation. The entire site will be fenced off from the public during operation and marked with appropriate warning signage. EPA and the EPA contractor representatives will be in Hastings during operation of the project.
The thermal wells will be installed approximately 140 feet deep. The first 20 feet will not be heated; the next 120 feet will be heated with electrical power; and the bottom 20 feet in the Eastern portion of the site will also use steam injection. The thermal wells will heat the ground to 100-300 degrees Celsius (212 to 572 degrees Fahrenheit) depending on the specific treatment area. There will be aboveground piping that will transport contaminated vapors and groundwater for treatment on Site for removal of the pollutants.
Thermal treatment systems such as this have safely been used on hundreds of sites worldwide.
Soil source area remediation for the Subsite is anticipated to be complete at the conclusion of the project. The site will remain part of the Hastings Groundwater Superfund Site as a final ROD addressing remaining groundwater contamination for the Subsite will need to be completed.
Background
The Hastings Ground Water Contamination Site is located in and around Hastings, Nebraska. The site was placed on the National Priorities List in 1986. The Site consists of 7 Subsites with 21 operable units (OUs). Contamination from a vapor degreasing operation, former landfills, a coal gas plant, an industrial park, and a grain elevator have contaminated public and private water supplies. Some subsites and residential properties have been cleaned up. However, environmental risks remain, and long-term cleanup is ongoing. Operation and maintenance activities and monitoring are ongoing.
The Second Street Subsite contains soil and groundwater contamination from a coal gas plant which operated from 1894 to 1931. Historical investigations identified benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene (BTEX), styrene, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in Subsite soils and groundwater.
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Published Date: 09/29/2023