The Nebraska Master Naturalist Program is a public and private partnership supported by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Nebraska Environmental Trust, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and Nebraska Master Naturalist Foundation. Our program recruits, trains, manages, and provides resources for our Naturalist members participating in interpretation and outreach, resource management, citizen science, and outdoor skills and recreation in Nebraska.
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WASHINGTON – Today, July 26, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army announced today a joint project to conduct sampling and testing of private drinking water wells located near Army installations for the presence of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). This effort will inform Army remedial actions if results indicate that PFAS is found in drinking water, because PFAS contamination has spread and may potentially be impacting the drinking water wells of nearby residents.
The joint EPA-Army sampling and testing project, which is being implemented nationally, has identified a priority list of nine installations out of 235 locations. As initial work is completed, EPA and the Army will evaluate additional installations for expansion of the pilot. EPA and the Army are working in partnership to identify next steps to ensure the public remains safe from exposure to PFAS potentially originating from these installations. This initial joint program is another step in EPA’s efforts to protect people from the health risks posed by exposure to “forever chemicals” in communities across the country.
The installations scheduled for sampling under the program are:
“PFAS pose significant risks to drinking water supplies and public health, which is why the EPA and the Army are testing water from wells in communities near Army installations to determine if these dangerous forever chemicals are polluting drinking water,” said David M. Uhlmann, EPA’s Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Members of the military, their families, and surrounding communities deserve access to clean, safe drinking water. EPA welcomes the opportunity to share our expertise and work with the Army on this important project, which will help advance EPA’s PFAS National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative.”
“The Army commenced a comprehensive program in 2017 to identify potential PFAS releases at hundreds of Army and Army National Guard installations across the country. These initial investigations, completed by the Army in 2023, were instrumental in narrowing the focus to 235 locations where we will proceed with more in-depth investigations.” said Rachel Jacobson, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy, and Environment. “For the nine installations that are part of our joint pilot program with EPA, the Army has already begun more in-depth investigations. The Army welcomes EPA’s collaboration as it continues to evaluate whether PFAS from past Army activities has impacted our neighboring communities and if so, takes steps to mitigate those impacts.”
If the sampling indicates that PFAS is present in groundwater or drinking water above the new Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) established by EPA, then the Army will work with EPA and state regulators to assess what additional actions are necessary to mitigate exposure.
PFAS are widely used, long-lasting chemicals, components of which break down very slowly over time. Because of their widespread use and their persistence in the environment, many PFAS are being found worldwide. PFAS have been found in groundwater and soil at many federal facilities, including at military sites. The Army has used PFAS in various operations, including in foam to extinguish fires.
EPA and the Army will share information and update both EPA’s and DoD’s PFAS websites as information becomes available. For more information about PFAS, please visit EPA’s or DoD’s PFAS websites. Please visit EPA’s National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative website: Addressing Exposure to PFAS to learn more about EPA’s PFAS enforcement. Residents with concerns about PFAS in drinking water can also consult EPA’s guidance on the use of home filters to reduce PFAS levels.
Biden-Harris Administration Takes Critical Action to Protect Communities from PFAS
In addition to efforts across the government, EPA has taken action under the agency’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap to control PFAS at its sources, hold polluters accountable, ensure science-based decision making, advance environmental justice, and address the impacts on disadvantaged communities. Since launching the Roadmap in 2021, EPA has taken a suite of actions to protect communities from exposure to “forever chemicals” including:
On July 15, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency began oversight of barrier installation to reduce contamination concentrations in groundwater at the Franklin Power Products/Amphenol site in Franklin, Indiana. EPA will hold an open house on Wednesday, August 7, to answer residents’ questions about the cleanup and construction work at the site, anticipated to take 1-2 months.
To break down the remaining contamination at the site, crews are installing “permeable reactive barriers” along Forsythe Street and Hamilton Avenue. These barriers will treat affected soil and groundwater. Long-term monitoring of groundwater will continue after construction is completed to track the performance of the barriers. Residents may see increased truck traffic and heavy equipment around the site during this time.
The open house will be an opportunity for residents with questions to meet Agency staff and learn about site work. Please note this event does not have a virtual component.
401 State St.
Franklin, Indiana
For information and updates, please visit the EPA’s Amphenol website.
Fairfield, N.J. (July 26, 2024) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it is delivering on its promise to Invest in America and clean up Superfund sites that have been waiting for funding. Using a total of about $30 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA has demolished the heavily contaminated building at the Unimatic Manufacturing Corp. Superfund site in Fairfield, N.J. and has finished removing contaminated soil from the site. In September, U.S. Army Corps contractors will dig up and remove sediment in wetlands and streams downstream from this site and will also monitor groundwater. EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia and U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill joined state and local partners at the site today to celebrate the milestone and mark the beginning of the next phase of cleanup also funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
“Three years ago, I stood at this very site and made a promise that the EPA would use funding from the Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to clean up legacy pollution at our country’s most toxic sites,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “Today we have delivered on that promise here in Fairfield, with a cleaned-up property and the opportunity to redevelop it and make it into something better for the community.”
“This investment of $30 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a monumental step forward for Fairfield and for communities across New Jersey affected by toxic pollution,” said Senator Cory Booker. “New Jersey is home to the most Superfund sites in the nation, and I’m proud to see federal, state, and local partners come together to secure urgently needed funding for the cleanup of this heavily contaminated site. Addressing industrial pollution and transforming this site into a safer place for the community will pave the way for a healthier, more sustainable future for New Jersey residents.”
“I was proud to fight hard to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which is not only funding construction of the Gateway Tunnel, but is helping us clean up toxic chemicals from former manufacturing plants across the Garden State – including the Unimatic Superfund Site. I first visited this site back in 2019, and it is so exciting to be back to see how our federal tax dollars continue to be used to clean up Unimatic and improve the quality of life for New Jerseyans. Thank you to the EPA and all who are working to remediate the Unimatic Superfund Site,” said Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11).
“I applaud the Biden-Harris Administration, our Congressional delegation, the EPA, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for their commitment to making New Jersey safer as they continue work to clean up the former Unimatic Manufacturing Corp. site,” said Governor Phil Murphy. "I am pleased by the ongoing progress of this project and to see this work enter the next phase of sediment and groundwater cleanup. Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are continuing to make strides toward our goal of building a cleaner, greener future for New Jersey.”
“The DEP thanks the Biden-Harris Administration, the EPA and Representative Mikie Sherrill for securing Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds to accelerate cleanup efforts that will ultimately allow the community to repurpose this former industrial site to better serve their needs,” said New Jersey Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette. “New Jersey has a long history of industrial pollution, and BIL funds have made it possible for communities across the state to start fresh and make transformational investments that enhance residents’ quality of life and the environment we share.”
“The cleanup of this Superfund site is a great example of how the community and the EPA work together to alleviate the concerns of our residents by eliminating dangerous chemicals from our Township. There have been approximately 50 thousand tons of hazardous material removed from Fairfield. This has been accomplished through the oversight of the EPA without increasing the local tax one penny,” said Mayor of Fairfield Township William Galese. “On behalf of the grateful residents of Fairfield, I would like to thank the EPA for eliminating this threat from our town.”
The Unimatic Manufacturing Corporation site is one of 115 Superfund sites in New Jersey. The metals molding facility operated machines using lubricating oil that contained polychlorinated biphenyls, also referred to as PCBs. Wastewater from the facility contaminated the on-site building, soil and groundwater, including the soil on three nearby properties. As a result, EPA placed the Unimatic Manufacturing Corporation site on the Superfund Program’s National Priorities List in May 2014.
Prior to EPA’s involvement, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection oversaw the removal of approximately 5,000 tons of PCB-contaminated soil from the Unimatic property, which reduced some risk associated with the site. However, widespread PCB- and pesticide-contaminated soil remained in the subsurface, both underneath and outside the building footprint.
In 2021, EPA announced the cleanup at the site would advance as part of the first wave of sites to benefit from the $3.5 billion in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help clean up polluted Superfund sites in communities.
EPA initiated the cleanup in 2023, demolishing the former Unimatic building in May and beginning to dig up and remove contaminated soil in October of that year. To date, EPA has removed over 50,000 tons of PCB and pesticide contaminated soil and replaced it with clean soil. In September, this first phase of the cleanup will come to an end and EPA will begin the second phase of cleanup work downstream of the site. EPA will dig up and remove PCB-contaminated sediment in wetlands and streams downstream from the site and monitor groundwater.
In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Visit the Unimatic Manufacturing Corporation Superfund Site profile page for additional background and site documents.
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