Fairfield Coal Gasification Plant

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NPL Site

Fairfield, IA

Fairfield Coal Gasification Plant is listed in the EPA Superfund Enterprise Management System with an NPL status of NPL Site and a Hazard Ranking System (HRS) score of 38.05. The site is located in Fairfield, IA. Superfund National Priorities List inclusion is the EPA's formal designation that a contaminated site qualifies for long-term federal cleanup authority under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act.

EPA Superfund records catalog 34 contaminants associated with this site, documented through the remedial investigation process. Physical construction of the cleanup remedy has been completed, EPA designates this milestone as "Construction Complete."

NPL listing does not, by itself, establish a health risk to nearby residents, it triggers federal authority to investigate, score, and remediate. HRS scores of 28.50 or above qualify a site for the NPL; the ranking weighs contaminant toxicity, release pathways, waste quantity, and affected population. For current site conditions and community health guidance, contact the Iowa environmental or health agency and the EPA Regional Superfund office listed on the official site profile.

What is the cleanup status of this Superfund site?

NPL Status
NPL Site
Federal Facility
No
Construction Complete
Yes
HRS Score
38.05
Deleted from NPL
No

Contaminants

Contaminant Media
ARSENIC Sediment
ARSENIC Soil
ARSENIC Surface Water
BARIUM Sediment
BARIUM Soil
BARIUM Surface Water
CADMIUM Groundwater
CADMIUM Sediment
CADMIUM Soil
CADMIUM Surface Water
CARCINOGENIC POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (cPAH) Groundwater
CARCINOGENIC POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (cPAH) Sediment
CARCINOGENIC POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (cPAH) Soil
CARCINOGENIC POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (cPAH) Surface Water
CHROMIUM Groundwater
CHROMIUM Sediment
CHROMIUM Soil
CHROMIUM Surface Water
CYANIDE Groundwater
CYANIDE Sediment
CYANIDE Soil
CYANIDE Surface Water
LEAD Groundwater
LEAD Sediment
LEAD Soil
LEAD Surface Water
MERCURY Sediment
MERCURY Surface Water
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAHS) Groundwater
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAHS) Sediment
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAHS) Soil
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAHS) Surface Water
SELENIUM Sediment
SELENIUM Surface Water

Location

City
Fairfield
State
Coordinates
41.0062, -91.9724

Other Superfund Sites in Iowa

Site Name Status HRS Score
Aidex Corp. Deleted NPL Site -
Des Moines TCE NPL Site 42.28
E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Inc. (County Road X23) Deleted NPL Site 46.01
Electro-Coatings, Inc. Deleted NPL Site 42.24
Farmers' Mutual Cooperative Deleted NPL Site 33.74
Highway 3 PCE NPL Site 34.79
Iowa Army Ammunition Plant NPL Site 29.73
John Deere (Ottumwa Works Landfills) Deleted NPL Site 42.32
LaBounty Site Deleted NPL Site 70.73
Lawrence Todtz Farm NPL Site 52.11

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Fairfield Coal Gasification Plant Superfund site?
Fairfield Coal Gasification Plant is an active National Priorities List (NPL) Superfund site located in Fairfield, IA. It has a Hazard Ranking System (HRS) score of 38.05. Superfund sites are contaminated locations identified by the EPA for long-term cleanup.
Is Fairfield Coal Gasification Plant dangerous to live near?
The presence of a site on the EPA National Priorities List does not by itself indicate an immediate health risk to nearby residents. EPA evaluates sites through a comprehensive process including remedial investigation and risk assessment. Construction of the cleanup remedy has been completed at this site. For site-specific health questions, contact your state environmental or health agency.
What is the HRS score for Fairfield Coal Gasification Plant?
Fairfield Coal Gasification Plant has a Hazard Ranking System (HRS) score of 38.05. The HRS is the EPA's principal mechanism for evaluating Superfund sites, scores of 28.50 or greater qualify for the NPL. Higher scores indicate greater potential risk based on toxicity, waste quantity, release likelihood, and affected population.
What contaminants are at the Fairfield Coal Gasification Plant site?
The EPA has identified 34 contaminants at Fairfield Coal Gasification Plant. Contaminant data is maintained in the EPA's Superfund database and is based on site investigations conducted during the remedial process.
What is the cleanup status of Fairfield Coal Gasification Plant?
Fairfield Coal Gasification Plant is currently NPL Site on the National Priorities List. Construction of the cleanup remedy has been completed. The EPA Superfund cleanup process includes phases from preliminary assessment through post-construction completion.

About Superfund

The National Priorities List (NPL) is the list of sites of national priority among the known releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants throughout the United States. The NPL is intended primarily to guide the EPA in determining which sites warrant further investigation.

The Hazard Ranking System (HRS) score is the principal mechanism the EPA uses to evaluate sites for placement on the NPL. Sites with an HRS score of 28.50 or greater are eligible for the NPL. Higher scores indicate greater potential risk.

The EPA's Superfund cleanup process typically follows these phases: preliminary assessment, site inspection, NPL listing, remedial investigation/feasibility study, remedy selection, remedial design/action, construction completion, post-construction completion, and NPL deletion. Some sites remain on the NPL for decades.

PlainEnviro presents this data without advocacy framing. The presence of a site on the NPL does not by itself indicate an immediate health risk to nearby residents. For site-specific health questions, consult your local environmental or health agency.

Related

Data sourced from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainEnviro Editorial