More than 100 people packed a public meeting in Missouri Valley Wednesday night. They were seeking answers about contamination from a former Cold War missile site in the Loess Hills of Harrison County.
The military deactivated the Atlas "D" site, associated with Offutt Air Force Base outside Omaha, in 1964 after four years of operation. But a toxic industrial degreaser called trichloroethylene (TCE) seeped into the groundwater.
More than six decades later, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is still studying how to address the pollutant. Officials told the crowd it could take another two years to develop a long-term cleanup plan. For some who live nearby, the wait has already been far too long.
Residents raise health concerns
DeAnn Paul lives a few miles from the site and questioned why it took years for people in the area to learn about the contamination.
“I've had two dogs die of cancer. I've had a brain tumor removed. I have all sorts of neurological issues,” Paul said. “Why did it take so long to tell us?”
TCE has been linked to cancer, Parkinson’s disease and other health problems. The Environmental Protection Agency’s maximum contaminant level for TCE in drinking water is 5 parts per billion.
The federal government has provided some property owners with purification systems. But Paul also worries about inhaling TCE while using contaminated water.
“You’re also breathing in that vapor every time you shower, every time you cook, every time you steam up something. You’re breathing in that water,” Paul said. “My water is 16 times the allowable limit.”
Jackson Summers moved to the area from Illinois seven years ago, unaware of the contamination. He and his wife had been looking for the perfect place to blend their lifestyles and loved the beautiful scenery.
“Well, my wife is from Omaha and she's kind of the city mouse. I was the country mouse, and we finally found a place to live together peacefully,” Summers said.
Now, he said, health concerns have created anxiety in his neighborhood. Summers has battled skin cancer and said several of his neighbors have also been diagnosed with other forms of the disease.
“In my little neighborhood, five out of seven adults have cancers of some sort,” Summers said. “And there’s been three deaths.”
For Summers, the issue eventually pushed him into local politics. He's running as an independent candidate for the Harrison County Board of Supervisors.
“I do not want to run for office,” Summers said. “But the things I'm seeing and the lack of concern for the TCE — that's why I'm in there. I'll keep fighting for whether I get in office or not. I don't care.”
Army Corps project manager Scott Sawyer acknowledged the growing political attention during the meeting Wednesday, saying the contamination is becoming an issue in upcoming elections.
“It's gaining attention, and hopefully that will spill over, up to the federal halls and things will change. But I cannot make them change. I only wish I could,” Sawyer said.
A slow investigation upsets residents
The Army Corps began an environmental investigation in 2012. Testing later identified 14 wells with TCE concentrations above the federal drinking water standard. The agency now regularly monitors about 140 wells.
Rick Kohler was among the first to build a home in Cottonwood Hills, located about 6 miles southeast of Missouri Valley. He said the neighborhood learned about the contamination after testing of a private well.
“But we're already almost to 2027, and you're now just getting to do some study about it,” Kohler said. “Meanwhile, I was drinking the water, I’m breathing the air and the vapors.”
Kohler acknowledged that federal projects take time, but said that offers little comfort to people living with uncertainty.
“I get it. It’s the government. It’s slow, but that doesn’t make us feel any better. It doesn’t help our lifestyle or anything," Kohler said. "And meanwhile, people are getting sick."
Sawyer told residents he understood their frustration but said the Corps must follow federal laws and regulations.
“This is a slow process. I apologize that it’s not what you want. It’s not at the speed you’d like to see,” Sawyer said. “I would love to help everybody and get everything done, but I am constrained by the laws that exist.”
More testing needed
The Corps is gathering additional information to determine how the contamination is moving through groundwater and which methods could be used to clean it up.
A project chemist said crews tested three treatment methods in pilot studies, each of which reduced TCE levels. The approaches include zero-valent iron, which can break down contaminants, and the use of electrodes to degrade the chemical.
The Corps discovered the potential for vapor intrusion in 2023 and wants to determine whether TCE is rising from the ground as gas, similar to radon. In addition to a vapor intrusion study, the Corps has contracted for a high-resolution groundwater investigation.
“Those things will all be happening fairly soon,” Sawyer said.
Some of that work, however, depends on cooperation from property owners.
“We cannot stress enough that we cannot do a lot of these things without rights of entry. If there’s an area or there’s a home that we need to do testing or sampling on, we encourage you to be a part of this,” Sawyer told the crowd.
He said the additional data will help the Corps determine which solution will work best.
“Just like anything else in life, the more information you have, the better decision you can make, and it's important that we make the right decision here,” Sawyer said.
