Five-Year Review Site Update
About the Site
The Omaha Lead Superfund Site (site) is comprised of residential properties, schools, child care centers, and other residential-type properties in the city of Omaha, Nebraska.
Historic lead smelting and refining operations emitted lead-contaminated air pollution that deposited on surface soils. Lead, which is invisible to the eye, dispersed and attached to soil particles across the area. Lead is a toxic metal that is harmful if inhaled or ingested and can pose serious health risks, particularly to children under 7 years old, as well as pregnant women and nursing mothers. To learn about how to protect your family from lead hazards, see links on Page 2.
Residential Cleanups
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7, state of Nebraska, Douglas County, and city of Omaha partnered to clean up lead-contaminated soils across the site.
To date, 13,651 properties have been cleaned up and at least 465 properties remain that exceed 400 parts per million (ppm) lead in soil. In addition, a total of 2,294 partial National Priorities List (NPL) deletions of individual residences were finalized. Learn more on EPA's Site Profile page.
Five-Year Review (FYR)
In fall 2023, EPA kicked off a FYR to assess whether EPA’s cleanup decisions protect human health and the environment; details on Page 2.
New Regional Screening Level
In January 2024, EPA lowered the Regional Screening Level (RSL) for lead in residential soil. EPA will inform the community when updates on site impacts are available. Learn more on EPA's website.
Free Lead Testing and Cleanup Opportunity!
Ongoing yard testing and cleanup is available at eligible properties to protect the public from lead hazards and childhood lead poisoning. Property cleanups reduce exposure to lead, protecting human health and the environment.
- If you know of a residential yard that has not been tested for lead, please encourage community members to sign up by calling the City of Omaha Lead Information Office at 402-731-3045.
- If the soil at your property has been cleaned up for lead and you have not received the interior dust assessment, please call the Douglas County Health Department at 402-444-7825 to schedule an appointment.
- To check the status of your property, visit the Omaha Lead Registry.
Annual Childhood Lead Testing
Some children in historic lead smelting areas have elevated levels of lead in their blood. Children under 7 years old living in this area should have annual blood tests. Children suffering from lead poisoning do not always look or act sick. The only way to know if your child has elevated levels of lead in their blood is to have their blood tested. Talk to your pediatrician, general physician, or local health department about testing your child each year.
The Douglas County Health Department (402-444-7471) offers free lead screening by appointment at 1111 South 41st St., Omaha, NE 68105.
What is Superfund and the NPL?
Superfund often refers to hazardous waste sites and EPA’s cleanup process. It is the common name for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). This federal law authorizes EPA to clean up contaminated sites.
What is the NPL?The National Priorities List (NPL) is EPA’s list of national priorities among the known releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants. Learn more on EPA's website.
What is a Five-Year Review?
EPA conducts site checkups, called Five-Year Reviews (FYRs), at certain Superfund sites where cleanups have been completed. This periodic review provides an opportunity to evaluate the site’s cleanup decision to determine if it is still protective of human health and the environment. EPA started the Third FYR in August 2023 and the review is currently in progress. The Final FYR Report is anticipated to be completed by August 2024 and will be published on EPA’s Site Profile page.
What are the FYR Steps? The FYR process includes five steps: 1. Community Involvement and Notification, 2. Document Review, 3. Data Review and Analysis, 4. Interviews (as necessary), and 5. Remedy Determination. With property owner consent, EPA will conduct site visits and may collect soil samples and additional data in support of the FYR. Sampling activities will help assess if the remedy is protective of human health and the environment.
Where Can I Find Additional Information?
Site project information is available to the public at web repositories. Administrative Record files and Records of Decision contain important decision documents. Visit EPA’s Site Profile page.
If you do not have internet access, you can view these documents online at your local library, such as the South Omaha Library, 2808 Q St., Omaha, NE 68107; 402-444-4850.
To learn more about the site and preventing lead exposure, visit:
- EPA’s Lead page
- CDC’s Lead page
- Douglas County Health Department Lead Poisoning Prevention page
- Omaha Lead Hazard Control Program page
Community Involvement
EPA will continue to engage the public in various activities designed to inform and involve community members throughout the Superfund process. To help affected communities understand the technical information related to a Superfund site, EPA offers various technical assistance opportunities for communities, such as grants and free services under the national Technical Assistance Services for Communities (TASC) contract.
EPA encourages community members to contact EPA with any questions, comments, or requests for site information. Mailed requests can be sent to the EPA Region 7 mailing address below.Learn more on EPA's website.
Questions? Contact the Site Team
EPA Region 7 Contacts(mailing address below):
Peyton Witham
EPA Remedial Project Manager
Superfund and Emergency Management Division
Phone:913-551-7219
Email:witham.peyton@epa.gov
Elizabeth Kramer
EPA Community Involvement Coordinator
Environmental Justice, Community Engagement, and Environmental Review Division
Phone: 913-551-7186 or 1-800-223-0425
Email:kramer.elizabeth@epa.gov
City of Omaha Contact:
City of Omaha Lead Information Office
Phone:402-731-3045
Email:contact@omahalead.org
Douglas County Health Department Contact:
Lead Poisoning Prevention Program
Douglas County Health Department
1111 South 41st St.
Omaha NE 68105
Phone: 402-444-7825
Email:healthdept-leadprogram@douglascounty-ne.gov
EPA Region 7 Mailing Address:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7
11201 Renner Boulevard
Lenexa, KS 66219
Toll-free: 1-800-223-0425
