The below information has been provided in an effort to help keep the community informed on a more frequent basis about progress at the AltEn site.
Ever since AltEn ceased operations at its facility in Mead in 2021, the AltEn Facility Response Group (FRG) has been voluntarily working under the guidance of the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) to stabilize the AltEn site and develop a Remedial Action Plan (RAP) for the site. The FRG’s top priorities have been and continue to be to help ensure the safety of the surrounding community and environment. To-date, there has been no evidence of impacts to local drinking water.
The FRG is working diligently with the NDEE to identify the most effective and safest methods to address the current environmental conditions on the AltEn site. The remedial action plans (RAP) will recommend remediation for components remaining on-site, including wastewater, sludge, and wet cake.
April 25, 2023
Water RAP Update
The Water Remedial Action Plan is approved and underway—1.4 million gallons of treated water were successfully used to water local farm fields this month. The new site contractor began work this month to prepare the site for the future water treatment system, which is anticipated to begin treatment this August, and implementing best management practices for stormwater management.
Solid Waste Disposal Update
The FRG submitted draft profiles, of the materials to be sent to the landfill, to the contractor who, pending approval, will begin removing debris, unused materials, and empty containers ahead of the pilot program. Site prep will commence in July with the first truckload anticipated to transport wet cake off-site in August.
Odor Management
The FRG is conducting field testing, prior to the pilot, to verify odor reduction methods and their performance. Learnings will be applied to the pilot so that odors resulting from handling and solidification of wet cake are reduced.
Communications Plan
Community updates, like this one, will continue to be the most comprehensive and current source of information on continuing progress at the AltEn site. The AltEn Facility Remediation Response one pager and Solid Waste Pilot Program fact sheet provide additional detail.
