Poison in Nebraska
The AltEn Disaster
The Nightmare Continues
by Former State Senator and Nebraska Sierra Club Lobbyist Al Davis
Despite the many efforts of the Perivallon Group, Senator Carol Blood and others, it was impossible to pull LR 159 from the Executive Committee. LR 159 was introduced by Senator Blood in the 2021 Nebraska Legislative session and would have appointed a special legislative super-committee made up of members from multiple committees to examine the problems as they relate to the specific focus of each committee. The super-committee would have provided an opportunity for the Legislature itself to gather information on the AltEn disaster without a coat of whitewash splashed upon it by members of the Executive Branch. The refusal of certain committee members to even meet with those lobbying for the passage of the resolution is infuriating but not surprising given the polarized nature of the Unicameral.
However, there were some victories in the Legislature for the residents of Saunders County. Through the efforts of Senator Blood an allocation of funds was set aside to continue the testing of wells and the assessment of the health of humans residing in Saunders County. Senator Blood’s 11th hour effort to seek funds was supported by Senator Stinner who allowed Blood to attach an amendment to his priority bill. The question of whether this was germane was raised and the chair ruled against Senator Blood, but the vote to override the chair was successful and the amendment was adopted.
Unfortunately, there is little good news to report from Mead. The AltEn Facility Response Group (AFRG) is a coalition of seed companies who came together to manage and address the environmental crisis after AltEn’s failure. AFRG entered a memorandum of understanding with the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy to implement a plan for cleanup. The first step in implementing that plan was to compile the pesticide-saturated wetcake onto one site and then to cover that material with a product known as Posi-shield which supposedly will protect rain and snowfall from coming into contact with the contaminated ground and then become contaminated itself. In February trucks and helicopters applied the Posi-shield to the product but a few weeks later it was obvious that wastewater within the wetcake itself had surfaced through the Posi-Shield creating large puddles on top of the material. Meanwhile under the Posi-shield the wetcake continues to decay and disintegrate which creates gas-filled voids.
Although NDEE had requested that AFRG install a liner under the wetcake, the AFRG declined to do so and NDEE did not push the issue. Not surprisingly, recent well field testing has indicated the presence of pesticides 50 feet below the surface which is within the Todd Valley Aquifer and will create a plume of contaminated water as the aquifer moves.
Further, a perplexing decline in water levels in one of the open lagoons full of pesticide-saturated wastewater indicates a potential troubling rip in the liner of that lagoon which may have allowed thousands of gallons of water to slip through the damaged liner into the soil.
The AFRG is currently addressing the hundreds of gallons of contaminated wastewater as a first step in remediation on the site. To do this the coalition has contracted with landowners to knife water into their fields The agreements with landowners stipulate how much water can be applied but only a few neighboring landowners have agreed to take water from the plant which limits the ability of the AFRG to make a significant dent in the amount of water onsite. In short it will take years just to eliminate the poisoned wastewater.
Last week NDEE held an informational meeting at the Mead School before conducting a hearing granting a permit to AltEn to dispose of wastewater onsite since their existing permit was expiring. Several individuals testified in opposition to the issuance of that hearing, based on the fact that AltEn is behind on back taxes, being sued by both the State of Nebraska and the seed companies, and is essentially only a zombie being held up by the AFRG to shield the seed companies from direct involvement. The permit has not been issued to date.
Finally, the question of management of the thousands of tons of wetcake remains unanswered. It seems certain that AltEn and its legacy will linger for another decade but answers must be provided and questions answered to restore the public’s faith in government and its ability to manage a toxic problem like this one.
Despite the many efforts of the Perivallon Group, Senator Carol Blood and others, it was impossible to pull LR 159 from the Executive Committee. LR 159 was introduced by Senator Blood in the 2021 Nebraska Legislative session and would have appointed a special legislative super-committee made up of members from multiple committees to examine the problems as they relate to the specific focus of each committee. The super-committee would have provided an opportunity for the Legislature itself to gather information on the AltEn disaster without a coat of whitewash splashed upon it by members of the Executive Branch. The refusal of certain committee members to even meet with those lobbying for the passage of the resolution is infuriating but not surprising given the polarized nature of the Unicameral.
However, there were some victories in the Legislature for the residents of Saunders County. Through the efforts of Senator Blood an allocation of funds was set aside to continue the testing of wells and the assessment of the health of humans residing in Saunders County. Senator Blood’s 11th hour effort to seek funds was supported by Senator Stinner who allowed Blood to attach an amendment to his priority bill. The question of whether this was germane was raised and the chair ruled against Senator Blood, but the vote to override the chair was successful and the amendment was adopted.
Unfortunately, there is little good news to report from Mead. The AltEn Facility Response Group (AFRG) is a coalition of seed companies who came together to manage and address the environmental crisis after AltEn’s failure. AFRG entered a memorandum of understanding with the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy to implement a plan for cleanup. The first step in implementing that plan was to compile the pesticide-saturated wetcake onto one site and then to cover that material with a product known as Posi-shield which supposedly will protect rain and snowfall from coming into contact with the contaminated ground and then become contaminated itself. In February trucks and helicopters applied the Posi-shield to the product but a few weeks later it was obvious that wastewater within the wetcake itself had surfaced through the Posi-Shield creating large puddles on top of the material. Meanwhile under the Posi-shield the wetcake continues to decay and disintegrate which creates gas-filled voids.
Although NDEE had requested that AFRG install a liner under the wetcake, the AFRG declined to do so and NDEE did not push the issue. Not surprisingly, recent well field testing has indicated the presence of pesticides 50 feet below the surface which is within the Todd Valley Aquifer and will create a plume of contaminated water as the aquifer moves.
Further, a perplexing decline in water levels in one of the open lagoons full of pesticide-saturated wastewater indicates a potential troubling rip in the liner of that lagoon which may have allowed thousands of gallons of water to slip through the damaged liner into the soil.
The AFRG is currently addressing the hundreds of gallons of contaminated wastewater as a first step in remediation on the site. To do this the coalition has contracted with landowners to knife water into their fields The agreements with landowners stipulate how much water can be applied but only a few neighboring landowners have agreed to take water from the plant which limits the ability of the AFRG to make a significant dent in the amount of water onsite. In short it will take years just to eliminate the poisoned wastewater.
Last week NDEE held an informational meeting at the Mead School before conducting a hearing granting a permit to AltEn to dispose of wastewater onsite since their existing permit was expiring. Several individuals testified in opposition to the issuance of that hearing, based on the fact that AltEn is behind on back taxes, being sued by both the State of Nebraska and the seed companies, and is essentially only a zombie being held up by the AFRG to shield the seed companies from direct involvement. The permit has not been issued to date.
Finally, the question of management of the thousands of tons of wetcake remains unanswered. It seems certain that AltEn and its legacy will linger for another decade but answers must be provided and questions answered to restore the public’s faith in government and its ability to manage a toxic problem like this one.
