TRI air releases
TRI air releases at North Dakota have more than doubled since 2010 (through 2024).
State · TRI 2024
North Dakota Pollution
78 TRI facilities, 318 public water systems, and 2 Superfund / NPL sites across 25 counties. Statewide TRI releases rose modestly year over year (+9%). Toxic releases concentrations have more than doubled since 2010.
FIPS 38 · population 779,094 · 53 counties total
Anomaly engine
Notable Signals At The State Level
Total TRI releases
Total TRI releases at North Dakota have more than doubled since 2010 (through 2024).
TRI land + off-site releases
TRI land + off-site releases at North Dakota have more than doubled since 2010 (through 2024).
TRI water releases
TRI water releases at North Dakota have risen 82% since 2010 (through 2024).
Where the burden sits
County-Level TRI Choropleth
A color-shaded map of pollution data. Darker counties report more pounds of toxic chemicals released to the EPA's Toxics Release Inventory (TRI).
Shaded by total reported releases for 2024. Counties without a published page render as “no TRI data”. Red dots mark this state's top emitters.
Statewide pollutant pathways
North Dakota Pollutant Multi-Year Trends
PM2.5 annual mean (NAAQS 9 µg/m³ (annual))Health riskFine inhalable particles 2.5 micrometers or smaller. They travel deep into the lungs and into the bloodstream — linked to asthma, heart disease, stroke, and premature death.
PM2.5 annual mean (NAAQS 9 µg/m³ (annual)) concentrations are roughly unchanged from 2010.
PM2.5 24-hour 98th percentile (NAAQS 35 µg/m³ (24-hour))Health riskFine inhalable particles 2.5 micrometers or smaller. They travel deep into the lungs and into the bloodstream — linked to asthma, heart disease, stroke, and premature death.
PM2.5 24-hour 98th percentile (NAAQS 35 µg/m³ (24-hour)) concentrations have more than doubled since 2010.
Ozone 8-hour 4th-highest daily max (NAAQS 0.070 ppm (8-hour))Health riskGround-level ozone (smog) forms when vehicle and industrial emissions react in sunlight. Inflames the airways, triggers asthma attacks, and worsens heart and lung disease.
Ozone 8-hour 4th-highest daily max (NAAQS 0.070 ppm (8-hour)) concentrations are roughly unchanged from 2010.
NO₂ annual mean (NAAQS 53 ppb (annual))Health riskA tailpipe and combustion gas. Concentrates near busy roads and industrial sites; raises risk of airway inflammation, asthma, and lower respiratory infections in children.
NO₂ annual mean (NAAQS 53 ppb (annual)) concentrations have fallen 32% since 2010.
Lifetime cancer risk all pollutants (100 in a million (EPA elevated threshold))Health riskEPA-modeled added cancer cases per million residents from a lifetime of breathing local air toxics. EPA flags 100-in-a-million as elevated.
Single-vintage exposure modeling — EPA cadence is multi-year, so no trend line yet.
Formaldehyde ambient mean (0.077 µg/m³ (1-in-a-million URE))Health riskAn air toxic emitted by refineries, wood products, and combustion. EPA classifies it as a known human carcinogen — long-term inhalation raises cancer risk.
Single-vintage exposure modeling — EPA cadence is multi-year, so no trend line yet.
Benzene ambient mean (0.13 µg/m³ (1-in-a-million URE))Health riskAn air toxic from gasoline, refineries, and tobacco smoke. A known human carcinogen — chronic exposure is linked to leukemia and other blood cancers.
Single-vintage exposure modeling — EPA cadence is multi-year, so no trend line yet.
TRI air releases (5.1 fugitive + 5.2 stack)Health riskToxic chemicals reported by industrial facilities as released into the air — fugitive leaks plus smokestack emissions. Higher pounds means more inhaled exposure for nearby residents.
TRI air releases (5.1 fugitive + 5.2 stack) concentrations have more than doubled since 2010.
TRI water releases (5.3)Health riskToxic chemicals reported by industrial facilities as discharged to surface waters (rivers, lakes, the ocean). Affects fishing, recreation, and downstream drinking-water intakes.
TRI water releases (5.3) concentrations are up 82% since 2010.
TRI land + off-site releasesHealth riskToxic chemicals released to land on-site or transferred off-site for disposal — landfills, deep-well injection, and similar. Risks groundwater contamination over time.
TRI land + off-site releases concentrations have more than doubled since 2010.
Greenhouse gases (GHGRP large emitters, through 2023)Health riskGreenhouse gases reported by large industrial emitters under EPA's GHGRP, in metric tons of CO₂ equivalent. Drives climate warming and the heat-related health effects that follow.
Greenhouse gases (GHGRP large emitters, through 2023) concentrations are up 39% since 2011.
| County | Population | Facilities | Total releases | YoY | Top chemical |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer CountyFIPS 38057 | 8,366 | 3 | 35.2M lb | +14% | AmmoniaHealth riskSevere respiratory and eye irritant; high concentrations cause chemical burns to lung tissue. (EPA) |
| McKenzie CountyFIPS 38053 | 14,081 | 10 | 12.3M lb | -6% | Hydrogen sulfideHealth riskAcutely toxic at high concentrations (paralyzes the olfactory nerve, then respiratory failure); chronic low-level exposure causes eye and respiratory irritation. (NIOSH) |
| Oliver CountyFIPS 38065 | 1,832 | 2 | 5.2M lb | -3% | Barium compounds (except for barium sulfate (CAS No. 7727-43-7))Health riskSoluble barium compounds are toxic if ingested, affecting the heart, kidneys, and nervous system. Insoluble forms (e.g. barium sulfate) are far less toxic. (EPA) |
| McLean CountyFIPS 38055 | 9,781 | 2 | 2.8M lb | +13% | Barium And Barium CompoundsHealth riskSoluble barium compounds are toxic if ingested, affecting the heart, kidneys, and nervous system. Insoluble forms (e.g. barium sulfate) are far less toxic. (EPA) |
| Ransom CountyFIPS 38073 | 5,663 | 1 | 702k lb | +146% | n-HexaneHealth riskPeripheral neurotoxin. Chronic exposure causes numbness and paralysis in the extremities. (ATSDR) |
| McHenry CountyFIPS 38049 | 5,326 | 1 | 603k lb | +5% | n-HexaneHealth riskPeripheral neurotoxin. Chronic exposure causes numbness and paralysis in the extremities. (ATSDR) |
| Stutsman CountyFIPS 38093 | 21,609 | 4 | 574k lb | +256% | n-HexaneHealth riskPeripheral neurotoxin. Chronic exposure causes numbness and paralysis in the extremities. (ATSDR) |
| Richland CountyFIPS 38077 | 16,548 | 5 | 373k lb | -29% | Hydrogen sulfideHealth riskAcutely toxic at high concentrations (paralyzes the olfactory nerve, then respiratory failure); chronic low-level exposure causes eye and respiratory irritation. (NIOSH) |
| Morton CountyFIPS 38059 | 33,192 | 3 | 356k lb | -16% | Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size)Health riskAcid mists are an IARC Group 1 carcinogen via inhalation (laryngeal cancer) and corrosive on contact. (IARC) |
| Grand Forks CountyFIPS 38035 | 72,927 | 4 | 300k lb | +7% | StyreneHealth riskIARC Group 2A probable carcinogen; central-nervous-system effects from inhalation. (IARC, EPA) |
| Facility | City | Top chemical | Total releases | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basin Electric Antelope Valley StationBasin Electric Power Cooperative | Beulah | AmmoniaHealth riskSevere respiratory and eye irritant; high concentrations cause chemical burns to lung tissue. (EPA) | 33.2M lb | +15% |
| Oneok Rockies Midstream LLC - Grasslands Gas PlantOneok INC | Alexander | Hydrogen sulfideHealth riskAcutely toxic at high concentrations (paralyzes the olfactory nerve, then respiratory failure); chronic low-level exposure causes eye and respiratory irritation. (NIOSH) | 12.2M lb | -6% |
| Minnkota Power Cooperative INC. Milton R. Young StationMinnkota Power Cooperative INC | Center | Barium compounds (except for barium sulfate (CAS No. 7727-43-7))Health riskSoluble barium compounds are toxic if ingested, affecting the heart, kidneys, and nervous system. Insoluble forms (e.g. barium sulfate) are far less toxic. (EPA) | 5.2M lb | -3% |
| Coal Creek StationRemc Assets LP | Underwood | Barium And Barium CompoundsHealth riskSoluble barium compounds are toxic if ingested, affecting the heart, kidneys, and nervous system. Insoluble forms (e.g. barium sulfate) are far less toxic. (EPA) | 2.7M lb | +12% |
| Basin Electric Leland Olds StationBasin Electric Power Cooperative | Stanton | Barium And Barium CompoundsHealth riskSoluble barium compounds are toxic if ingested, affecting the heart, kidneys, and nervous system. Insoluble forms (e.g. barium sulfate) are far less toxic. (EPA) | 1.1M lb | +17% |
| Otter Tail Power CO Coyote StationOtter Tail CORP | Beulah | Barium compounds (except for barium sulfate (CAS No. 7727-43-7))Health riskSoluble barium compounds are toxic if ingested, affecting the heart, kidneys, and nervous system. Insoluble forms (e.g. barium sulfate) are far less toxic. (EPA) | 924k lb | -13% |
| Northern Sun-Div Of AdmArcher Daniels Midland Co | Enderlin | n-HexaneHealth riskPeripheral neurotoxin. Chronic exposure causes numbness and paralysis in the extremities. (ATSDR) | 702k lb | +146% |
| Adm ProcessingArcher Daniels Midland Co | Velva | n-HexaneHealth riskPeripheral neurotoxin. Chronic exposure causes numbness and paralysis in the extremities. (ATSDR) | 603k lb | +5% |
| Green Bison Soy Processing LLCArcher Daniels Midland Co | Spiritwood | n-HexaneHealth riskPeripheral neurotoxin. Chronic exposure causes numbness and paralysis in the extremities. (ATSDR) | 364k lb | +1774% |
| Marathon Mandan RefineryMarathon Petroleum CORP | Mandan | Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size)Health riskAcid mists are an IARC Group 1 carcinogen via inhalation (laryngeal cancer) and corrosive on contact. (IARC) | 312k lb | -18% |
Water utilities to watch
Largest Water Systems With Unresolved Health-Based Violations
Sorted to surface utilities serving the most people that still have an active health-based SDWIS violation on the record. Systems in compliance with no unresolved issues fall to the bottom of the ranking.
| Water system | PWSID | Population served | Health-based · 5yr | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ellendale City Of Municipal | ND1100306 | 1,394 | 3 | UNRESOLVED |
| Dunseith City Of Municipal | ND4000277 | 773 | 1 | UNRESOLVED |
| Towner City Of Municipal | ND2500946 | 479 | 2 | UNRESOLVED |
| Max City Of Municipal | ND2800619 | 334 | 1 | UNRESOLVED |
| Prairie View Hoa Private | ND5301766 | 226 | 1 | UNRESOLVED |
| Sundale Hutterian Association Municipal | ND4101452 | 110 | 7 | UNRESOLVED |
| Oberon City Of Municipal | ND0300762 | 105 | 3 | UNRESOLVED |
| Goodrich City Of Municipal | ND4200404 | 98 | 4 | UNRESOLVED |
| Maxbass City Of Municipal | ND0500620 | 84 | 19 | UNRESOLVED |
| Flaxton City Of Municipal | ND0700344 | 66 | 4 | UNRESOLVED |
Superfund / NPL sites
Federal Cleanup Sites In North Dakota
Sites on EPA's Superfund National Priorities List, plus deleted sites whose cleanup objectives EPA has finalized. Federal-facility sites (defense, DOE, etc.) are flagged separately. Each link routes to a per-site page.
| Site | City | Status | Federal facility | Primary contaminant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenic Trioxide Site | Southeast | DELETED | No | ArsenicHealth riskIARC Group 1 carcinogen via inhalation and ingestion. EPA MCL 10 µg/L; chronic exposure causes skin, lung, bladder cancer and cardiovascular disease. (IARC, EPA, ATSDR) |
| Minot Landfill | Minot | DELETED | No | 1,2,4-TrimethylbenzeneHealth riskEye, skin, and respiratory irritant; high exposure causes nervous-system effects. (ATSDR) |
Equity context · ACS 2018-2022 · USEPA-clone EJ disparity
Statewide Population Characteristics
All North Dakota block groups: 779,094 residents. Statewide disparity score for pm2.5 (fine particulate) sits well below the reference (4). Why we surface this →
State-level percentiles are aggregated from block-group EJScreen data. The EJ pattern within the state will be sharper at the county level — drill down for the meaningful spatial detail.
10.8%
Low-income
17.0%
People of color
6.6%
Under age 5
15.9%
Over age 64
- PM2.5 (fine particulate)Health riskFine inhalable particles 2.5 micrometers or smaller. They travel deep into the lungs and into the bloodstream — linked to asthma, heart disease, stroke, and premature death.3below the national median
- OzoneHealth riskGround-level ozone (smog) inflames the airways. Even short exposures trigger asthma attacks and worsen chronic lung and heart disease.6below the national median
- Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂)Health riskA tailpipe and combustion gas. Concentrates near busy roads and industrial sites; raises risk of airway inflammation, asthma, and lower respiratory infections in children.70above the national median
- Diesel particulateHealth riskSoot from diesel engines (trucks, trains, ports, construction). EPA classifies it as a likely human carcinogen and a major driver of childhood asthma near freight corridors.35below the national median
- Toxic releases (RSEI)Health riskEPA's Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators score — weights TRI chemical releases by toxicity, where they go, and how many people are nearby. Higher means greater modeled cancer and chronic-health risk.49near the national median
- Traffic proximityHealth riskPopulation-weighted distance to high-volume roads. Living close to heavy traffic raises exposure to PM2.5, NO₂, and diesel exhaust — and the cardiovascular and asthma risks that follow.39below the national median
- Lead-paint risk (pre-1960 housing)Health riskShare of housing built before 1960, when lead-based paint was common. Dust from deteriorating paint is the leading cause of childhood lead poisoning, which permanently impairs cognitive development.59near the national median
- Superfund site proximityHealth riskPopulation-weighted distance to NPL Superfund sites — the most contaminated waste sites in the country. Nearby groundwater, soil, and air can carry industrial solvents, metals, and other long-lived contaminants.56near the national median
- RMP-facility proximityHealth riskDistance to facilities holding chemicals at quantities large enough to require an EPA Risk Management Plan (refineries, fertilizer plants, etc.). These pose acute exposure risk during accidental releases.73above the national median
- Hazardous-waste site proximityHealth riskDistance to RCRA hazardous-waste handlers (treatment, storage, disposal facilities). Indicates potential exposure to industrial chemicals in air, soil, and groundwater.35below the national median
- Underground storage tanksHealth riskDensity of underground tanks (gasoline, heating oil, industrial fluids). Leaking tanks are a leading source of benzene and other volatile organic compounds in groundwater drinking-water supplies.66above the national median
- NPDES wastewater proximityHealth riskDistance to permitted industrial wastewater dischargers. Closer proximity raises exposure to pollutants released into surface waters used for fishing, recreation, and downstream drinking-water intakes.95in the highest 5% nationally
- Drinking-water non-complianceHealth riskEPA score for public water systems with health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violations. Higher means more residents on systems that recently exceeded safe limits for contaminants like lead, arsenic, or nitrate.76above the national median
| Indicator | Disparity score | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (fine particulate) | 4 | well below the reference |
| Ozone | 24 | well below the reference |
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) | 54 | below the reference |
| Diesel particulate | 31 | well below the reference |
| Toxic releases (RSEI) | 23 | well below the reference |
| Traffic proximity | 28 | well below the reference |
| Lead-paint risk (pre-1960 housing) | 37 | well below the reference |
| Superfund site proximity | 0 | well below the reference |
| RMP-facility proximity | 53 | below the reference |
| Hazardous-waste site proximity | 22 | well below the reference |
| Underground storage tanks | 44 | well below the reference |
| NPDES wastewater proximity | 39 | well below the reference |
| Drinking-water non-compliance | 5 | well below the reference |
Source: Census ACS 2018-2022 (5-year) + USEPA-clone EJ blockgroup stats (raw indicators + EJ disparity mirror). EJ disparity scores via the USEPA-clone GitHub mirror after EPA deprecated the public EJScreen tool in 2025; demographics from Census ACS.
Browse
All 25 North Dakota Counties With TRI Data
Pollution trends and TRI 2024 pages for every tracked county. Alphabetical.
- Barnes County pollution· 1 facility
- Billings County pollution· 1 facility
- Burleigh County pollution· 3 facilities
- Cass County pollution· 14 facilities
- Divide County pollution· 1 facility
- Dunn County pollution· 1 facility
- Foster County pollution· 1 facility
- Grand Forks County pollution· 4 facilities
- McHenry County pollution· 1 facility
- McKenzie County pollution· 10 facilities
- McLean County pollution· 2 facilities
- Mercer County pollution· 3 facilities
- Morton County pollution· 3 facilities
- Mountrail County pollution· 3 facilities
- Oliver County pollution· 2 facilities
- Pembina County pollution· 1 facility
- Ramsey County pollution· 1 facility
- Ransom County pollution· 1 facility
- Richland County pollution· 5 facilities
- Sargent County pollution· 1 facility
- Stark County pollution· 5 facilities
- Stutsman County pollution· 4 facilities
- Traill County pollution· 1 facility
- Ward County pollution· 1 facility
- Williams County pollution· 8 facilities
Sources.
- EPA Toxics Release Inventory · retrieved 2026-05-07.