TRI water releases
TRI water releases at Nebraska have more than halved since 2010 (through 2024).
State · TRI 2024
Nebraska Pollution
159 TRI facilities, 594 public water systems, and 19 Superfund / NPL sites across 46 counties. Statewide TRI releases held roughly steady year over year (+1%). Toxic releases concentrations have fallen 45% since 2010.
FIPS 31 · population 1,961,504 · 93 counties total
Anomaly engine
Notable Signals At The State Level
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
Nebraska 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 have fallen 26% since 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 fallen 22% 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.
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 fallen 17% 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 have more than halved 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 fallen 37% 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 have fallen 14% since 2010.
| County | Population | Facilities | Total releases | YoY | Top chemical |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otoe CountyFIPS 31131 | 15,995 | 3 | 2.4M lb | +17% | 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) |
| Dawson CountyFIPS 31047 | 24,037 | 5 | 2.4M lb | +15% | Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)Health riskDrinking-water nitrate causes methemoglobinemia ('blue-baby syndrome') in infants; EPA MCL is 10 mg/L as N. (EPA) |
| Saline CountyFIPS 31151 | 14,275 | 2 | 2.0M lb | -3% | Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)Health riskDrinking-water nitrate causes methemoglobinemia ('blue-baby syndrome') in infants; EPA MCL is 10 mg/L as N. (EPA) |
| Kimball CountyFIPS 31105 | 3,395 | 1 | 1.8M lb | +80% | Aluminum oxide (fibrous forms)Health riskFibrous forms can damage the lungs similar to other particulate dusts. (NIOSH) |
| Adams CountyFIPS 31001 | 31,143 | 6 | 1.4M lb | -5% | n-HexaneHealth riskPeripheral neurotoxin. Chronic exposure causes numbness and paralysis in the extremities. (ATSDR) |
| Lancaster CountyFIPS 31109 | 322,063 | 15 | 1.2M lb | -41% | n-HexaneHealth riskPeripheral neurotoxin. Chronic exposure causes numbness and paralysis in the extremities. (ATSDR) |
| Colfax CountyFIPS 31037 | 10,563 | 1 | 943k lb | -37% | Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)Health riskDrinking-water nitrate causes methemoglobinemia ('blue-baby syndrome') in infants; EPA MCL is 10 mg/L as N. (EPA) |
| Lincoln CountyFIPS 31111 | 34,532 | 3 | 798k lb | +16% | 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) |
| Dodge CountyFIPS 31053 | 37,175 | 7 | 708k lb | +6% | n-HexaneHealth riskPeripheral neurotoxin. Chronic exposure causes numbness and paralysis in the extremities. (ATSDR) |
| Platte CountyFIPS 31141 | 34,219 | 11 | 701k lb | +5% | 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) |
| Facility | City | Top chemical | Total releases | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha Public Power District Nebraska City StationOmaha Public Power District | Nebraska City | 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) | 2.4M lb | +17% |
| Tyson Fresh Meats INCTyson Foods INC | Lexington | Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)Health riskDrinking-water nitrate causes methemoglobinemia ('blue-baby syndrome') in infants; EPA MCL is 10 mg/L as N. (EPA) | 2.4M lb | +16% |
| Smithfield Fresh Meats Corp-CreteUnited Global Foods US Holdings INC | Crete | Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)Health riskDrinking-water nitrate causes methemoglobinemia ('blue-baby syndrome') in infants; EPA MCL is 10 mg/L as N. (EPA) | 2.0M lb | -3% |
| Clean Harbors Environmental Services INCClean Harbors INC | Kimball | Aluminum oxide (fibrous forms)Health riskFibrous forms can damage the lungs similar to other particulate dusts. (NIOSH) | 1.8M lb | +80% |
| Cargill Meat Solutions CorpCargill INC | Schuyler | Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)Health riskDrinking-water nitrate causes methemoglobinemia ('blue-baby syndrome') in infants; EPA MCL is 10 mg/L as N. (EPA) | 943k lb | -37% |
| AdmArcher Daniels Midland Co | Lincoln | n-HexaneHealth riskPeripheral neurotoxin. Chronic exposure causes numbness and paralysis in the extremities. (ATSDR) | 854k lb | -22% |
| Gerald Gentleman StationNebraska Public Power District | Sutherland | 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) | 795k lb | +17% |
| Whelan Energy Center (Wec 1 Hu Wec 2 Ppga)Hastings Utilities / Public Power Generation Agency | Hastings | BariumHealth 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) | 671k lb | +15% |
| Agp Processing INCAG Processing INC | Hastings | n-HexaneHealth riskPeripheral neurotoxin. Chronic exposure causes numbness and paralysis in the extremities. (ATSDR) | 654k lb | -23% |
| Adm Corn Processing-ColumbusArcher Daniels Midland Co | Columbus | 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) | 601k lb | +11% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Island, City Of Municipal | NE3107902 | 51,478 | 2 | UNRESOLVED |
| West Point, City Of Municipal | NE3103904 | 3,550 | 4 | UNRESOLVED |
| Cedar-Knox Rural Water Project Municipal | NE3120303 | 2,500 | 15 | UNRESOLVED |
| Stanton, City Of Municipal | NE3116702 | 1,577 | 2 | UNRESOLVED |
| Plainview, City Of Municipal | NE3113902 | 1,282 | 31 | UNRESOLVED |
| Wisner, City Of Municipal | NE3103903 | 1,239 | 29 | UNRESOLVED |
| Weeping Water, City Of Municipal | NE3102506 | 1,107 | 1 | UNRESOLVED |
| Laurel, City Of Municipal | NE3102705 | 972 | 5 | UNRESOLVED |
| Genoa, City Of Municipal | NE3112502 | 898 | 4 | UNRESOLVED |
| Humphrey, City Of Municipal | NE3114103 | 842 | 4 | UNRESOLVED |
Superfund / NPL sites
Federal Cleanup Sites In Nebraska
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10Th Street Site | Columbus | NPL FINAL | No | TetrachloroetheneHealth riskPCE / 'perc'. IARC Group 2A probable carcinogen; central-nervous-system effects; common dry-cleaning solvent and DNAPL plume contaminant. EPA MCL 5 µg/L. (IARC, EPA) |
| Bruno Co-Op Association/Associated Properties | Bruno | NPL FINAL | No | 1,2-DichloroethaneHealth riskIARC Group 2B possible carcinogen; liver and kidney toxic. EPA MCL 5 µg/L. (IARC, EPA) |
| Cleburn Street Well | Grand Island | NPL FINAL | No | TetrachloroetheneHealth riskPCE / 'perc'. IARC Group 2A probable carcinogen; central-nervous-system effects; common dry-cleaning solvent and DNAPL plume contaminant. EPA MCL 5 µg/L. (IARC, EPA) |
| Cornhusker Army Ammunition Plant | Grand Island | NPL FINAL | FEDERAL | 1,3,5,7-Tetranitro-1,3,5,7-Tetrazocane (Hmx) |
| Garvey Elevator | Hastings | NPL FINAL | No | Carbon TetrachlorideHealth riskIARC Group 2B possible carcinogen; liver toxic. EPA MCL 5 µg/L. Banned for most uses since 1986. (IARC, EPA) |
| Hastings Ground Water Contamination | Hastings | NPL FINAL | No | TrichloroetheneHealth riskTCE. IARC Group 1 carcinogen — kidney cancer; suspected liver cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. EPA MCL 5 µg/L; common DNAPL groundwater plume contaminant. (IARC, EPA, ATSDR) |
| Iowa-Nebraska Light & Power Co | Norfolk | NPL FINAL | No | BenzeneHealth riskIARC Group 1 carcinogen. Long-term inhalation causes leukemia and bone-marrow disorders. (IARC, EPA) |
| Lindsay Manufacturing Co. | Lindsay | NPL FINAL | No | 1,1,1-TrichloroethaneHealth riskMethyl chloroform. CNS depressant; ozone-depleting substance phased out under Montreal Protocol. EPA MCL 200 µg/L. (EPA, ATSDR) |
| Nebraska Ordnance Plant (Former) | Mead | NPL FINAL | No | 1,2-Dichloropropane |
| Ogallala Ground Water Contamination | Ogallala | NPL FINAL | No | TetrachloroetheneHealth riskPCE / 'perc'. IARC Group 2A probable carcinogen; central-nervous-system effects; common dry-cleaning solvent and DNAPL plume contaminant. EPA MCL 5 µg/L. (IARC, EPA) |
Showing the top 10 sites by status priority. 9 additional NPL-relevant sites in Nebraska have entity pages — browse them via the host-county or host-city page rollups.
Equity context · ACS 2018-2022 · USEPA-clone EJ disparity
Statewide Population Characteristics
All Nebraska block groups: 1,961,504 residents. Statewide disparity score for pm2.5 (fine particulate) sits well below the reference (23). 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.
10.4%
Low-income
22.9%
People of color
6.8%
Under age 5
16.2%
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.18below the national median
- OzoneHealth riskGround-level ozone (smog) inflames the airways. Even short exposures trigger asthma attacks and worsen chronic lung and heart disease.23below 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.60above 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.41near 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.81in the highest 20% nationally
- 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.58near 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.66above 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.93in the highest 10% nationally
- 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.81in the highest 20% nationally
- 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.55near 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.81in the highest 20% nationally
- 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.86in the highest 20% 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.79above the national median
| Indicator | Disparity score | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (fine particulate) | 23 | well below the reference |
| Ozone | 42 | well below the reference |
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) | 63 | below the reference |
| Diesel particulate | 45 | well below the reference |
| Toxic releases (RSEI) | 52 | below the reference |
| Traffic proximity | 50 | well below the reference |
| Lead-paint risk (pre-1960 housing) | 57 | below the reference |
| Superfund site proximity | 41 | well below the reference |
| RMP-facility proximity | 70 | below the reference |
| Hazardous-waste site proximity | 46 | well below the reference |
| Underground storage tanks | 62 | below the reference |
| NPDES wastewater proximity | 53 | below the reference |
| Drinking-water non-compliance | 33 | 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 46 Nebraska Counties With TRI Data
Pollution trends and TRI 2024 pages for every tracked county. Alphabetical.
- Adams County pollution· 6 facilities
- Boone County pollution· 1 facility
- Box Butte County pollution· 1 facility
- Buffalo County pollution· 5 facilities
- Cass County pollution· 1 facility
- Cheyenne County pollution· 1 facility
- Colfax County pollution· 1 facility
- Cuming County pollution· 3 facilities
- Dakota County pollution· 5 facilities
- Dawson County pollution· 5 facilities
- Dixon County pollution· 1 facility
- Dodge County pollution· 7 facilities
- Douglas County pollution· 24 facilities
- Fillmore County pollution· 2 facilities
- Furnas County pollution· 1 facility
- Gage County pollution· 2 facilities
- Hall County pollution· 8 facilities
- Hamilton County pollution· 4 facilities
- Hitchcock County pollution· 2 facilities
- Holt County pollution· 2 facilities
- Jefferson County pollution· 2 facilities
- Johnson County pollution· 1 facility
- Kearney County pollution· 1 facility
- Kimball County pollution· 1 facility
- Lancaster County pollution· 15 facilities
- Lincoln County pollution· 3 facilities
- Madison County pollution· 7 facilities
- Merrick County pollution· 1 facility
- Morrill County pollution· 1 facility
- Nemaha County pollution· 1 facility
- Otoe County pollution· 3 facilities
- Perkins County pollution· 1 facility
- Phelps County pollution· 2 facilities
- Pierce County pollution· 1 facility
- Platte County pollution· 11 facilities
- Red Willow County pollution· 2 facilities
- Saline County pollution· 2 facilities
- Sarpy County pollution· 5 facilities
- Saunders County pollution· 2 facilities
- Scotts Bluff County pollution· 1 facility
- Seward County pollution· 3 facilities
- Stanton County pollution· 2 facilities
- Valley County pollution· 1 facility
- Washington County pollution· 4 facilities
- Wayne County pollution· 2 facilities
- York County pollution· 2 facilities
Sources.
- EPA Toxics Release Inventory · retrieved 2026-05-07.