Farmland Industries, Inc., Nitrogen Fertilizer Plant Site

Site Background

The former Farmland Industries Nitrogen Plant located at 1608 North 1400 Road, Lawrence, Kansas, began operations in 1954 and produced a variety of fertilizer products. In 1993 Farmland Industries began addressing numerous environmental issues at the facility through a Consent Order issued by KDHE, including the operation of a long-term groundwater recovery system. In 2004 Farmland filed for bankruptcy, and a bankruptcy trust was formed to address the many environmental issues left behind.

In November 2009 KDHE and EPA published a plan for selecting a preferred remedial alternative for management and cleanup of contaminated soil and groundwater at the Farmland site, and requested public comment. The primary contaminants of concern are nitrate and ammonia. These contaminants are elevated in groundwater, soil, sediments, and surface and storm water.

KDHE and EPA held a public meeting to discuss the preferred remedial actions outlined in the Remedial Action Plan and to solicit public participation on Monday, November 9, 2009, at the Douglas County Fairgrounds, Lawrence, Kansas.

In 2010 the City of Lawrence acquired the 467-acre property and pursued negotiations with the KDHE and EPA for clean-up. The Consent Order was implemented on September 29, 2010, marking the beginning of demolition, restoration, and improvement. The Transition Plan was finalized by the City of Lawrence in June 2011. It provides detailed information on the project team and their roles and responsibilities for implementing the Remedial Action Plan and a Soil-Waste Management Plan. These plans will be followed as the site is redeveloped.

While the Remedial Design/Remedial Action Work Plan is being written, the City of Lawrence continues to operate and maintain the active remediation systems, which include groundwater recovery wells, sumps, interceptor trenches, aboveground storage tanks and all other systems needed for hydraulic containment and land application of contaminated ground and surface water. Business development will be possible through Environmental Use Control Agreements with the KDHE, allowing for growth while protecting human health and the environment. Groundwater continues to be captured onsite and shipped via pipeline to agricultural fields as fertilizer-enriched water.

Additional Information

For additional information, please contact:

• Pamela Green, KDHE-BER Project Manager, 785.296.1935

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Portions of these reports may have been removed in order to make them web-ready. Complete copies are available by contacting Pamela Green, 785.296.1935.

• Farmland Lawrence Corrective Action Decision (KDHE)
• Farmland Lawrence Site Characterization Report (KDHE)
• Farmland Lawrence Remedial Action Plan (KDHE)
• Farmland Lawrence Transition Plan (KDHE)