NETL-Albany Groundwater, Soil Vapor Monitoring Program

April 2026 Update

NETL has conducted a groundwater monitoring program for more than 20 years at its research site in Albany, Oregon. The program operates under the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Voluntary Cleanup Program and is conducted pursuant to U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) procedures.

Contamination levels measured under NETL’s groundwater monitoring program have historically been below threshold levels set forth in the Oregon DEQ’s compliance standards. However, in 2006, groundwater at a few locations did not meet compliance standards, resulting in the Oregon DEQ requiring NETL to provide city drinking water connections to certain local households. The connections to city water were made to prevent potential ingestion of contaminated drinking water from household wells.

In 2023, the Oregon DEQ revised its risk assessment standards and lowered a portion of its standard thresholds. To comply with new standards, NETL expanded its monitoring program by adding eight soil vapor monitoring wells on-site. In addition, NETL obtained permits from the city of Albany to install five wells off-site within public rights of way to assess potential migration of the legacy contaminants.

Timeline for 2026

In April, NETL’s project contractor, Fed95 LLC, will apply for permits to drill seven new wells at off-site locations to collect groundwater samples. Shallow wells to collect soil vapor samples will be drilled a short distance from each groundwater well. Within that the same time frame, an additional well will be drilled within the NETL fence line to collect samples needed to address a data gap in measuring on-site contamination levels. In addition, one groundwater well and three soil vapor wells are planned to be drilled in July or August on Greater Albany Public Schools property adjacent to the NETL sites to collect additional data.

Work completed in 2025 established temporary wells to determine the optimal locations for monitoring the subsurface contaminants. In 2026, the second phase of the project, Fed95 will install wells to obtain groundwater and soil vapor samples quarterly for an anticipated one-year period. These wells are needed to provide quality data about the contaminant levels and determine changes in contaminant levels over time.

Collected samples will be sent to an environmental laboratory accredited by the Oregon Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program for analysis. NETL will then provide results to the Oregon DEQ for review and guidance.

It’s safety first at well locations. The temporary off-site monitoring wells, drilled during the first phase of this project, were securely covered with a metal plate and barricaded for safety while in operation. After sampling was completed, the wells were abandoned, capped and filled with bentonite, a natural clay, pursuant to current environmental regulations. All areas were restored to their original condition, as much as possible.

Similar safety standards and precautions will be taken in the second phase of the project. Thick concrete covers with locking devices will be installed to prevent access to the wells. NETL plans to hire a landscaping specialist to restore the drilling areas to their original condition.

Additional program details

• NETL-Albany initiated its groundwater monitoring program in 2001, working in partnership with Oregon officials and the Oregon DEQ.

  Participating in the Oregon DEQ’s Voluntary Cleanup Program, NETL conducted a comprehensive assessment of soil, groundwater and soil gas conditions at the research site and in the neighboring community. Among other activities, NETL funded city water service connections to several households in the vicinity of the site that were using groundwater wells. After that work was completed, site conditions were considered protective to human health and the environment at that time.

• The primary contaminants of interest being monitored include trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, carbon tetrachloride, cis-1,2-dichloroethene and chloroform. The federal government used solvents that contained these contaminants at the Albany site. The on-site disposal of these solvents was discontinued when regulatory standards for hazardous waste disposal were enacted in the 1980s.

• The potential contamination levels measured under NETL’s current groundwater monitoring program have historically been below DEQ compliance standards. Changes to the risk assessment standards in 2023 and recent groundwater monitoring results have prompted the need for additional investigation to determine any need for remedial action.