Welcome to the Contaminated Sites Tracking Database! The database has site information primarily from two state programs, Chapter 133 and Chapter 137 (also known as the Land Recycling Program).
Chapter 133 and the Land Recycling Program (LRP) are administered to address sites that are contaminated by hazardous materials or wastes. These programs focus on assessing the severity of such problems and on identifying and carrying out the appropriate remedial measures to assure the protection of public health and environment. In addition, the LRP provides for limited liability protection from further regulatory action relative to the problem(s) addressed. Sites come to the attention of IDNR in various ways; however, the largest group consists of properties which have been the subject of environmental assessments, generally associated with real estate transfers.
The database contains listings that reference “brownfield” sites. Brownfields are defined as sites where contamination, or even the perception of contamination, has hindered interest in site reuse. As such, sites listed as brownfields in our database may not have a significant issue, but were addressed through an environmental assessment that the DNR has reviewed. Many brownfield assessments are the result of Federal EPA grants issued to communities. Not every site that may have the characteristics of a brownfield is listed in the database, as again, the database only contains sites where DNR has been directly involved with regulatory review or oversight.
The state also cooperates with EPA in the administration of the CERCLA program, often called Superfund. This program includes emergency removal and remedial components generally targeted at more seriously contaminated sites. The state also cooperates with EPA in a program referred to as "pre-remedial" designed to evaluate sites for eligibility for the remedial portion of the CERCLA program.
The database identifies those sites associated with the EPA’s National Priorities List (NPL). The NPL is a list of sites of national priority among the known releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants throughout the United States and its territories. Within this database, sites where remedial actions have been completed and have then been deleted or delisted from the NPL are classified as ‘closed’ even though monitoring may be ongoing. Those NPL sites that are active have an ‘open’ classification on the database.
It should be noted that the State of Iowa does not currently administer the federal RCRA Title C program. This program is managed by United State Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region VII, located in Lenexa, Kansas. For more information on this program, please visit the EPA Region 7 RCRA webpage.
Documents may be searched and downloaded, by clicking on the Document Search button on the Home Page or by accessing the electronic document retrieval option in the Report menu.
Besides the Electronic Document Retrieval option, the following reports are available for view and/or download;
If you need file upload access for site(s) you will need to create an ID.iowa.gov account, if you do not already have one created. Once you have logged in, submit the Request PDF Upload Access form for the site(s) you are requesting access to. Our staff will then review your request and inform you of our decision accordingly. If you need assistance with creating an ID.Iowa.gov account, please see this ID.Iowa.gov Help Guide.