North Railroad Avenue Plume

⚠ Superfund · Ready for anticipated reuse

Operation and maintenance activities are ongoing.

Location

CityEspanola
CountyRio Arriba County
StateNew Mexico
Coordinates35.99140, -106.08138

Contaminants of concern

Contaminated media

Cleanup timeline

  1. Initial Assessment Completed — 10/01/1990
  2. Proposed to the National Priorities List — 07/28/1998
  3. Finalized on the National Priorities List — 01/19/1999
  4. Remedial Investigation Started — 09/09/1996
  5. Final Remedy Selected — 09/27/2001
  6. Final Remedial Action Started — 09/08/2004
  7. Construction Completed — 06/30/2008
  8. Deleted from National Priorities List — Not Yet Achieved
  9. Most Recent Five-Year Review — 08/31/2025
  10. Achieved Sitewide Ready for Anticipated Reuse — Not Yet Achieved

EPA references

EPA-regulated facilities nearby

Understanding this Superfund site

North Railroad Avenue Plume is a federal Superfund site in New Mexico. The Superfund program, created by Congress in 1980, addresses sites where hazardous substances have been released or threaten release into the environment. EPA scores potential sites using the Hazard Ranking System; those that score high enough are placed on the National Priorities List.

Current status: Ready for anticipated reuse. EPA considers this site ready for anticipated reuse, meaning cleanup has progressed enough for certain land uses. This does not necessarily mean all contamination has been removed — institutional controls like deed restrictions may limit how the land can be used.

Contaminants of concern include tetrachloroethene, trichloroethene. Contamination has been detected in free-phase napl, groundwater, soil.

If you live near this site and have health concerns, your state health department can provide site-specific guidance. EPA maintains a community involvement program for most NPL sites, and site documents — including the Record of Decision, five-year reviews, and public health assessments — are typically available through EPA's Superfund site profile.