MISSOURI VALLEY, Iowa – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District hosted a public meeting May 21, 2025, to update residents on ongoing environmental investigations and cleanup efforts at the former Atlas “D” Missile Site 3, a Cold War-era installation operated in the early 1960s that has since become a nationally-designated remediation priority.
Col. Robert Newbauer, Omaha District commander, opened the meeting by emphasizing USACE’s commitment to the community and the complexity of the cleanup process.
“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers remains fully committed to addressing the groundwater contamination at Atlas Missile Site 3,” Newbauer said. “Since our last public meeting, we’ve made real progress - including three pilot studies testing promising cleanup technologies based on site-specific conditions. We’re nearing the end of identifying the full scope of contamination and now we’re transitioning into setting cleanup goals and selecting the best path forward for implementation.”
The site, located south of Missouri Valley, was used from 1961 to 1964 to house three above-ground intercontinental ballistic missile silos. These silos and supporting structures were routinely flushed with solvents such as trichloroethylene (TCE) during readiness exercises. Over time, those solvents leaked into the surrounding soil and groundwater.
Scott Sawyer, USACE project manager, compared the contamination to scattered debris at multiple depths, explaining the technical challenges of containing and remediating it.
Representatives from contractor Jacobs Engineering presented key findings from the most recent Remedial Investigation which saw their experts install monitoring wells to assess the nature and extent of the TCE plume.
Geologists identified complex glacial geology as a major challenge. The contamination has moved primarily through sand and gravel channels beneath thick clay layers, which vary across the site. These preferential flow paths allow TCE to travel northwest toward residential areas.
A health risk assessment found that the main risks stem from shallow groundwater in source areas. While current residential wells are drawing from deeper, intermediate water-bearing zones, future excavation or construction in affected areas could pose exposure risks to workers.
Sawyer encouraged residents to verify or renew Right-of-Entry agreements, which allows USACE to access properties for sampling. Two real estate specialists were available on-site to assist with questions.
Representatives from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, USACE chemists, risk assessors and other technical staff were also on-hand to answer resident questions. Officials emphasized that data from similar cleanup efforts nationwide are being leveraged to help determine effective long-term remedies for the Atlas site.
USACE plans to continue its phased investigative approach before presenting potential cleanup alternatives in a future public meeting.