Omaha Is Home to a Massive Superfund Site. Most Kids Living There Aren’t Tested for Lead.

ProPublica and Flatwater Free Press report that Omaha, Nebraska, home to the nation's largest residential lead cleanup Superfund site spanning 27 square miles with 400 million pounds of deposited lead, lacks mandatory blood lead testing for children despite public health evidence showing the need. The article is bylined to Chris Bowling and co-published with a local partner outlet, drawing on extensive on-the-record interviews with health officials (Naudia McCracken, Peg Schneider), EPA representatives, pediatricians, former EPA officials, and affected families—providing specifics including testing rates (fewer than half of children under 7 in affected areas tested), historical context (EPA investigation began 1999, site designated Superfund in early 2000s), and comparative policy analysis showing 13 states have passed universal testing laws with documented increases in detection rates. The reporting includes documentary evidence (obtained EPA documents showing 27,000 properties could qualify for cleanup under Biden-era guidance) and quantified findings (elevated blood lead levels in Omaha children declined from 33% in 2000 to 2.4% in 2025, but remain above national averages). Independent search results corroborate broader concerns about lead contamination pathways and EPA cleanup procedures at legacy industrial sites, though the search results provided do not directly address Omaha's specific testing gap. Critical readers should monitor the Omaha City Council's response to the proposed ordinance expected this summer, the EPA's end-of-year Superfund site reassessment announcement, and whether state Senator Ashlei Spivey introduces testing legislation—all of which could significantly expand cleanup scope if blood lead data collection improves.