Remediation of contaminated soil sites is important to our environment and the growing population that interacts with these resources. Contamination of soil due to leaks, spills and seepage is a worldwide problem usually diagnosed by costly and time-consuming methods primarily using wet chemistry. Problems in remediation efforts involve finding technologies that are less time-consuming and more cost effective over time. Field portable spectrometers that cover key spectral ranges in the ultraviolet, visible and near infrared regions provide a solution for fast and easy identification of contaminants in soil. Using a field portable spectrometer to measure Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) in soil is a fast and nondestructive method of analysis. Applying UV-VIS-NIR technology to these samples hydrocarbon spectra can potentially be characterized by four main absorption features at 1180nm, 1380, 1730nm, and 2310nm. This presentation aims to highlight the utility of field portable NIR technology for researchers in addressing potentially contaminated environments.