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Site Report: Bear Creek RRS Yukon River POL Site SS008

Site Name: Bear Creek RRS Yukon River POL Site SS008
Address: 1 Mile East of Tanana, Tanana, AK 99777
File Number: 780.38.002.07
Hazard ID: 107
Status: Cleanup Complete
Staff: No Longer Assigned, 9074655229 dec.icunit@alaska.gov
Latitude: 65.169912
Longitude: -152.034559
Horizontal Datum:WGS84

We make every effort to ensure the data presented here is accurate based on the best available information currently on file with DEC. It is therefore subject to change as new information becomes available. We recommend contacting the assigned project staff prior to making decisions based on this information.

Problems/Comments

The Bear Creek Radio Relay Station operated from 1959 to 1979. The former Air Force installation used the POL Site located on the north bank of the Yukon River to store and transfer fuel to the main installation, approximately six miles away. The facility consisted of a 126,000 gallon diesel fuel and a 16,500 gallon motor gasoline above ground storage tanks surrounded by an earthern berm. These tanks were removed in the 1996 Clean Sweep site demolition. DRO contamination documented in the subsurface soil underneath the former diesel fuel tank. Two monitoring wells installed in 1998 found DRO under groundwater cleanup levels. Air Force Installation Restoration Program Site SS08; fomerly POI 4. This site was given an IRP designation after it was scheduled for further investigation in 2005.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
7/29/2005 GIS Position Updated Site location in the database is accurate. Colin Craven
7/29/2005 Site Characterization Workplan Approved Meetings with the Air Force and its contractors resolved all comments and questions on the draft work plan. Field work should begin in early August 2005. Colin Craven
7/29/2005 Site Added to Database GIS provided by RP. Kim DeRuyter
4/24/2006 Site Characterization Report Approved Draft 2005 Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study Report received. Comments were submitted by Colin Craven and overall it was acceptable, other than the following issues: There is a question on background Arsenic concentrations to defend the analysis that the levels are not site-related; land ownership for each site needs to be identified; Conceptual Site Models will need to be submitted for all characterized sites; and some revisions of the Method 3 calculations should be made. Lisa Maserjian
12/11/2006 Meeting or Teleconference Held See comments for Site SS007 Lisa Maserjian
3/1/2007 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking. Lisa Maserjian
11/15/2007 Update or Other Action The Air Force released a Proposed Plan for public comment on Final Actions for 5 sites at Bear Creek (including the Yukon River POL site). The comment period extended from July 9 through August 14, 2007. No comments were received. Kim DeRuyter
11/15/2007 Update or Other Action Draft ROD for SS002, SS003, SS004, SS006, and SS008 received. Kim DeRuyter
12/6/2007 Update or Other Action Site files have been transferred to Fairbanks for review by new project manager. The 2005 RI/FS Final Report for the Yukon River POL and Borrow Pit Area was submitted to the Department Jan 26, 2007. This report indicates that only one of 26 soil samples at the Yukon River POL exceeded Method II Migration to Groundwater Cleanup Levels at 354 mg/Kg DRO. Sediment and Groundwater samples did not exceed applicable cleanup levels. The report concludes that No Further action is required at the POL. Kim DeRuyter
12/10/2007 Update or Other Action A preliminary conceptual site model (CSM) for the Bear Creek RRS can be found in section 7 of the September 1999 Final Remedial Investigation Report, and in the 2005 RI/FS. Kim DeRuyter
9/16/2008 Update or Other Action DEC sent comments to the Draft/Final ROD. The ROD included SS002 the Vehicle Maintenance Shop, SS003, the Fuel Storage Area, SS004 the Equipment Building, SS006 the Barrel Storage Area, and SS008 the POL Site by the yukon River. Residual soil contamination at these sites is below risk based levels. The completion of the Draft/Final ROD was delayed while DEC revised the Site Closure Proceedures and Policy Guidance. The remedial action objective for the sites is no further action. The site status will change to cleanup complete with no institutional controls upon signature of the Final ROD. Kim DeRuyter
2/20/2009 Update or Other Action Met with Steve Hunt in the Fairbanks office on 2/19/09 to discuss the Proposed Plans for the Borrow Pit, LFO1, and Equipment building sites and DECs comments to the Draft Final (no further action) record of decision. Sent a letter outlining DECs final comments on the ROD on 2/20/09. Kim DeRuyter
7/30/2009 Cleanup Complete Determination Issued John Halverson signed a no further action Record of Decision for four sites at the Bear Creek Radio Relay Station. The ROD included SS008 the POL site by the Yukon River. Diesel contamination below health based levels remains in subsurface soi below health based cleanup levels. Sample results indicate that groundwater and sediment were not impacted by the release. Kim DeRuyter
8/19/2009 Site Visit Discussed removal of monitoring wells during a site visit with the Air Force Project Manager. The Monitoring well decomissioning will be included in the remedial action work plan Kim DeRuyter
6/20/2011 CERCLA RI Plan Approved DEC received the proposed remedial investigation / removal action on April 7, 2011 and sent comments on April 21 and June 12. Comments were responded to on May 31 and June 16. DEC determined the comment responses to be adequate and sent an approval letter for the work plan on June 21, 2011. The Air Force plans to decommision the remaining 5 wells associated with groundwater monitoring at this site. Meghan Dooley
3/19/2012 CERCLA Remedial Action Completion Report The Final Bear Creek Remedial Investigation/Removal Action Report was received. 5 wells were decomissioned at the POL site. Meghan Dooley
9/24/2013 Update or Other Action On Sept 24, 2013, ADEC concurred with a workplan prepared by Jacobs Eng, for the AF, to survey the boundaries of SS002, SS003 and SS008 for use in documenting areas with residual petroleum in soil to aid in proper future soil managment. The plan also includes provisions for inspecting and verifying proper closure of an abandoned underground fuel pipeline between the former Equipment Building and the Fuel Storage Area. John Halverson
12/20/2013 Update or Other Action Received Draft Survey Report: Site Closure Documentation for Sites SS002, SS003, and SS008, Bear Creek RRS, Alaska (CDRL A001E). Meredith Savage
2/4/2014 Update or Other Action Reviewed and approved as final- Draft Survey Report: Site Closure Documentation for Sites SS002, SS003, and SS008, Bear Creek Radio Realy Station (RRS), Alaska. Meredith Savage
2/21/2014 Update or Other Action Final report received- Survey Report: Site Closure Documentation for Sites SS002, SS003, and SS008, Bear Creek Radio Realy Station (RRS), Alaska. Meredith Savage
12/5/2014 Update or Other Action On July 30, 2009, ADEC signed the no further action ROD for four sites at the Bear Creek Radio Relay Station, which included the former Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricant Site by the Yukon River. However, the ROD included a requirement for a survey of site boundaries, delineation of residual contamination, and location and inspection of a buried pipeline at site SS003. This work was carried out in September 2013 and the results were presented in two reports (see entry for 2/21/2014). As of this entry, ADEC has updated the Exposure Tracking Model data base and drafted a formal closure letter for the site. Meredith Savage
12/5/2014 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 71087 Yukon River POL Site. Meredith Savage
12/12/2014 Update or Other Action ADEC Contaminated Sites Program has completed a review of environmental records associated with the Bear Creek Radio Relay Station (RRS) sites SS002, SS003, and SS008. Based on this review we are issuing an updated Cleanup Complete determination for these named sites. The documentation of residual contamination remaining at these sites as stipulated in the June 1, 2009 Record of Decision (ROD) titled Final Record of Decision for Vehicle Maintenance Shop (SS002, Fuel Storage Area (SS003, Barrel Storage Area (SS006), POL Site by Yukon River (SS008) Bear Creek Radio Relay Station, Alaska, has been completed. After receiving the Site Closure Documentation report for Bear Creek Sites SS002, SS003, and SS008, ADEC used its Exposure Tracking Model (ETM) to evaluate risk of exposure to the remaining contaminants (DRO) for each of the three sites. Exposure pathways are the conduits by which contamination may reach human or ecological receptors. The ETM rankings for sites SS002, SS003, and SS008 show the pathways as either De-Minimis Exposure (exposure is negligible) or Pathway Incomplete (no direct exposure pathway). ADEC has determined that there is no unacceptable risk to human health or the environment at Bear Creek RRS sites SS002, SS003, and SS008, and these sites have been granted an updated Cleanup Complete determination. Meredith Savage
9/29/2023 CERCLA PA On this date, DEC reviewed the Draft Preliminary Assessment Report for Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) areas, Bear Creek Radio Relay Station, Alaska. No AFFF sources (fire training or non-fire training) areas were identified. Cascade Galasso-Irish

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments
DRO Between Method 2 Migration to Groundwater and Human Health/Ingestion/Inhalation Soil Diesel contamination remains in subsurface soil but groundwater and sediment were not impacted by the release.

Control Type

Type Details
No ICs Required

Requirements

Description Details
Advance approval required to transport soil or groundwater off-site.

No associated sites were found.

Missing Location Data

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State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation

P.O. Box 111800
Juneau, AK 99811-1800
Phone: 907-465-5066
Fax: 907-465-5245
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