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Site Report: FAA Gustavus

Site Name: FAA Gustavus
Address: Gustavus Air Strip, Gustavus, AK 99826
File Number: 1507.38.009
Hazard ID: 1451
Status: Cleanup Complete
Staff: No Longer Assigned, 9074655229 dec.icunit@alaska.gov
Latitude: 58.422161
Longitude: -135.706064
Horizontal Datum:NAD83

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 FAA operates a remote communications air/ground (RCAG) facility at the Gustavus Airfield since the 1960s. Although this record is for the entire facility, a separate site exists for an underground regulated tank (49-A-001 1,000gallon). Another record for the airfield is the USACE removal of 35,000 drums removed in a superfund effort. CERCLA wastes that have occurred at this site include PCBs, waste oil, abandoned paint, and asbestos. These have largely been removed and disposed at licensed offsite treatment facilities. Petroleum contaminated soil is associated with the former 1,000gallon UST located between RCAG engine generator building 606 and remote communications building 402. The tank was installed in 1968 and was closed by removal in 1996. Located on a concrete pad behind building 606 was a former 2,500gallon AST removed by FAA (date unknown) and the tank was replaced with a 500gallon AST. Site Investigation in 1998 by FAA removed a volume of 50 cubic yards and installed a monitoring well east of the concrete pad. In 2000, FAA removed building 606, the 500gallon AST, the concrete pad, the monitoring well, and 134 tons of contaminated soil that was shipped off site and thermally remediated. Sample analysis confirmed the removal was effective and groundwater was not measurably impacted.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
1/7/1992 Preliminary Assessment Approved Preliminary Assessment Approved this date. Dick Farnell
1/7/1992 Site Characterization Report Approved (Old R:Base Action Code = SI - Site Investigation). This report was combined with the PA by the contractor E&E. Dick Farnell
2/1/1992 Update or Other Action Date of Draft Environmental Compliance Investigation Report (PA). Dick Farnell
3/25/1994 Site Added to Database This site is being investigated under CERCLA and is separate from the buried drum site being cleaned up by the ACOE, and separate from the ADOT/PF Airport lease lot. Dick Farnell
3/29/1994 Site Ranked Using the AHRM More than one possible contaminant at the site. Quantities and extent of contamination unknown. Endangerment of nearby shallow groundwater (used for drinking) is inconclusive. Dick Farnell
12/22/1994 Update or Other Action EPA NFRAP under CERCLA; FAA plans additional cleanup pursuant to state direction. Dick Farnell
7/17/1996 Update or Other Action Diesel release of an unknown amount was reported. The release was discovered during tank excavation on 7/16/96 from pipe fittings on tank 49-A-001 near RCAG Emergency Generator Building 606. FAA removed approximately 1 cubic yard from the excavation. Dick Farnell
11/15/1996 Update or Other Action Received the Tank Decommissioning Assessment for UST 49-A-1. Dick Farnell
5/1/1997 Update or Other Action No Further Action granted for Tank 49-A-1, 1,000gallon UST, located at the RCAG Facility, based on the sample results in the Decommissioning Assessment which were below the cleanup level for this site. UST Facility # 2562 and LUST Event ID# 2005. Dick Farnell
6/11/1997 Update or Other Action Received the Final Release Investigation Plan. Well logs from the Final Release Investigation Report dated 1/16/98 show site characterization work outlined in the plan had already begun by 6/9/97 without ADEC approval. Eileen Olson
1/27/1998 Update or Other Action Received Final Release Investigation Report documenting site characterization and cleanup activities at the RCAG. Dick Farnell
11/9/1998 Update or Other Action Project management transferred from Dick Farnell to Eileen Olson. Eileen Olson
5/12/2000 Update or Other Action FAA requested approval to transport an estimated 100 cubic yards of contaminated soil to USR in Juneau during the week of May 15, 2000. Transport approved on the condition that the soil be received by the facility by 5/31/00. Tim Stevens
5/12/2000 Interim Removal Action Approved Conditional approval based on FAA fulfilling conditions relating to the stockpiling of soils, excavation below the water table, field screening and confirmation sample requirements, and monitoring well installation requirements. Additional work required was outlined and included sampling along the ditch, sampling below the groundwater table, and characterizing the extent of the smear zone, groundwater levels, contamination and flow direction. Tim Stevens
1/14/2002 Update or Other Action Corrected database status from inactive to active. Elizabeth Stergiou
1/29/2002 Meeting or Teleconference Held Elizabeth Stergiou and Eileen Olson met with David Jadhon of FAA regarding possible work in Gustavus in March while some building demolition work is conducted. Eileen requested the demolition workplan to be submitted also. David submitted the1992 Environmental Compliance Investigation Report which includes the 1990 Reconnaissance report. I will review the file and have an email or letter of the site issues to FAA by the end of this week or early next week. Elizabeth Stergiou
1/30/2002 Update or Other Action Re-ranked site based on the 1992 Environmental Compliance Investigation Report. Changed Air Exposure Index from 0.1 to 0.2 based on the presence of stained soil at the location of an AST. Elizabeth Stergiou
1/30/2002 Update or Other Action Two entries in this database are not in the file. Preliminary Assessment Approved action of 1/07/92 and Site Characterization Report Approved action of 1/07/92 are prior to the Draft Environmental Compliance Investigation Report which is the Preliminary Assessment. Elizabeth Stergiou
2/5/2002 Update or Other Action Received sampling event report for the area of the new 500 gallon AST near Building 606, dated 10/25/96. During July 1996 samples were collected from 6 borings. Results showed DRO contamination of 5900 mg/kg in an area approximately 10 feet south of Building 606. Elizabeth Stergiou
2/7/2002 Meeting or Teleconference Held Meeting with David Jadhon of FAA regarding site characterization and sampling at the Building 600 site and questions at the other sites at the station. Elizabeth Stergiou
2/12/2002 Update or Other Action Project management transferred from Eileen Olson to Elizabeth Stergiou. Elizabeth Stergiou
2/13/2002 Update or Other Action FAA Gustavus review and meeting summary letter sent. Letter addressed remaining work required at Building 606 which include installation of monitoring wells that were to be installed during the 2000 field season, requirements for sampling the floor of the previous excavation, measuring the groundwater flow direction, characterizing the extent of groundwater contamination and characterizing the vertical extent of soil contamination by sampling below the groundwater table. The letter also requested information on issues at Building 400, the Post Office Drum Disposal Area, the Dock Area Tank Farm, The Disposal Area at NW end of Airstrip and the Disposal Area at SE end of Airstrip. Elizabeth Stergiou
9/19/2002 Update or Other Action Sent general letter requesting the following documents be submitted by 10/1/02: information requested in the Department's February 12, 2002 letter. Elizabeth Stergiou
1/10/2005 Update or Other Action File transferred to the Fairbanks office from the Juneau office for project manager assignment. Bruce Wanstall
4/13/2007 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking ETM ranking Anne Marie Palmieri
4/25/2007 Cleanup Complete Determination Issued Erin Gleason
4/25/2007 Update or Other Action Former AST at the RCAG was closed this date. Soil removal was conducted in 2000 with 134 tons of soil removed. All confirmation samples were below method 2 cleanup levels. Groundwater sample collected before removal was non-detect for all constituents. Anne Marie Palmieri
9/8/2015 Update or Other Action Requested site update from FAA Melody Debenham
2/8/2017 Update or Other Action Project management change back to the Juneau office. Examine the 1998 and 2000 remedial action reports to determine which areas of concern may have been resolved by the project manager. Bruce Wanstall
4/4/2018 Institutional Control Record Removed Institutional Controls have been removed. Erin Gleason

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments
DRO < Method 2 Most Stringent Soil
Naphthalene < Method 2 Most Stringent Soil

Control Type

Type Details
No ICs Required

Requirements

Description Details
Advance approval required to transport soil or groundwater off-site.
Movement or use of contaminated material (including on site) in a manner that results in a violation of the water quality standards is prohibited (18 AAC 70)

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
TDD: 800-770-8973
Physical Location: 410 Willoughby