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Site Report: FAA Strawberry Point

Site Name: FAA Strawberry Point
Address: Strawberry Hill, NE Hinchinbrook Island, Cordova, AK 99574
File Number: 2228.38.001
Hazard ID: 1543
Status: Cleanup Complete
Staff: No Longer Assigned, 9074655229 dec.icunit@alaska.gov
Latitude: 60.397791
Longitude: -146.093390
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

In 1946 the Strawberry Point NDB Station and associated fuel delivery pipeline was established. Historically, fuel was delivered to the Strawberry Point NDB Station through aboveground pipelines from a barge landing in Boswell Bay and stored in ASTs. At some point prior to 1992 during active site use the three aboveground fuel pipelines were decommissioned in place. In 1992 the remaining fuel from the existing lines (three aboveground lines plus an additional line at the GS area) was removed. During the 1992 fieldwork, stained soils were detected at three locations described by HLA as station 36+28, station 17+23 and station 0+00. Eight AOCs were ultimately identified at the site. The pipeline was physically removed from the site in 2001 and 2002. Removal actions and on-site thermal treatment of soils was accomplished at the eight AOCs during Phase 3 in 2015.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
3/15/2001 Update or Other Action Date of EYAK Corp. response to DGC FONSI, requesting evaluation of staining including pipeline leaks Eileen Olson
6/15/2001 Meeting or Teleconference Held Met with FAA regarding completed and planned work. Eileen Olson
8/13/2001 Proposed Plan Approval of "Sampling and Analysis Plan, Specification Section 01011 and 01450 for FAA Strawberry Point Decommissioning, Hinchinbrook Island, Alaska". The plan proposes soil sampling of the VHF AST cradle, power shed, 4"pipeline, and 2" pipeline. Groundwater samples are proposed to be taken from the VHF site and an abandoned drinking water well. ADEC suggested the 4" main pipeline, identified as 4" pipeline with ACM wrap, be characterized, since it was not adequately characterized in previous reports. ADEC also requested FAA sample all of the other groundwater monitoring wells at the site. Eileen Olson
8/21/2001 Site Added to Database Petroleum contamination. Bruce Wanstall
8/21/2001 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Preliminary ranking. Bruce Wanstall
9/2/2003 Proposed Plan FAA proposed to use the 4-phase calculator to develop alternative cleanup levels. Use of the calculator and model were approved as was use of Washington state methods for measuring aliphatic and aromatic fractions in petroleum for use in the model but FAA was strongly encouraged to collect duplicate samples for analysis by AK102 and AK103 for the purpose of site closure. Requested clarification as to location and number of samples. Sharon Richmond
11/3/2003 Meeting or Teleconference Held met with FAA and GEosphere at Strawberry Point for site visit. Sharon Richmond
10/1/2004 Update or Other Action Reviewed 1999 Landfill Removals Report. FAA requested clarification as to whether characterization was adequated for the landfills and a PCB transformer. Both landfills have since eroded into Prince William Sound but characterization was adequate. FAA is concerned that the former PCB-contaminated area will erode this winter. Contaminated soil and concrete from this area were excavated and properly disposed of. One post-excavation sample had 0.46 mg/kg Aroclor 1260; 2 others and a duplicate were non-detect at 0.035 mg/kg. Sample holding times were exceed but the extremely low volatility, tendency to strongly sorb to soil particles, heavy degree of chlorination, and aerobic conditions present in the sample jar make it extremely unlikely that there was significant volatilization or biological degradation of contaminant. Both areas of concern have been adequately addressed. The FAA will address one area of the FAA Dump where concentrations of DRO, RRO and benzene exceeded cleanup levels. This area is not currently threated by erosion. Sharon Richmond
9/6/2007 Update or Other Action FAA will decommission existing buildings, pipelines, and the drinking water well at this facility. Soil will be screened for petroleum contamination and samples collected for laboratory analysis. A water sample will be collected before the well is decommissioned. Samples will be collected in a former transformer area and tested for PCBs. Coastal erosion has slowed; the remaining petroleum-contaminated soil is approx. 470 feet from the eroding bluff. Sharon Richmond
5/9/2008 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed. Sharon Richmond
4/7/2014 Cleanup Plan Approved The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) received the document: “WORK PLAN ADDENDUM NO. 2: THERMAL SOIL REMEDIATION OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE PLAN FOR THE SOIL EXCAVATION AT FAA STATIONSTRAWBERRY POINT, HINCHINBROOK ISLAND, ALASKA CONTRACT NUMBER DTFAAL-10-00002, TASK ORDER NUMBER 0060” on March 27, 2014 by email. This final workplan incorporates all of the comments presented in the comment resolution meeting held on March 18. Specific regulatory approvals include: 1. This facility is a Category A Portable Treatment Facility, as classified by ADEC’s Soil Treatment Facility Guidance, dated November 7, 2002 and 18 AAC 78.274. This document uses the definition of facility given in 18 AAC 75.365 2. A waiver of the requirement for impartial third party sampling is granted under 18 AC 790(f) to allow on site personnel to conduct environmental sampling at this remote location. 3. Onsite transportation and disposal of treated soil to be used as backfill in the excavation is anticipated. Movement of soil to be used as backfill may commence immediately upon receipt of sample results by the project team in the field. This pre-approval is intended to facilitate rapid application of backfill and minimize storage of treated soil at the project site. Fred Vreeman
7/18/2014 Update or Other Action An updated field screening frequency was approved via email for soil which had been thermally treated in a soil remediation unit. The approved field screening frequency is calculated as 3 times the number of analytical samples required for the volume of treated soil. Fred Vreeman
5/26/2015 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC Review and Approval of the Draft Phase I Removal Action Report, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Station Strawberry Point, Hinchinbrook Island, Alaska. This report described the results of the 2013 removal activities at the FAA Station at Strawberry Point. Of the eight areas of concern (AOCs) identified for remediation at the site, five were addressed in 2013. Four AOCs, including the Northernmost Site, the Metal Debris Area, the VHF site, and the Former Dump Site, were excavated and/or cleaned up to a degree that warranted a determination of Cleanup Complete without ICs once the excavated soil has been remediated. Excavation work remains at the three AOCs which were not addressed in 2013: The Davis Property, The Orca Oil Property, and Pipeline Area 17+23 and North of 17+23. According to the report, further excavation work is also planned at the Generator/Shop Area. Monte Garroutte
7/9/2015 Cleanup Plan Approved ADEC received and approved the document "FINAL WORK PLAN ADDENDUM NUMBER 4 FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION EXCAVATION OF CONTAMINATED SOILS STRAWBERRY POINT, HINCHINBROOK ISLAND, ALASKA,JULY 8, 2015, Contract Number DTFAAL-10-D-00002, Task Order Number 0076, Modification No. 6 CLIN0002" on July 9, 2015. The document describes the excavation, confirmation sampling, and site restoration of four remaining Pipeline Sites areas of concern: Davis Property, Orca Oil Property, Station 17 + 23, and North of 17 +23. Joy Whitsel
9/9/2015 Cleanup Plan Approved DEC approved a modification to the 2015 Addendum 3 Soil Treatment and Excavation Workplan. Description as follows: Rocks larger than 3/4" were screened from excavated soil prior to thermal treatment. Rocks larger than 2" and screened material between 3/4" - 2" will be added to the treated soil. Soil confirmation samples will be taken after addition of screened material. The screened material accounts for <10 cubic yards out of 7,000 cubic yards contaminated soil. Joy Whitsel
11/9/2015 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Completed review and approval of the report Phase 2 Soil Treatment and Excavation, Federal Aviation Administration Former Strawberry Point NDB Station, Hinchinbrook Island, Alaska. The final report describes the excavation of the Generator/Shop (GS) area of concern, soil thermal remediation, and confirmation sampling. Confirmation sample results indicate no contamination remains above DEC cleanup levels at the limits of the GS excavation. Confirmation sampling of thermally treated soil stockpiles verified that concentrations of diesel range organics (DRO) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are below the DEC Method Two cleanup levels. Joy Whitsel
8/9/2016 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 78377 name: VHF AST Joy Whitsel
8/9/2016 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 78380 name: Shop and Generator Bldg Joy Whitsel
8/9/2016 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 78379 name: Orca Oil Property Joy Whitsel
8/9/2016 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 78381 Dump . Joy Whitsel
8/9/2016 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 78382 name: Pipeline Joy Whitsel
8/9/2016 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 78378 name: Davis Property Joy Whitsel
12/12/2016 Final Cleanup Report Reviewed The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has reviewed the response to comments and final Phase 3 Soil Treatment and Excavation Report for Former Strawberry Point Non-Directional Beacon (NDB) Station, Hinchinbrook Island, Alaska. The report documents the field activities performed during the 2015 field season at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) former Strawberry Point NDB Station on Hinchinbrook Island. Soil contaminated with diesel range organics (DRO) was excavated and thermally treated from four areas of concern (AOCs): Station 17+23, North of Station 17+23, Davis Property, and Orca Oil Property. All post-thermal treatment confirmation samples collected from 9,935 cy of thermally treated soil had concentrations of DRO below cleanup levels. The conclusions from this report support a “Cleanup Complete” without institutional controls (ICs) for the two pipeline AOCs: North of Station 17+23 and Orca Oil Property. Two pipeline AOCs: Station 17+23 and Davis Property require additional documentation of attenuation of DRO in groundwater. Joy Whitsel
3/28/2018 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other DEC Approval – Work Plan Groundwater Sampling. This work plan details field efforts at the two remaining areas of concern. Two temporary well points will be installed to monitor groundwater at Station 17+23 AOC. Significant or complete erosion of the Davis Property AOC has been reported and therefore site conditions will be evaluated to determine if well installation is possible. Gretchen Caudill
11/30/2018 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other DEC Comments provided – 2018 Draft FAA Strawberry Point Groundwater Sampling. This report details the installation and analysis of two temporary well points to monitor groundwater at the 17+23 AOC. DRO and residual range organics (RRO) were documented above cleanup levels in temporary well point TP2 at 3,140 µg/L and 5320 µg/L, respectively. The report also details the field observations documenting significant erosion of the Davis Property AOC, making monitoring well installation likely impracticable. Concerns exist regarding the potential for contamination to erode into the aquatic environment. Gretchen Caudill
4/5/2019 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Approval of Groundwater Monitoring Report. This report details the installation and analysis of two temporary well points to monitor groundwater at the 17+23 AOC. DRO and RRO were documented above cleanup levels in temporary well point TP2 at 3,140 µg/L and 5,320 µg/L, respectively. The report also details the field observations documenting significant erosion of the Davis Property AOC to the south. Gretchen Caudill
4/17/2020 Update or Other Action DEC approves the 2020 Final Work Plan. RP plans to install and sample two temporary monitoring well points, and attempt sampling at an existing monitoring well. RP will also complete a bluff line survey to determine erosion. This work may be postponed or cancelled for this summer based on the COVID-19 pandemic. Tim Sharp
6/25/2020 Update or Other Action DEC has sent a No Further Action necessary (NFA) decision document for these five AOCs: Former Dump, VHF Site, Orca Oil, North of 17+23, and Northernmost Site. The other three AOCs (Generator/Shop Bldg, Davis Property, and Pipeline Station 17+23) are not eligible for cleanup determination. This site remains Active until all AOCs are eligible for cleanup complete determination. Tim Sharp
3/10/2021 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other DEC has sent comments for the draft 2020 (now 2021 due to cancellation from COVID-19) Work Plan Addendum. Pore water and seep sampling will be conducted at the generator AOC and analyzed for DRO, BTEX, PAHs, TAH and TAqH. If samples come back below CULs and AWQS, then the generator AOC will be reviewed for a cleanup complete determination. Tim Sharp
11/10/2021 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 78378 Davis Property. Tim Sharp
11/10/2021 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 78382 Pipeline Station 17+23. Tim Sharp
11/16/2021 Cleanup Complete Determination Issued DEC has reviewed the site history and determined that the contaminant concentrations remaining on site are not of unacceptable risk, or the pathways of concern are de minimis or incomplete. The site is considered closed without ICs. Tim Sharp

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments
DRO < Table C Groundwater contaminated area was thermally remediated and the entire contaminated area has eroded into the ocean.

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)
Hazard ID Site Name File Number
22980 FAA - ND Beacon Strawberry Point 2228.38.001

Missing Location Data

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