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Site Report: Dutch Hbr-Fort Mears USTs Bldg 725

Site Name: Dutch Hbr-Fort Mears USTs Bldg 725
Address: Airport Beach Road, Dutch Harbor, Unalaska, AK 99685
File Number: 2542.38.029
Hazard ID: 1884
Status: Active
Staff: Sarah Bernhardt, 9072697527 sarah.bernhardt@alaska.gov
Latitude: 53.884230
Longitude: -166.545981
Horizontal Datum:NAD27

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

During construction of the Carrs/Eagle store in the early 1990s, between 12 and 17 non-regulated USTs/heating oil tanks were found and removed. Additional USTs were found and removed during Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS) program site investigation and cleanup work in 1996. The Corps removed another 31 underground storage tanks (including ten from the site listed as "AK Commercial - Margaret Bay) from the surrounding area between 1996 and 1998. Building 725 was the boiler building, located on the west side of Fort Mears along East Point Road. In 1996, the Building 725 UST was removed along with 240 cubic yards (cy) of petroleum, oil, and lubricants (POL)-impacted soils. Soil sampled were collected and one sample located southwest of the Building 725 UST had a DRO concentration of 513 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg), exceeding the ADEC Method Two cleanup levels. A groundwater sample was collected but was only analyzed for VOCs, SVOCs, and PAHs. All results were below cleanup levels. In 2015, two test pits were advanced at former building 715 and 725, and four soil samples were collected. Benzo(a)anthracene and benzo(a)pyrene were detected above ADEC Method Two cleanup levels (1.36 and 1.41 mg/kg, respectively) at 3.5 ft bgs. 2023 update - During site review of the Fort Mears and Margaret Bay vicinity sites, it was determined that this site was a site-wide file that encompassed several source areas that are CS sites, open and closed and non-qualifying: Dutch Hbr-Fort Mears Hospital UST (active), Dutch Hbr-Fort Mears UST 820 (active), Dutch Hbr-Fort Mears Warehouse Tract D Area (CC), and Dutch Hbr-Margaret Bay 28 Underground Storage Tanks (Bldg 884) (active). For administrative purposes, the site-wide components of this site has been shifted to the Margaret Bay 28 USTs (Bldg 884) site, and this site is now specifically referring to the Building 725/715 Former Boiler Building source area. This administrative change is also to align tracking of the site with FUDS for investigation and cleanup purposes, who is also tracking the Building 725 site as its own source area. The excerpted pages from the 2000 Comprehensive RI (attached to the database) describes the Margaret Bay site-wide USTs site, and goes into further detail on the Former Boiler Building 725.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
12/1/1993 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = RELR - Release Investigation Review (LUST)). Seventeen USTs (heating oil less than 500 gallons) were located in excavation. This site added to COE Alaska project list. Ray Dronenburg
1/4/1994 Site Added to Database Petroleum contamination from heating oil tanks. Former Staff
8/5/1998 Update or Other Action Received 1996 Amaknak Interim Removal Action/Investigation Report from the Corps of Engineers, prepared by Jacobs Engineering, dated August 1998. The report states that twelve heating oil tanks were removed during construction of the Carrs/Eagle store and that petroleum contaminated soil (ranging from 10 to 150 cubic yards per tank) was excavated and stockpiled nearby (not part of FUDS investigation or cleanup). The Corps thermally treated this stockpiled soil during FUDS work on the island. No further investigation or cleanup work was done at the store site. The Corps contractors removed 28 USTs from other former military buildings around Margaret Bay in 1996 and thermally treated another ~700 cubic yards of petroleum contaminated soil from around the tanks. John Halverson
10/12/1999 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Ranked site based on available information resulted in medium priority. John Halverson
6/5/2000 Site Characterization Report Approved ADEC received the final Comprehensive Remedial Investigation Report - Amaknak and Unalaska Islands, May 2000, by Jacobs Engineering for the Corps. The report documents past removal and characterization work under the FUDS program. An additional UST was removed in 1997 and two more in 1998. No further action is recommended at the former UST locations, with the exception of ICs addressing residual soil contamination at several former building locations. John Halverson
12/27/2000 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Site reranked and subsequently reduced to a Medium Priority from a High Priority. John Halverson
5/14/2008 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed. John Halverson
9/14/2010 CERCLA Proposed Plan ADEC received draft final Proposed Plan #5 that addressed Margaret Bay and Former Fort Mears Garison Management Area. Alternatives 1 ( Corrective Action Complete/Cleanup Complete with NDAI) and 2 (Corrective Action Complete/Cleanup Complete with ICs) were the two alternatives recommeded for the various sites in the Management Area. For sites proposed under Alternative 1, contaminant levels are less than the cleanup levels. For sites proposed under Alternative 2, contaminants may be present above cleanup levels, but the plan determined these concentrations to not pose unacceptable risk. Meghan Dooley
11/9/2010 CERCLA Proposed Plan ADEC sent comments regarding Proposed Plan #5. The plan addressed the Margaret Bay/Fort Mears Management Area. ADEC's major concerns with the plan are as follows: 1. Remedial investigation data is lacking for several of the sites, such as Fort Mears Hospital UST and Margaret Bay 28 USTs. Further Soil and Groundwater sampling and analyses are need to fully characterize the applicable sites. 2. The PP needs to identify proposed cleanup levels and clearly show how they will be achieved through the preferred remedies. 3. Fort Mears Landfill South should be removed from the PP as there is insufficient data to determine no action is needed. Further characterization is needed at this site. 4. Monitored Natural Attenuation was discussed previously and ADEC was informed it would be added as another remedial alternative. This should be added as a fourth alternative. 5. The document discusses ICs and future management, however no indication is given that the landowner has been informed and agrees to the conditions. Landowner concurrence should be obtained on any proposed ICs before finalizing the PP. Meghan Dooley
6/5/2015 Update or Other Action Received a draft document titled: Dutch Harbor Limited Removal Action Work Plan, Amaknak and Unalaska Islands, Alaska. The work plan outlines the activities planned to investigate twelve formerly used defense sites (FUDS) on the two islands and remove contaminated soil as necessary. The field activities will be carried out in two phases: Phase I is the investigation and will be conducted during the summer of 2015; Phase II is the removal action which will be carried out in the summer of 2016. ADEC File Number 2542.38.009 will be used to track this project, and all paper and electronic files will be housed under this file number. Updates to this data base will be made to each individual site, which can be accessed by its individual file number or by its (Hazard ID) number. The sites are: 2542.38.014 (25716) Mount Ballyhoo Drums; 2542.38.017 (25722) Pyramid Valley USTs (Bldg. 5264); 2542.38.018 (25704) Rocky Point Bldg. 627; 2542.38.023 (25812) Unalaska Valley UST 2674; 2542.38.023 (2882) Unalaska Valley UST 2766; 2542.38.023 (25804) Unalaska Valley Ski Bowl Generator Bldg.; 2542.38.023 (25811) Upper Unalaska Valley 165th Rd. and Ugadaga Rd. UST 3860; 2542.38.027 (25822) Margaret Bay USTs; 2542.38.029 (1884) Fort Mears USTs, Amaknak Island; 2542.38.029 (25816) Fort Mears Hospital UST; 2542.38.029 (25823) Fort Mears UST 820; 2542.38.033 (25843) Summer Bay AST and 55-Gallon Drum. Meredith Savage
8/20/2015 Site Characterization Workplan Approved The ADEC Contaminated Sites Program received the Final Dutch Harbor Limited Removal Action Work Plan, Amaknak and Unalaska Islands, Alaska. The work plan was not formally approved, but ADEC does not object to the site characterization portions of the work plan. A report should be submitted documenting these site characterization activities. A separate work plan or work plan addendum should be submitted for the limited removal action anticipated for summer of 2016, which details the proposed work as required in 18 AAC 75.360. Jessica Morris
5/5/2016 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other The 2015 Phase I Investigation Summary Dutch Harbor Limited Removal Action Amaknak and Unalaska Islands, Alaska was submitted on May 1, 2016 and approved by ADEC. No visible signs of contamination were observed in soil from either test pit near the UST, however, the analytical results from one sample indicated benzo(a)pyrene concentrations above the ADEC cleanup level in the test pit at former Building 715. Methylene chloride was also detected above the ADEC cleanup level in soil from both test pits. Upon review of the data, both the methylene chloride and benzo(a)pyrene detections are of questionable quality. No further action was recommended. Holly Weiss-Racine
10/20/2016 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other The 2016 Phase II Dutch Harbor Limited Removal Action Report for 9 sites on Amaknak and Unalaska Islands, Alaska was submitted on October 4, 2016 for review by ADEC. This report repeated the language from the Phase I RA report; no further action recommended at this site. Holly Weiss-Racine
10/23/2017 Update or Other Action ADEC approved final Dutch Harbor Limited Removal Action Report. Linda (Qi) Liu
4/21/2021 Update or Other Action Site location changed to the following coordinates: 53.88466209 -166.5502684 to represent location of Margret Bay USTs and to ensure representation on ANCSA conveyed land. Old coordinates were (53.885526 -166.548376). Ginna Quesada
1/25/2024 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Bulk action entry for review of the Draft Restoration Summary Report Containerized Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste, Amaknak Formerly Used Defense Sites, recommending closure at 53 sites. DEC received the draft summary report on April 2023, and provided comments on June 2023. On January 15, 2024, FUDS submitted a final summary report. Comment resolution has not been performed and is not complete. Further coordination is necessary with FUDS. Cascade Galasso-Irish
2/22/2024 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other On this date, DEC reviewed and approved the redline final, RTCs, and final Restoration Summary Report for the Amaknak Formerly Used Defense Sites F10AK0841-13, -14, -15, -16, -18, -20, Unalaska Valley, Pyramid Valley-Port Levashef, Summer Bay-Humpy Cove, Margaret Bay-Airport, Mount Ballyhoo, and Little South America in Unalaska, Alaska. Of the 53 sites included in this report, 39 of these sites are either closed in the Contaminated Sites database or are not eligible active sites. Fourteen (14) sites remain open in the CS database, either pending further coordination on the pathway to closure or are currently with DEC management for closure decision. This letter is documenting the approval of the final document but does not preclude the need for further investigation of sites included in the report. Cascade Galasso-Irish

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments

Control Type

Type Details

Requirements

Description Details

No associated sites were found.

Missing Location Data

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