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Site Report: Sitka Waste to Energy Facility

Site Name: Sitka Waste to Energy Facility
Address: Sheldon Jackson College, Jeff Davis St. & SMC Road, Sitka, AK 99835
File Number: 1525.38.016
Hazard ID: 1991
Status: Cleanup Complete - Institutional Controls
Staff: IC Unit, 9074655229 dec.icunit@alaska.gov
Latitude: 57.053602
Longitude: -135.322654
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

ADEC Preliminary Assessment executed in 1990: presence of heavy metals detected in soil and ash samples and dioxin in fly and bottom ash samples. Preliminary Assessment and Site Investigation on file.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
9/1/1989 Preliminary Assessment Approved Sampling results show elev. levels of various heavy metals, esp. Pb and Zn, in soil around incinerator area. No background soil data in report. Recommend further investigation. Former Staff
7/1/1994 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = SI - Site Investigation). Migration of contaminants via ground, surface or stormwater is considered low due to topography, geology, and hydrography. Migration via soil is considered most significant pathway due to spills of fly/bottom ash. Presence of significant amounts of heavy metals in approximately 14,400 square yards of soil. Former Staff
10/6/1994 Update or Other Action EPA CERCLA SI. Migration of potential contaminants GW to SW expected to be low potential. College hatchery a potential target. Soil exposure pathway considered to be most significant. Ash spillage onto facility grounds. Releases of metals in approximately 14,400 square yards of soil. Types and concentrations similar to those found in bottom and fly ash. Fly ash contained levels of cadmium and lead in excess of TCLP criteria. Bottom ash contained lead in excess of TCLP criteria. Potential threat to workers from air exposure pathway expected to be minimal. High precipitation plus workers wear respirators. Randy Rice
10/11/1994 Update or Other Action EPA SI received. Releases of metals observed in soil samples. Estimated 14,400 cubic yards of soil may be contaminated. Bill Janes
11/7/1994 Site Added to Database Heavy metals. Former Staff
11/7/1994 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Initial ranking. Former Staff
9/27/1999 Update or Other Action Email to Mark Buggins at CBS asking for site status. Need to determine if CBS did anything following the 1994 letter and report from EPA. Incinerator is rumored to be scheduled for closure next summer. Need to compare metal concentration with our soil cleanup values. Bill Janes
10/2/2000 Meeting or Teleconference Held Site characterization scoping meeting with CBS. Site visit conducted. Discovered incinerator yard has been paved over under renewal of the air permit. Clare to submit site characterization work plan for off site sampling by November Bill Janes
12/18/2000 Site Characterization Workplan Approved Email approval this date. Some changes regarding dioxin/furan sampling locations and MDL/PQL questions. See Jim Clare 12/13/00 letter on file and Dave Verbrugge's response email on the issues, also on file. I requested that Dave's recommendations be implemented. Bill Janes
1/4/2001 Update or Other Action Teleconference with Clare. Still some questions on a few analyticals (some pesticides). Bill Janes
5/16/2001 Meeting or Teleconference Held Scoping meeting and site visit with Hugh Bevan (CBS) and Jim Clare (consulting engineer). Bill Janes
6/13/2001 Update or Other Action Second sampling workplan submitted and approved as a result of the 5/16 meeting and site visit. Focus this time is on metals, DRO, and more dioxin sampling in soil, water and sediment. Semi-volatiles screened out based on first characterization effort. Bill Janes
6/14/2001 Update or Other Action Emailed Jack Lorrigan (Sitka Tribe) and Jennifer Williams (NPS) on site characterization status. Bill Janes
8/7/2001 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Re-ranked based on presence of dioxins and probable air release of dioxins thru stacks as documented thru sampling just off site. Bill Janes
9/25/2001 Update or Other Action Phase I ecological risk screening conducted. Benchmark concentrations exceeded in soil, air, water. Dioxin levels also higher than our regulatory risk level threshold. Sent email to the date to Hugh Bevan expressing concerns and requesting an early October meeting. Bill Janes
10/22/2001 Meeting or Teleconference Held Met with Sitka Tribe to discuss site issues. Also met with CBS and Sheldon Jackson College consulting engineer Dan Jones. Bill Janes
11/15/2001 Update or Other Action Approximate date of public notice in Sitka Sentinel. Bill Janes
12/6/2001 Update or Other Action Letter received from Sitka Tribe regarding recommendations. Also CBS applied for a Brownsfield grant - due date was 11/26/01 - for further investigation of the site. Bill Janes
12/18/2001 Update or Other Action Project tickler update - no action at this time. Bill Janes
12/20/2001 Update or Other Action Cost recovery check received by law $1,156.54. Bill Janes
1/7/2002 Update or Other Action Project Tickler update - No action at this time. Awaiting word from EPA on Brownfields grant. Bill Janes
2/7/2002 Update or Other Action Project tickler update - Email to Joanne Labaw at EPA region 10 asking if any word from Headquarters on CBS grant request. Bill Janes
2/15/2002 Update or Other Action Approximate date of second billing. Bill Janes
2/20/2002 Update or Other Action Cost recovery packet for $957.42 Bill Janes
3/6/2002 Update or Other Action Cost recovery check for $957.42 received by Law. Bill Janes
3/8/2002 Update or Other Action Project tickler update - No action at this time - check with EPA next month if no word. Bill Janes
4/1/2002 Update or Other Action EPA supposed to give word by end of this month. Letter sent to Bevan asking to explore contingency funding sources Bill Janes
6/7/2002 Update or Other Action Project tickler update - Received email from Hugh Bevan a few days ago. Grant denied. Will meet with him in Sitka next week to determine next steps. Bill Janes
6/20/2002 Update or Other Action Cost recovery packet $121.08. Bill Janes
7/5/2002 Update or Other Action Cost recovery check received by Law $121.08. Bill Janes
9/2/2002 Update or Other Action Still have not met with Bevan. $100,000 requested from City Council in July to continue project. Bill Janes
10/1/2002 Update or Other Action RFPs released. I provided Bevan with feedback on the RFP. Bill Janes
11/15/2002 Update or Other Action Exponent selected by CBS as risk assessment contractor approximately this date. Bill Janes
11/27/2002 Update or Other Action Letter of support sent to CBS rgd second Brownsfield grant application. Bill Janes
1/31/2003 Update or Other Action Cost recovery check received by Law for $84.29. Bill Janes
3/28/2003 Update or Other Action Submitted comments on risk assessment workplan received a few days ago from Exponent. Bill Janes
4/10/2003 Meeting or Teleconference Held Telecon to discuss RA comments from Sitka Tribe and DEC. Bill Janes
8/4/2003 Update or Other Action Draft RA received from Exponent. Bill Janes
9/8/2003 Update or Other Action Comments on draft RA received from Sitka Tribe. Bill Janes
12/10/2003 Meeting or Teleconference Held Meeting with CBS in Sitka to discuss DEC's comments on the draft risk assessment Bill Janes
12/12/2003 Meeting or Teleconference Held Comment resolution telecon with Exponent and CBS Bill Janes
1/13/2004 Meeting or Teleconference Held Met with CBS, Exponent and Jim Clare to discuss flume sampling. Bill Janes
2/26/2004 GIS Position Updated Updated lat/long data using GPS readings from Bill Janes 2/13/04 field trip. Cliff Walden
5/14/2004 Update or Other Action Revised final draft RA received from Exponent Bill Janes
7/7/2004 Update or Other Action Next revision received based on my discussion with Lisa Yost on some additional DEC comments Bill Janes
7/12/2004 Update or Other Action Several last changes to the risk assessment emailed to Exponent. Clearance given to finalize. Bill Janes
8/20/2004 Update or Other Action CR packet sent to CBS for $5,397.06 Bill Janes
8/24/2004 Meeting or Teleconference Held In Sitka with SJ College president and Hugh Bevan to discuss risk assessment results and ICs. Dr Clevland will brief SJ Trustees on Sept. 23. Bill Janes
8/24/2004 Update or Other Action Exponent gave presentation to City Assembly on results of risk assessment. Bill Janes
12/16/2004 Risk Assessment Report Approved Approval letter sent to CBS. Risk for the hypothetical resident exposure scenario exceeded DEC’s risk threshold of 1 person in 100,000. This scenario assumes long term residence (30 years). Institutional controls need to be negotiated with the City and Sheldon Jackson College. Bill Janes
4/29/2005 Update or Other Action On-site meeting with reps from SJ College and CBS to discuss applicable institutional controls. A survey will be conducted to determine the boundaries for the residential development exclusion area. Bill Janes
8/15/2006 Update or Other Action Meeting with SJ and CBS in Sitka Bill Janes
4/2/2007 Update or Other Action CR check for $875.19 received from Law. Bill Janes
2/26/2008 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed. Bill Janes
5/12/2008 Meeting or Teleconference Held On-site meeting with city officials and Russ Thorpe who is representing SJC. Everything is currently on hold with the closure of the college. Bill Janes
6/6/2012 Site Visit CSP staff performed a site visit and inspected the new recycling facility and surrounding properties. Held a meeting with city officials, Mark Buggins and Michael Harmon, to discuss the current land use, re-zoning of the property, and future use of the site. Denise Elston
11/13/2013 Meeting or Teleconference Held Met with city officials. Zoning changes have been made. Bill Janes
3/25/2014 Cleanup Complete Determination Issued Bill Janes
3/25/2014 Institutional Control Record Established Institutional Controls established and entered into the database. Bill Janes
4/3/2014 Update or Other Action Signed agreement returned this date. Bill Janes
3/16/2017 Institutional Control Compliance Review IC compliance review conducted. Closure/IC Details updated. Reminder system is set for the five-year review on pavement cap conditions in 2019. Kristin Thompson
6/6/2019 Institutional Control Update An Institutional Controls reminder letter sent via e-mail with request to receive an e-mail back on the condition of the asphalt cap. Mossy Mead

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments
2,3,7,8-TCDD > Human Health/Ingestion/Inhalation Soil
Cadmium - Total Between Method 2 Migration to Groundwater and Human Health/Ingestion/Inhalation Soil
Chromium - Total Between Method 2 Migration to Groundwater and Human Health/Ingestion/Inhalation SoilSoil
Mercury - Total Between Method 2 Migration to Groundwater and Human Health/Ingestion/Inhalation Soil
Lead - Total > Human Health/Ingestion/Inhalation Soil

Control Type

Type Details
Local Ordinances, Databases, Zoning Restrictions In 2010, the parcel was rezoned from R-2 Residential to P Public. This designation is defined as: “The public lands district is intended to contain government-owned lands or lands owned by nonprofit institutions serving the public interest which are utilized for public recreation, education or institutional uses” CBS 22.16.020.” The Conditional Use Permit was approved at the same time with the condition that “the facility will serve as a transfer facility only (no shredding, processing, etc.). In the event that the intent changes, the City of Sitka will provide the Planning Commission the opportunity for comment.” The re-zoned parcel (# 802 on the city’s Geographic Information System) encompasses approximately 1.7 acres.

Requirements

Description Details
Advance approval required to transport soil or groundwater off-site. Standard condition.
Maintenance / Inspection Of Engineering Controls Pavement covering former incinerator building pad must be periodically inspected and maintained. The condition of the pavement cap must be reported every five years. ADEC must be immediately notified if planned future construction activities will result in permanent removal of the pavement.
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) Standard condition.
Other If land use rezoning is proposed, or if the land is sold, ADEC must be notified immediately. Remediation and/or revised conditions may be necessary.

No associated sites were found.

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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