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Site Report: Former Willow Cache Realty

Site Name: Former Willow Cache Realty
Address: 31031 West Parks Highway, ~Mile 69.2 Parks Highway, Willow, AK 99688
File Number: 2268.26.006
Hazard ID: 23104
Status: Cleanup Complete
Staff: No Longer Assigned, 9074655229 dec.icunit@alaska.gov
Latitude: 61.735600
Longitude: -150.038200
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

Two regulated underground storage tanks (UST) were excavated, removed and closed. One UST was a 500-gallon home heating oil tank and the other was a 1,000 gallon tank used to store diesel for fueling vehicles. The 1,000-gallon UST had minor contamination which was satisfactorily excavated below Method 2 cleanup levels on 9/18/91. Contamination at the 500-gallon UST was discovered and attributed to either one large or multiple small overspilling events. It had significant associated contamination which appears to have impacted the groundwater. Upon removal and inspection, both tanks appeared to be in tact. Three separate stockpiles were created from excavation, two 15 and one 25 cubic yard piles which were eventually consolidated into one stockpile. Ground water was encountered as a seep between 16-18' during excavtion. An on site drinking water well is located ~63' WSW of the contaminated excavation. No well log is available but discussions with the owner indicate that it was drilled in 1982 to a depth of 120 feet.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
8/12/1991 Update or Other Action The department received a copy of a "Decommissioning Notice for Alaska Underground Storage Tanks" from Mr. Plunkett. Bill Petrik
9/18/1991 Site Added to Database Former Staff
9/18/1991 Leaking Underground Storage Tank Release Confirmed - Petroleum LUST Site created in the Contaminated Site Program (CSP) database for source area ID 77651 A 500- and 1,000- gallon USTs were removed adjacent to a building foundation. The larger tank excavation was backfilled with clean gravel. No surface fuel evidence or odor was detected around the smaller UST. During the smaller tank removal the excavation was taken to 9' and soil stockpiled with the soils from the larger tank. Contamination was noted in the smaller tank excavation adjacent to and below the fill pipe. Two representative samples were collected and the excavation backfilled with clean gravel. Bill Petrik
2/24/1992 Underground Storage Tank Site Characterization or Assessment The department received a copy of the Gilfilian Engineering, Inc. report titled, "UST Removal Site Assessment Report for Former Willow Cache Realty Site, Mile 69 Parks Highway; Willow, Alaska" dated 2/20/92. A fire completely destroyed the building. All that remained were the foundation and a 1,000- and 500-gallon USTs. The current owner bought the property in this condition and has not used the tanks. A site inspection was performed and the tanks removed on 9/18/91. Further excavation to 18' deep was performed 12/19/91. The 1,000-gallon UST, located on the east side of the foundation, is believed to have been used for fueling support, and the 500-gallon tank, located on the north side of the foundation, used to store heating fuel. The tanks were found virtually empty. Adjacent to the larger UST, apparent diesel contamination goes to ~16" below the surface and is attributable to a delivery truck. Sampling results for the 1,000-gallon tanks ranged from non-detectable to 23.2 mg/kg (ppm) DRO (EPH). Sampling results for the 500-gallon tanks ranged from 46.2 to 6,500 ppm DRO with the highest sample result at 4' below the Fill End of the tank. Further excavation in the vicinity of the west end of the 500-gallon UST occurred on 12/13/91. Soils were excavated to 18 feet below the ground surface (bgs) which was the limit of the backhoe. A groundwater seep was noted 16 to 18 feet bgs. The only soil sample collected at the bottom of the excavation at 18 feet bgs was for EPH analysis. The result was 863 mg/kg (ppm). Bill Petrik
4/24/1992 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Letter sent to responsible Party (RP) requesting that further investigation is needed on remaining contaminated soil within the unregulated tank excavation and possible groundwater contamination. Susan Bulkow
5/26/1992 Update or Other Action The department received a letter with this date from Gilfilian Engineering, Inc. The letter calculates a Matrix Score of 38 which corresponds to Cleanup Level B, 200 mg/kg. The letter requested that a proposed alternative cleanup method if in situ bioremediation be allowed to take place in the soils remaining in the excavation. The letter also states that Mr. Plunkett will submit a plan for landfarming the soils at the site. Paul Pinard
8/14/1992 Underground Storage Tank Site Characterization or Assessment Sent a letter to the RP and consultant approving their submitted characterization/cleanup plan outlined in the 5/26/92 letter from Gilfilian Engineering, Inc. with the conditions outlined in the letter. The letter reiterates that contaminated soil above cleanup levels remains at the bottom of the 500-gallon tank excavation. The proposed alternate cleanup level of 863 ppm (the level of analytical results at the bottom of the excavation) can be considered after the department reviews a contaminant leaching assessment submitted to ADEC by the RP. A groundwater investigation needs to be performed because the sample taken at 18' bgs that exceeded cleanup levels was below the level of water seeping into the excavation. Also, additional soil cleanup is required. A treatment cell can be constructed on the concrete garage pad provided a 6-10mm visquene liner is placed atop the pad, berms surround the cell, perforated pipe placed in the cell to provide passive aeration, a top cover of soil be placed atop the cell to prevent precipitation from forming leachate, and the soil will need to be turned or tilled at least twice a year. Mike Krieber
1/12/1993 Update or Other Action A letter was sent this date in response to the department review of the Gilfilian Engineering, Inc. report "Former Willow Cache Realty Site, Located on Lot 2, Kruse Subdivision, Willow, Alaska, Former UST Pit Investigation, GEI Project No. 191123" dated 12/16/92 and received on 12/22/92. Work was performed on 11/12/92 in relation to the 8/14/92 letter from ADEC's Mike Krieber. Overburden from previous excavation to 18' was first removed, then excavation to 24.5' was performed. A strong diesel odor was detected from 18 to 20' and water seeping at 17'. PID reading of 72.3 at the west end of the excavation at 21'. No samples taken here. Further excavation was completed and samples S1 and S2 were taken at 24' and 24.5' bgs, respectively, and subsequent analysis indicated they were non-detectable for EPH (DRO). Prior to backfilling the pit, a groundwater monitor well tube was set at 24' bgs, with 1/2" perforarion between 14 and 24 feet bgs. Ground water samples for the monitoring and domestic wells were non-detectable for benzene and total BTEX but no analysis was done for EPH (DRO). Based on the observed sheen and odor from the monitoring well installed in the excavated area, there appears to be some contamination remaining. Since the lab samples showed non-detectable levels of BTEX, only sheen and odor appear to be violating water cleanup standards. It appears that the remaining contaminated soil was successfully removed during the additional excavation work. As such, no further soil cleanup will be required unless there is as apparent increase in sheen and odor in the ground water observations which would indicate that there is remaining soil contamination which was not detected during the excavation effort. Therefore, in conjunction with the soil remediation which is to be performed at a later date, observations for sheen and odor of a sample obtained from the monitoring well will need to be made and the results submitted to the department for review and approval. The report indicates that a corrective action plan for soil remediation will be submitted for department review by 3/31/93. Mike Krieber
1/12/1993 Leaking Underground Storage Tank Cleanup Initiated - Petroleum Retroactive database QC entry on 10/1/09. Bill Janes
4/7/1993 Cleanup Plan Approved Letter sent to Mr. Plunkett after review of his 3/29/93 bio-cell workplan received by the department 4/1/93. Cleanup plan approved for Passive Aeration of stockpiled soil (placed on concrete floor with liner). Samples will need to be collected in the future to insure adequate treatment has occurred. Prior to sampling, you will need to submit a written plan for department review and approval. Mike Krieber
5/26/2006 Update or Other Action Site transferred from CSP to LUST DB due to the fact that both tanks on the site are registered. When it was in the CSP DB the CC/LC was 18526001/14207060. Updated site AHRM Score by changing Surface Water Environments value from 0 to 2 because there are wetlands and surface water located within 1/4 mile of the site. Bill Petrik
5/30/2006 Update or Other Action LUST file number issued 2268.26.006 (FKA 2268.38.003). Aggie Blandford
5/31/2006 Update or Other Action Reckey has automatically been generated. Former Staff
6/7/2006 Update or Other Action Mailed a letter to the RP requesting stockpile and ground water sampling, location of the second 15 cubic yard stockpile, and a copy of the log for the on-site domestic well. Bill Petrik
11/2/2006 Site Characterization Workplan Approved The CSP sent a letter conditionally approving the Pinard Engineering "Lot 2, Kruse Subdivision, Former Willow Cache Realty; Event ID 3049, Closure Sampling Plan" dated 10/26/06, received by the CSP via fax on 10/27/06. A leaking regulated UST resulted in an approximate 60 cubic yard diesel-contaminated stockpile which has been passively aerating for the past 14 years. Sampling for GRO, DRO, and BTEX are scheduled to be taken from the stockpile, and monitoring well if it can be located. An on-site domestic drinking water well is scheduled to be sampled using EPA Method 524.2. Bill Petrik
11/13/2006 Update or Other Action Received a voice mail from Mr. Plunkett today indicating that he does not have a copy of the well log for the domestic well located on site. He contacted the previous owners. The previous owners bought the property in 1980 and the well was already there. The building on the property burned down in 1985 after which the previous owners left. They do not have a copy of the well log either. Performing a query of the ADNR Well Log Tracking Systems for a well log for this site gives no results. Bill Petrik
12/26/2006 Update or Other Action The UST Database (DB) indicated that both tanks were 1,000-gallon in size and registered as federally regulated USTs. Upon excavation it was discovered that one of the reported 1,000-gallon USTs was actually 500-gallons in size. This tank was used as a home heating oil UST and is exempt from federal regulation. Therefore, on December 26, 2006, the UST listed in the UST DB as Tank #1 was changed in size from 1,000-gallon to 500-gallon. In addition, it was also listed as a non-regulated tank. Despite the site containing a regulated and non-regulated tank, it was listed only in the LUST DB instead of both the CSP and LUST DBs. Bill Petrik
2/22/2007 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Baseline ranking. Bill Petrik
6/12/2008 Update or Other Action Received a copy of the Pinard Engineering report "Lot 2, Kruse Subdivision, Former Willow Cache Realty; Event ID 3049, Sampling and Closure Report" dated 5/15/08. Bill Petrik
9/24/2008 Leaking Underground Storage Tank Release Confirmed - Petroleum LUST site created in CSP database for source area 500 and 1,000 Gallon USTs and Bio-Cell Stockpile, 77651 Bill Petrik
11/24/2008 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other The CSP completed a letter and mailed it this date to the owner/RP of the site. Reviewed the Pinard Engineering "Lot 2, Kruse Subdivision, Former Willow Cache Realty; Event ID 3049, Sampling and Closure Report" dated May 15, 2008. Stockpile soil sampling results indicated below Method 2 cleanup levels but a ground water monitoring well sampling result at 2.9 mg/l diesel-range organics (DRO) is significantly above cleanup level. A letter was sent to Ms. Plunkett requesting: spreading of the stockpile at least 50 feet from the on-site drinking water well or near any environmentally sensitive areas; a response to groundwater contamination continuing nearly twice the cleanup level 17 years after tank removal and excavation, a Conceptual Site Model (CSM) for this site, and a possible work plan to address the remaining groundwater contamination. Bill Petrik
2/13/2009 Update or Other Action A 2/13/09 email from Rich Sundet responded to the email earlier that day from Stephen Greer, attorney for Ms. Plunkett, requesting an additional 6 months to submit responses to information requested in a 11/24/08 Contaminated Sites Program (CSP) letter to Ms. Plunkett regarding the site. The CSP email served as an extension to 9/1/09 to respond to the information requested by the CSP. Rich Sundet
2/24/2009 Update or Other Action On 2/24/09, DEC issued a letter to Ms. Margaret Plunkett that was in follow-up to a verbal conversation with her counsel on 2/10/09. During the 2/10 conversation, DEC granted an extension until 9/1/09 for Ms. Plunkett to provide the information requested in DEC's 11/24/08 letter. An interim extension approval was granted to 9/1/09 in a 2/13/09 email from The CSP to Ms. Plunkett's counsel. Rich Sundet
2/27/2009 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 77651 500 and 1,000 Gallon USTs and Bio-Cell Stockpile. Pam Clemens
6/30/2010 Update or Other Action Received a copy of the Restoration Science & Engineering "Proposal for Groundwater Monitoring Well Installation and Sampling at the Former Willow Cache Realty Site in Willow, Alaska" dated 8/31/09 via email from Susan Reeves. Bill Petrik
8/19/2010 Meeting or Teleconference Held Spoke with attorney Susan Reeves regarding the site. A conditional closure for the site based on site characterization performed to date was requested by Ms. Reeves. The CSP denied the request and requested the work outlined in the CSP letter dated 11/24/08 be performed as the next step toward further characterization of the site and potential consideration for conditional closure. Bill Petrik
9/22/2010 Meeting or Teleconference Held Spoke with Ms. Plunkett via telephone answering questions that she had about site issues and cleanup requirements. She has no idea of the fate of the IDW water from the Pinard Engineering groundwater sampling that occurred 8/29/07. There is nothing stored at the property. Bill Petrik
10/28/2011 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 77651 500 and 1,000 Gallon USTs and Bio-Cell Stockpile. Bill O'Connell
11/14/2011 Cleanup Complete Determination Issued The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Contaminated Sites Program (ADEC) has completed a review of the environmental records associated with the Former Willow Cache Realty located at 31031 West Parks Highway in Willow, Alaska. Based on the information provided to date, it has been determined that the contaminant concentrations remaining on site do not pose an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment and this site will be closed. Bill O'Connell
8/31/2015 Update or Other Action This file has been archived at Alaska Archives Barcode 896962 Susan Carberry

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments
DRO > Table C Groundwater

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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