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Site Report: Commercial Property - 530 Old Steese Highway

Site Name: Commercial Property - 530 Old Steese Highway
Address: 530 Old Steese Highway - Walgreens, 500 Old Steese Highway - Safeway Gas, Fairbanks, AK 99701
File Number: 102.26.177
Hazard ID: 26324
Status: Cleanup Complete
Staff: No Longer Assigned, 9074655229 dec.icunit@alaska.gov
Latitude: 64.850680
Longitude: -147.697979
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 May 2014, during the construction of Walgreen's East, a known buried hydraulic lift system and an underground storage tank (USTs#1) were excavated. A second UST determined to be a waste oil tank, was discovered during the initial excavation,and removed along with most of the visibly stained material. However, due to the elevated groundwater, excavation of the contaminated soil was not complete for Tank #2 which straddles the property boundary between 530 Old Steese Highway and 500 Old Steese Highway. Diesel and residual range organics were confirmed to be present in subsurface soil above DEC cleanup levels. Remaining contamination was covered by an impermeable liner as part of construction of a drainage swale in the vicinity of Tank #2 to prevent spread of the remaining contamination. Discolored soils in the stockpiled soil from construction of the swale were sampled and found to contain the solvent PCE.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
9/29/2014 Spill Transferred from Prevention Preparedness and Response Program Site transferred by PERP staff Ashley Adamczak. Spill no. 14309912801; spill date = 5/8/14; substance = hydraulic oil and diesel; quantity = unknown; sources = underground storage tanks and buried hydraulic system; PERP file no. 102.02.001. Mitzi Read
12/24/2014 Site Added to Database A new site has been added to the database Mitzi Read
12/24/2014 Leaking Underground Storage Tank Release Confirmed - Petroleum LUST site created in CSP database for source area Former UST System, 79718 Mitzi Read
1/5/2015 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 79718 name: Former UST System Mitzi Read
1/8/2015 Update or Other Action Letter sent to David Thompson, OSC Holdings, LLC, acknowledging receipt of the site characterization report. The report documents DRO and RRO contamination left beneath an impermeable liner in the vicinity of Tank #2, a waste oil tank. PCE contaminated soil was also excavated from a trench in the same area as Tank #2. The report did not delineate the extent of this contamination. DEC's letter required additional characterization to delineate the extent of impacts to the groundwater. Willett Boger
1/27/2015 Update or Other Action Groundwater Collection Sampling Report submitted by ChemTrack. Two temporary monitoring wells were installed to determine if soil contamination in the vicinity of UST #2 (the waste oil tank) was impacting the groundwater. MW-1 was located at the northwest property corner and MW-2 was located near the former location of the tank. Petroleum compounds were present in the groundwater but did not exceed DEC's groundwater cleanup levels. Tetrachloroethene (PCE) was not detected in MW-2, but was detected in MW-1 at 12.3 ug/L, above DEC's groundwater cleanup level of 5 ug/L. PCE was found at 15 ft bgs (groundwater interface), but not at 25 ft bgs. Willett Boger
1/28/2015 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter State interest letter sent to OSC Holdings. Janice Wiegers
3/31/2015 Leaking Underground Storage Tank Cleanup Initiated - Petroleum Administrative action addition for grant reporting purposes. Evonne Reese
4/26/2016 Update or Other Action DEC sent letter responding to the site characterization report. DEC required further characterization including three monitoring wells installed with pressure transducers to evaluate groundwater flow characteristics. One well is to be installed in the area of former Tank #2, another near MW-1 where PCE was detected, and a third on the eastern property corner to determine if PCE contamination is present upgradient from the site. Groundwater should be sampled for PCE at multiple depths in all wells. Soil samples and water samples from the well installed in the former Tank #2 should be sampled for DRO and RRO. Workplan requested within 30 days. Janice Wiegers
5/27/2016 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Chemtrack submitted the revised site characterization report. Janice Wiegers
5/27/2016 Update or Other Action Received the work plan for sampling and analysis at the Walgreens east site. Willett Boger
6/6/2016 Update or Other Action Project Manager change. Laura Jacobs
6/23/2016 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Sent letter of Sampling and Analysis Plan review to RP, consultant and Program Manager. Laura Jacobs
6/28/2016 Update or Other Action Met with RP, RP's consultant to discuss work plan changes. Consultant will be sending revised version and schedule of work. Laura Jacobs
7/15/2016 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter Sent PRP letter to Safeway, Inc., Gene's Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram, and Seekins Ford Lincoln Mercury. Laura Jacobs
7/21/2016 Update or Other Action RP with Gene's Chrysler called to answer compliance letter sent 7-19-17, and said they are a willing RP for the site. Laura Jacobs
8/16/2016 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Reviewed RP's response to DEC's work plan comments, restating DEC's stance on leaving the inhalation pathway complete even with the vapor liner and encapsulation by concrete, to protect future users of the property. Laura Jacobs
8/16/2016 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter DEC sent PRP letter to the listed owner for the Safeway Gas property at 500 Old Steese Highway for petroleum contamination that extends onto their property from the UST that was partially on their property. The property at 500 Old Steese Highway may be part of the original car dealership that operated the tank. Laura Jacobs
8/19/2016 Site Visit Site visit with RP's consultant to decide where monitoring wells will be located and details of the work plan. Laura Jacobs
8/19/2016 Site Visit DEC staff met with Travis/Peterson Environmental Consulting, Inc. at 530 Old Steese to discuss plans for further investigation of PCE and DRO. Discussions included placement of monitoring wells. Options for installing monitoring wells is somewhat limited due to utilities along the Old Steese Highway and the size of the building on the property. Also discussed the location of possible off-site sources in the area that may be contributing to the contamination. Laura Jacobs
8/23/2016 Update or Other Action RP notified DEC that they did not plan to pursue additional cleanup activities until after consulting with legal counsel. DEC informed RP of regulatory requirements. Laura Jacobs
8/23/2016 Update or Other Action RP sent an email to halt site work until contacted by legal representative. Laura Jacobs
11/2/2016 Update or Other Action Provided summary property information to DEC staff for assistance with discovery of potentially responsible parties. Laura Jacobs
12/2/2016 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter PRP letter and questionnaire sent to Safeway, Inc. registered agent CT Corporation in Juneau with response deadline of January 13, 2017. Laura Jacobs
12/8/2016 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter Sent additional site use questions to Seekins Ford Lincoln Mercury. Laura Jacobs
12/19/2016 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter Sent Safeway Gas Station (East) manager a PRP letter. Laura Jacobs
12/21/2016 Update or Other Action Request by manager of Seekins Ford Lincoln Mercury for deadline extension to respond to additional PRP questions sent December 8, 2016. Laura Jacobs
12/23/2016 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter CT Corporation responded to PRP letter by stating they did not have a Safeway Gas in their records. Laura Jacobs
1/30/2017 Update or Other Action Sent RP a letter requesting an updated work plan to resume work at the site. Laura Jacobs
2/13/2017 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter Sent letter to PRP requesting additional information regarding historic commercial building designs for site. Also requested the PRP join efforts to characterize the site. Laura Jacobs
2/14/2017 Update or Other Action DEC sent PRP a second letter with another deadline of February 28, 2017 to answer questionnaire sent with letter, specific to the Tank#2 found straddling the properties of Safeway and OSC Holdings, Inc. Laura Jacobs
3/9/2017 Update or Other Action Representative of Gene's Chrysler called in response to PRP letter to say they were willing to help with financial costs during the excavation as part of land transfer but are not willing to continue to accept liability for site characterization and cleanup. Laura Jacobs
3/14/2017 Update or Other Action Compliance letter sent to Safeway for work plan to conduct site characterization work for remaining contaminated soils after Tank #2 was removed as part of the 530 Old Steese Highway construction project. Deadline of April 14 for work plan submittal. Laura Jacobs
3/29/2017 Update or Other Action Records request for the site characterization report from 2012 was sent to Safeway's (Albertson's) Director of Environmental Affairs. Laura Jacobs
4/18/2017 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter DEC sent both a PRP letter and a Request for Information requesting a work plan to Safeway, Inc part of Albertson's Companies, Boise, Idaho. Laura Jacobs
4/25/2017 Update or Other Action Files requested through Records Request sent for communication between DEC and Gene's Chrysler Jeep Dodge and Ram, Seekins Ford Lincoln Mercury, and Safeway. Laura Jacobs
5/17/2017 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Answers to the DEC Information Request, information regarding insurance and past reports were received from Albertsons Companies, LLC regarding Tank #2 that was excavated from Safeway property during site construction for Walgreens. Laura Jacobs
6/12/2017 Update or Other Action DEC received a work plan for additional site assessment activities regarding Tank #2. Laura Jacobs
6/16/2017 Update or Other Action DEC received a Records Request from RP for reports prior to 2014. Laura Jacobs
6/23/2017 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Review comments were sent to Safeway's consultant, AECOM for work plan that outlines how site characterization would take place. Work is proposed for the fall 2017 for the area surrounding Tank #2 on the Safeway property. Laura Jacobs
7/6/2017 Update or Other Action DEC received the revised work plan from Albertson's for site characterization near Tank #2. Laura Jacobs
7/28/2017 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Review comments were sent by DEC regarding a work plan written by Albertson's consultant, AECOM. The work plan included site assessment work for the source area surrounding Tank #2 which had held waste oil. Work will include soil borings and groundwater sampling to understand contaminant amounts and extent. Groundwater direction and gradient will also be determined. Laura Jacobs
9/27/2017 Update or Other Action Consultant to Albertson's called to say this year's sampling program would have to wait until access was granted by OSC Holdings, LLC to install monitoring well on OSC Holdings' property. Laura Jacobs
9/28/2017 Update or Other Action Albertson's consultant, AECOMM - R Rapuzzi, called to explain why site characterization work has not yet started. AECOMM is working to get access agreement with OSC Holdings. Laura Jacobs
10/24/2017 Meeting or Teleconference Held Teleconference held with RP, RP's consultant, Program Manager and supervisor to discuss disagreements regarding site work and what needs to be done prior to site closure. Laura Jacobs
11/1/2017 Update or Other Action ADEC Program Manager drafted and sent a letter to the RP to confirm decisions made during a teleconference held October 24, 2017. Because there is contamination remaining in soil above ADEC cleanup levels at two locations; UST 2, and an area approximately 40 feet to the south referred to as the 'drainage swale' in the 2014 site characterization report, ADEC is requiring the RP to delineate the full nature and extent of contamination before site closure can occur. Laura Jacobs
11/27/2017 Update or Other Action Legal counsel for City of Fairbanks sent AG assigned to this site for DEC a letter describing what the consultant will do for site characterization and when. Laura Jacobs
2/15/2018 Update or Other Action DOL C. Jimmo sent City of Fairbanks our response to their proposed work and schedule. DEC will require a work plan submittal to conduct groundwater delineation no later than August 31, 2018, with a report submitted by February 1, 2019. Laura Jacobs
3/27/2018 Meeting or Teleconference Held DEC staff spoke with consultant acting on behalf of Safeway Gas regarding site characterization work at Tank #2 source area. A work plan is being developed. Laura Jacobs
4/20/2018 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other DEC staff reviewed the "Sampling and Analysis Plan for OSC Holdings Walgreens East Fairbanks" for work proposed for 2018. The work plan followed the UFP QAPP format and resulted in comments that will need to be addressed prior to site work. Laura Jacobs
7/13/2018 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC staff reviewed the revised work plan "Sampling and Analysis Plan for OSC Holdings Walgreens East Fairbanks" and sent a comment letter to the RP. The work plan is to conduct a soil boring in the area of the swale stockpile, complete a monitoring well, sample for groundwater and depending on results, continue to step out to characterize the extent of contamination at this source area. Laura Jacobs
8/22/2018 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC staff have reviewed the revised work plan, "Sampling and Analysis Plan for OSC Holdings Walgreens East Fairbanks, Work Order No. Rev 2.1", for sample efforts for 2018 site characterization efforts in the source area known as "the Swale". Site characterization efforts for Tank #2 will not be part of this effort. Laura Jacobs
10/17/2018 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC staff approved the work plan submitted in the UFP QAPP style for one boring and monitoring well in the swale source area. Laura Jacobs
1/2/2019 Update or Other Action TPECI submitted a Site Characterization Report to DEC. Janice Wiegers
4/1/2019 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 79718 Former UST System. Laura Jacobs
5/13/2019 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC reviewed the work plan to decommission and abandon six monitoring wells (MW-1, MW-2, MW-3, MW-4, SB-2, SB-3)located at the Safeway gasoline station (Fuel Center #3410) addressed as 500 Old Steese Highway, Fairbanks. The work plan was approved with the understanding that the effort will include the wells that are currently not visible above the pavement, but might be locatable with a magnetic locating device. Laura Jacobs
5/28/2019 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC staff reviewed the well abandonment report submitted by AECOM on behalf of Albertson's for the decommissioning of six wells (MW-1, MW-2, MW-3, MW-4, SB-2, SB-3)near Safeway Gas. All six wells were closed using the alternative method of closure recommended in the ADEC guidance "Monitoring Well Guidance, September 2013". Laura Jacobs
10/30/2019 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 Commercial Property – 530 Old Steese Highway, Fairbanks. 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 no further remedial action will be required unless new information becomes available that indicates residual contaminants may pose an unacceptable risk. Laura Jacobs

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments
DRO Between Method 2 Migration to Groundwater and Human Health/Ingestion/Inhalation Soil
RRO > Human Health/Ingestion/Inhalation Soil Because the contamination is beneath an impervious liner, in a limited area, and does not appear to be affecting groundwater, ADEC has determined that this contamination is not likely to migrate and site conditions are preventing exposure.
Naphthalene Between Method 2 Migration to Groundwater and Human Health/Ingestion/Inhalation Soil
Tetrachloroethene Between Method 2 Migration to Groundwater and Human Health/Ingestion/Inhalation Soil
1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene Between Method 2 Migration to Groundwater and Human Health/Ingestion/Inhalation Soil
1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene Between Method 2 Migration to Groundwater and Human Health/Ingestion/Inhalation 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.

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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
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