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Site Report: USFS Cascade Creek Facility

Site Name: USFS Cascade Creek Facility
Address: 2108 Halibut Point Road, Sitka, AK 99835
File Number: 1525.38.051
Hazard ID: 26343
Status: Active
Staff: Nick Waldo, 9074655270 nick.waldo@alaska.gov
Latitude: 57.074702
Longitude: -135.369745
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

On January 6, 2015 the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) reported to DEC encountering petroleum-contaminated soil in the DOT right of way under a culvert draining the USFS Cascade Creek Facility at 2108 Halibut Point Road in Sitka. The excavation was exploratory in preparation for a sewer and other renovations to the facility. DEC approval was given to return the contaminated soil to the excavation with the condition that the location was marked and investigated for an upgradient source on USFS land when the culvert is removed in spring 2015. DEC's consultation with USFS led to the determination that the source, although unidentified, is most likely not from an active release. Later the same month, on January 20, 2015, the USFS reported that a contractor working on the USFS Cascade Facility renovation project encountered an additional area of soil contamination apparently from a historic release of diesel fuel in an area southeast of the fuel/paint shed, near a fuel tank. Approximately 2 cubic yards of contaminated soil were excavated and DEC staff advised the USFS to: not put the contaminated material back into the excavation; store the contaminated soil in a temporary storage cell – 10mil or greater poly liner material under the soil and cover it with 10mil or greater poly to keep water off of it; have a qualified third party environmental consultant take confirmation samples at the area the contamination was found – from the bottom and the side walls; if they want/need to backfill the area to take confirmation samples as noted above and cover the area with a minimum 10mil liner material to delineate the area of contamination from the clean backfill; if additional discrete, unconnected areas of contaminated soil are encountered, USFS and its contractors should follow the same procedure – all contaminated soil encountered can be stockpiled in one lined and covered stockpile - with one caveat: if obviously different contamination is encountered USFS may make separate stockpiles so as to not co-mingle different types of contamination.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
1/21/2015 Spill Transferred from Prevention Preparedness and Response Program Spill transferred by PERP staff Bob Mattson. Spill no. 15119900601; spill date = 1/6/15; substance = diesel; quantity = unknown; source = unknown; description: petroleum-contaminated soil discovered during preparatory activities for a culvert and sewer line upgrade project. Mitzi Read
1/21/2015 Spill Transferred from Prevention Preparedness and Response Program Spill transferred by PERP staff Bob Mattson. Spill no. 15119902001; spill date = 1/20/15; substance = diesel; quantity = unknown; source = unknown; description: petroleum-contaminated soil discovered facility renovation project. Mitzi Read
1/30/2015 Site Added to Database A new site has been added to the database Mitzi Read
2/2/2015 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 79734 name: USFS Cascade Creek Facility Mitzi Read
4/2/2015 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter DEC letter was prepared and sent by electronic and regular mail today to the US Forest Service (USFS), owner/operator of the Cascade Creek Facility in Sitka, Alaska (State). The letter provides the USFS with notice of environmental contamination, notice of liability for the costs of the State providing cleanup oversight, and notice of cleanup responsibility. Although informal discussion of work plan design with the USFS has established an mutual understanding, the DEC letter provides a formal request that the USFS submit a sampling work plan for approval before any site work begins. The purpose of the letter is to ensure the pollution is contained and that the migration of contamination is not presenting a risk of exposure that could affect human health and safety or the environment. Bruce Wanstall
6/5/2015 Meeting or Teleconference Held Meeting held today in the DEC/CS Juneau office with Mike Wilcox from the USFS to discuss the physical attributes of the Sitka facility site, preliminary field and laboratory data on site media, contaminated soil screening and removal criteria, and department guidance for remedial options to manage lightly contaminated soil on-site. Bruce Wanstall
3/25/2016 Meeting or Teleconference Held DEC met with USFS Engineer Mike Wilcox to discuss a draft report compiling environmental information on the characterization and cleanup at the site in 2015, submitted this date. Bruce Wanstall
9/29/2016 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other DEC evaluated and approves the interim report Final Site Characterization Report, US Forest Service Cascade Creek Facility, Tongass National Forest, Sitka, Alaska, with comments and requests for additional site characterization of three areas at the facility. The report narrowed the scope of future work at the site and contributed to what is known at the site. Complete exposure pathways for current receptors included ingestion of surface and subsurface soil, dermal absorption of soil contamination, and dermal absorption of groundwater. The groundwater pathway would only be encountered during construction activities as it is not currently used at the site. Additionally, inhalation of indoor and outdoor are pathways are considered complete, and pose an insignificant risk due to the contaminant levels detected in soil and groundwater. Bruce Wanstall
10/10/2017 Update or Other Action Staff assigned changed from Sally Schlichting to Anne Marie Palmieri. Kathryne Roldan
10/11/2017 Meeting or Teleconference Held DEC, EPA, and USFS met to discuss roles and responsibilities for each agency. Specific actions regarding this site were not discussed at this meeting. Anne Marie Palmieri
2/14/2018 Meeting or Teleconference Held DEC, EPA, and USFS met to discuss roles and responsibilities for each agency. Specific actions regarding this site were not discussed at this meeting. Anne Marie Palmieri
5/8/2019 Meeting or Teleconference Held DEC and the USFS met on this date to discuss many sites and how to move the sites forward in the cleanup process. A next meeting was scheduled for August. Anne Marie Palmieri
8/12/2019 Meeting or Teleconference Held CS Staff met with the USFS to discuss site issues on this date. Anne Marie Palmieri
10/8/2019 Meeting or Teleconference Held CS Staff met with the USFS to discuss general coordination issues on this date. Anne Marie Palmieri
2/12/2020 Meeting or Teleconference Held CS Staff met with the USFS to discuss general coordination and site issues on this date. Anne Marie Palmieri

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments

Control Type

Type Details

Requirements

Description Details

There are no documents for this site report.

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