Site Report: Aleknagik School Day Tank

Site Name:	Aleknagik School Day Tank
Address:	574 Kenny Wren Road, Aleknagik, AK 99555
File Number:	2510.38.004
Hazard ID:	26396
Status:	Active
Staff:	Alena Voigt, 9072697556 alena.voigt@alaska.gov
Latitude:	59.281175
Longitude:	-158.626296
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.

Site Chronology
IC / Closure Details
Documents
Associated Sites

Problems/Comments

Historic releases were documented at the locations of a 100-gallon aboveground day tank and a 750-gallon aboveground tank and feeder tank at the Aleknagik School. Records are unclear with respect to locations of tanks; current 100-gallon aboveground tank may be at former location of replaced tanks. The school is located approximately 200 feet from the north shore of Aleknagik Lake. Corrective actions including excavation and landspreading of contaminated soil were completed during June 2008. Approximately 450 cubic yards of contaminated soil were removed from the source area and landspread at the City of Aleknagik landfill. The excavation limits in the source area have contaminant concentrations which remain above ADEC Method 2 cleanup levels for diesel range organics (DRO), gasoline range organics (GRO), benzene, ethylbenzene, and toluene. The excavation was stopped due to the proximity of the excavation to buildings and a 20,000-gallon aboveground storage tank. Landspread area performance monitoring began in 2011. A report submitted in December 2014 documented contaminant concentrations in the landspread contaminated soil below the applicable ADEC cleanup level for DRO. A Cleanup Complete designation of the excavated soil was requested. A drinking water well installed in 1986 serves the school; water was encountered at 67 feet below ground surface (bgs). Groundwater was encountered at 7 feet bgs during test pit investigation in 2007.

Action Information

Action Date	Action	Description	DEC Staff
10/26/1997	Update or Other Action	From Spill Response record prior to 2015: Spill report - 200 gallons diesel released beneath the school. The release was the result of a broken fuel line between an aboveground 750-gallon day tank and feeder tank. Case closed 8/9/2001. (Prevention, Preparedness and Response (PPR) Spill No. 97269929901.	Former Staff
12/30/1997	Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other	From Spill response record: Contractor's cost estimate and work plan dated 12/30/1997 in file, notes that for the Aleknagik fuel spill: test pits will be dug by band in several locations under the school. Soil samples will be collected from the test pits and field screened using a photoionization detector (PID). Based on the results of the field screening, a total of six samples will be collected for laboratory analysis. The samples will be tested for Diesel Range Organics (DRO) using Method AK 102 and Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylene (BTEX) using EPA Method 8020.	Former Staff
3/12/2003	Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other	From Spill Response records: Letter dated 3/12/2003 from Rick Dallman, Director of Maintenance, Southwest Region Schools (responsible party) to ADEC stating that he spoke to the person who was principal at the site when the spill occurred."She recalls the spill to have been estimated at 180 gallons. Contaminated soil was removed with the city loader. She does not know where the soil was taken, but it was not left on school property.Contaminated soil was removed from the school crawl space and new vapor barrier installed. Air purifiers were used until the smell was gone. I estimated the soil that was removed at 7 to 10 cubic yards. The number of loader buckets taken away determined this estimation.	Former Staff
11/21/2005	Update or Other Action	From Spill Response records: 20 gallon spill reported resulting from electrical failure. Disposal by incineration. Case closed 12/01/2005.	Former Staff
9/28/2007	Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other	From Spill Response records: Bethel ADEC spill response received report and plan combination with subject line "Southwest Region School District Aleknagik School Spill Site Assessment and Corrective Actions Recommendations" prepared by Restoration Science and Engineering (RSE) and dated 9/28/2007. Analytical results and field observations show that fuel contamination associated with the fuel shed and day tank is more extensive than the record previously indicated. The report/plan states that "According to the ADEC Oil & Hazardous Substance Spill Notification form, approximately 80 gallons of heating oil was released to the ground surface from a 100-gallon day tank at the Aleknagik School on November 21, 2005. Previous reports on the spill amount, cleanup, and recovery indicated that remaining soil impacts should be limited. However, during a recent site visit ADEC representative Bob Carlson recently used a photo-ionization detector (PID) and identified substantial hydrocarbon-impacted soil in areas under and around the fuel shed building that houses the day tank. Mr. Carlson also interviewed local residents some of which indicated that larger spill(s) may have occurred." Analytical results show that DRO, GO, benzene and each of the other BTEX components exceed cleanup levels. RSE also provided recommendations for a landspread area to remediate the excavated contaminated soil.	Former Staff
1/31/2008	Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other	From Spill Response records: Letter from spill response staff dated 1/31/2008 to Southwest Region Schools re "Final Report for 1997 Aleknagik Elementary School 200-gallon diesel fuel spill from fuel piping within the crawl space area." The letter notes that a final report has not been submitted, provides an enclosed copy of a form for the final report, and requests that additional sampling be done to include collecting confirmation analytical soil samples within the school crawl space, with the possibility that a review of the sampling results and the completed final report may lead to closing out the spill case.	Former Staff
6/6/2008	Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other	From Spill response record: Bethel spill response staff approved work plan by Restoration Science and Engineering (RSE) dated 5/28/2008 proposing landfarming 400-500 cubic yardsof petroleum hydrocarbon impacted soil at the new, permitted Aleknagik Landfill, noting that verbal authorization was provided on 6/4/2008.	Former Staff
8/26/2008	Update or Other Action	From Spill response record: Report dated 8/26/2008 by Restoration Science & Engineering (RSE) "Southwest Region School District Aleknagik School Spill Corrective Actions." The report documents the removal by RSE, SWRSO personnel and City of Aleknagik equipment operators of contaminated soil from the source area beneath the former 100-gallon day tank shed. Contaminated soil above AOEC Method 2 soil cleanup levels still exists at the excavation limits shown in Figure 2 of the report. Contaminated soil excavation was limited by both underground and overhead utilities, the 20,000-galion AST serving the school, and other nearby infrastructure. Field investigation efforts were conducted on June 9,2008 through June 11, 2008.	Eileen Olson
10/1/2013	Update or Other Action	From Spill response records: Closure of landspread soil at the landfill requested in report dated 10/1/2013 submitted to Bethel response staff "Landspread Performance Monitoring and Request for Closure of Post-Treatment Landspread Soils Derived from the Aleknagik School Day Tank Release Aleknagik, Alaska. The "Recommendations and Conclusions" section of the report notes that laboratory analytical data show that contaminant concentrations in the landspread contaminated soil remain moderately elevated above the applicable ADEC cleanup level for DRO but further states that "since soils are within a secured and lined landfill cell, closure of soils will not pose a threat to human health or the environment" and "The landspread area soils will remain in place and be allowed to return to natural vegetation. RSE formally requests a Cleanup Complete designation of the spill and soils excavated." No response to report found in file.	Former Staff
12/4/2014	Update or Other Action	From Spill response records: After additional monitoring, closure of landspread soil at the landfill requested in report dated 12/4/2014 submitted to Bethel response staff "Landspread Performance Monitoring and Request for Closure of Post-Treatment Landspread Soils Derived from the Aleknagik School Day Tank Release Aleknagik, Alaska." The report concludes that based on laboratory analytical data, contaminant concentrations in the landspread contaminated soil are less than the applicable ADEC cleanup level for DRO and RSE formally requests a Cleanup Complete designation of the spill and soils excavated.	Eileen Olson
3/16/2015	Update or Other Action	Contaminated sites involvement is based on the contamination remaining adjacent to and possibly beneath the school, and the pending closure of the soil that was remediated by landspreading. Requested that spill response provide any information in their files; none available other than database entries.	Eileen Olson
3/28/2015	Update or Other Action	Restoration Science and Engineering (RSE) emailed report dated 12/4/2014 requesting closure of the landspread area approved by spill response, titled "Landspread Performance Monitoring and Request for Closure of Post-Treatment Landspread Soils Derived from the Aleknagik School Day Tank Release, Aleknagik, Alaska." RSE notes that based on the total landspread soil volume of 450 cubic yards of soil, RSE collected a minimum of 25 field screening samples and a total of five discrete analytical samples and one blind field duplicate as required for closure sampling of excavated soils in Table 2A of the ADEC Draft Field Sampling Guidance, May 2010.	Eileen Olson
5/15/2015	Site Added to Database	A new site has been added to the database	Mitzi Read
5/15/2015	Exposure Tracking Model Ranking	Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 79769 name: 100-Gallon Aboveground Day Tank	Mitzi Read
9/4/2015	Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other	ADEC's issued a review letter dated 9/4/2015 with subject line "Request for Information" stating that ADEC did not receive a final report for the 1997 spill as requested in a letter by the spill response group dated 1/31/2008. ADEC states it concurs with the consultant's finding that the 450 cubic yards of landspread soil meet the cleanup levels for all petroleum hydrocarbons of concern (RRO, DRO, GRO and BTEX) but soil analysis for polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) is required as it has not been done at the source area or in the landspread soils. ADEC also requested that the potential for vapor intrusion into the school be evaluated, and provided a copy of ADEC's Building Inventory and Indoor Air Sampling Questionnaire to be returned by November 30, 2015. ADEC also requested that by November 30, 2015, the school district provide historical and current information regarding the heating oil system at the school, and provide any documentation of environmental work not previously submitted to ADEC.	Eileen Olson
11/30/2015	Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other	ADEC letter dated 11/30/2015 reviews the "Response to letter dated September 4, 2015 RE: Aleknagik School Day Tank Request for Information, ADEC Database Hazard ID No. 26396" by Restoration Science and Environmental (RSE) dated and received 11/24/2015. The report documents a site visit on 11/10/2015 during which additional field screening and analytical samples were collected from the source area and the landspread area at the Aleknagik landfill. ADEC's review letter notes that the requested PAH testing was performed with results below the applicable cleanup level and that, based on the results, ADEC finds that the landspread soil meets applicable cleanup levels and that determination will be incorporated into any future decision document issued for the site. Based on report results ADEC stated that no additional evaluation of vapor intrusion potential is required. Additional soil and groundwater characterization as the source area was requested, with a work plan requested by March 15, 2016 to include a schedule for completing field work by June 30, 2016.	Eileen Olson
3/23/2016	Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other	ADEC letter dated 3/23/2016 conditionally approves plan dated 3/18/2016 prepared by RSE for boring and monitoring well installation to further characterize contamination remaining at source area.	Eileen Olson
10/24/2017	Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other	ADEC letter dated 10/24/2017 reviewed the "Site Characterization Report, Aleknagik School Day Tank Site, October 2017" received on 10/22/2017. Characterization activities took place in May 2016 and included installation of ten soil borings to depths of 12 to 20 feet below ground surface (bgs) with three of the borings completed as groundwater monitoring wells. ADEC's letter concurred with consultant RSE’s recommendation that further investigation at the site is needed to delineate the horizontal and vertical extent of the impacted area to the southwest of the former day tank shed that is the spill source; and to determine whether surface water has been impacted. ADEC requested a work plan for additional soil and groundwater characterization and monitoring of the three wells at the site by April 15, 2018, with work to begin by June 15, 2018. ADEC also approved a request to discharge groundwater monitoring well purge water currently on site to an upland area following filtration using a granular activated carbon filter.	Eileen Olson
9/20/2019	Workplan Requested	ADEC letter dated 9/20/2019 requested a work plan for the 2nd time from Rick Dallman of the Southwest Region School District. The Aleknagik School Day Tank requires further characterization to determine the extent of the contamination, and whether surface water has been impacted.	Randy Guintu
9/20/2019	Update or Other Action	Updated ETM to reflect the findings detailed in the Site Characterization Report, Aleknagik School Day Tank Site, October 2017.	Randy Guintu
5/20/2022	Site Characterization Workplan Approved	The ADEC reviewed and approved the “Aleknagik School Day Tank Additional Site Characterization Workplan”, dated May 17, 2022 by Restoration Science & Engineering. Field investigation includes pore/surface water sampling, shoreline/hillside slope soil sampling, monitoring well sampling, and drinking water well sampling.	Alena Voigt

Action Date

Action

Description

DEC Staff

10/26/1997

Update or Other Action

From Spill Response record prior to 2015: Spill report - 200 gallons diesel released beneath the school. The release was the result of a broken fuel line between an aboveground 750-gallon day tank and feeder tank. Case closed 8/9/2001. (Prevention, Preparedness and Response (PPR) Spill No. 97269929901.

Former Staff

12/30/1997

Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other

From Spill response record: Contractor's cost estimate and work plan dated 12/30/1997 in file, notes that for the Aleknagik fuel spill: test pits will be dug by band in several locations under the school. Soil samples will be collected from the test pits and field screened using a photoionization detector (PID). Based on the results of the field screening, a total of six samples will be collected for laboratory analysis. The samples will be tested for Diesel Range Organics (DRO) using Method AK 102 and Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylene (BTEX) using EPA Method 8020.

Former Staff

3/12/2003

Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other

From Spill Response records: Letter dated 3/12/2003 from Rick Dallman, Director of Maintenance, Southwest Region Schools (responsible party) to ADEC stating that he spoke to the person who was principal at the site when the spill occurred."She recalls the spill to have been estimated at 180 gallons. Contaminated soil was removed with the city loader. She does not know where the soil was taken, but it was not left on school property.Contaminated soil was removed from the school crawl space and new vapor barrier installed. Air purifiers were used until the smell was gone. I estimated the soil that was removed at 7 to 10 cubic yards. The number of loader buckets taken away determined this estimation.

Former Staff

11/21/2005

Update or Other Action

From Spill Response records: 20 gallon spill reported resulting from electrical failure. Disposal by incineration. Case closed 12/01/2005.

Former Staff

9/28/2007

Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other

From Spill Response records: Bethel ADEC spill response received report and plan combination with subject line "Southwest Region School District Aleknagik School Spill Site Assessment and Corrective Actions Recommendations" prepared by Restoration Science and Engineering (RSE) and dated 9/28/2007. Analytical results and field observations show that fuel contamination associated with the fuel shed and day tank is more extensive than the record previously indicated. The report/plan states that "According to the ADEC Oil & Hazardous Substance Spill Notification form, approximately 80 gallons of heating oil was released to the ground surface from a 100-gallon day tank at the Aleknagik School on November 21, 2005. Previous reports on the spill amount, cleanup, and recovery indicated that remaining soil impacts should be limited. However, during a recent site visit ADEC representative Bob Carlson recently used a photo-ionization detector (PID) and identified substantial hydrocarbon-impacted soil in areas under and around the fuel shed building that houses the day tank. Mr. Carlson also interviewed local residents some of which indicated that larger spill(s) may have occurred." Analytical results show that DRO, GO, benzene and each of the other BTEX components exceed cleanup levels. RSE also provided recommendations for a landspread area to remediate the excavated contaminated soil.

Former Staff

1/31/2008

Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other

From Spill Response records: Letter from spill response staff dated 1/31/2008 to Southwest Region Schools re "Final Report for 1997 Aleknagik Elementary School 200-gallon diesel fuel spill from fuel piping within the crawl space area." The letter notes that a final report has not been submitted, provides an enclosed copy of a form for the final report, and requests that additional sampling be done to include collecting confirmation analytical soil samples within the school crawl space, with the possibility that a review of the sampling results and the completed final report may lead to closing out the spill case.

Former Staff

6/6/2008

Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other

From Spill response record: Bethel spill response staff approved work plan by Restoration Science and Engineering (RSE) dated 5/28/2008 proposing landfarming 400-500 cubic yardsof petroleum hydrocarbon impacted soil at the new, permitted Aleknagik Landfill, noting that verbal authorization was provided on 6/4/2008.

Former Staff

8/26/2008

Update or Other Action

From Spill response record: Report dated 8/26/2008 by Restoration Science & Engineering (RSE) "Southwest Region School District Aleknagik School Spill Corrective Actions." The report documents the removal by RSE, SWRSO personnel and City of Aleknagik equipment operators of contaminated soil from the source area beneath the former 100-gallon day tank shed. Contaminated soil above AOEC Method 2 soil cleanup levels still exists at the excavation limits shown in Figure 2 of the report. Contaminated soil excavation was limited by both underground and overhead utilities, the 20,000-galion AST serving the school, and other nearby infrastructure. Field investigation efforts were conducted on June 9,2008 through June 11, 2008.

Eileen Olson

10/1/2013

Update or Other Action

From Spill response records: Closure of landspread soil at the landfill requested in report dated 10/1/2013 submitted to Bethel response staff "Landspread Performance Monitoring and Request for Closure of Post-Treatment Landspread Soils Derived from the Aleknagik School Day Tank Release Aleknagik, Alaska. The "Recommendations and Conclusions" section of the report notes that laboratory analytical data show that contaminant concentrations in the landspread contaminated soil remain moderately elevated above the applicable ADEC cleanup level for DRO but further states that "since soils are within a secured and lined landfill cell, closure of soils will not pose a threat to human health or the environment" and "The landspread area soils will remain in place and be allowed to return to natural vegetation. RSE formally requests a Cleanup Complete designation of the spill and soils excavated." No response to report found in file.

Former Staff

12/4/2014

Update or Other Action

From Spill response records: After additional monitoring, closure of landspread soil at the landfill requested in report dated 12/4/2014 submitted to Bethel response staff "Landspread Performance Monitoring and Request for Closure of Post-Treatment Landspread Soils Derived from the Aleknagik School Day Tank Release Aleknagik, Alaska." The report concludes that based on laboratory analytical data, contaminant concentrations in the landspread contaminated soil are less than the applicable ADEC cleanup level for DRO and RSE formally requests a Cleanup Complete designation of the spill and soils excavated.

Eileen Olson

3/16/2015

Update or Other Action

Contaminated sites involvement is based on the contamination remaining adjacent to and possibly beneath the school, and the pending closure of the soil that was remediated by landspreading. Requested that spill response provide any information in their files; none available other than database entries.

Eileen Olson

3/28/2015

Update or Other Action

Restoration Science and Engineering (RSE) emailed report dated 12/4/2014 requesting closure of the landspread area approved by spill response, titled "Landspread Performance Monitoring and Request for Closure of Post-Treatment Landspread Soils Derived from the Aleknagik School Day Tank Release, Aleknagik, Alaska." RSE notes that based on the total landspread soil volume of 450 cubic yards of soil, RSE collected a minimum of 25 field screening samples and a total of five discrete analytical samples and one blind field duplicate as required for closure sampling of excavated soils in Table 2A of the ADEC Draft Field Sampling Guidance, May 2010.

Eileen Olson

5/15/2015

Site Added to Database

A new site has been added to the database

Mitzi Read

5/15/2015

Exposure Tracking Model Ranking

Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 79769 name: 100-Gallon Aboveground Day Tank

Mitzi Read

9/4/2015

Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other

ADEC's issued a review letter dated 9/4/2015 with subject line "Request for Information" stating that ADEC did not receive a final report for the 1997 spill as requested in a letter by the spill response group dated 1/31/2008. ADEC states it concurs with the consultant's finding that the 450 cubic yards of landspread soil meet the cleanup levels for all petroleum hydrocarbons of concern (RRO, DRO, GRO and BTEX) but soil analysis for polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) is required as it has not been done at the source area or in the landspread soils. ADEC also requested that the potential for vapor intrusion into the school be evaluated, and provided a copy of ADEC's Building Inventory and Indoor Air Sampling Questionnaire to be returned by November 30, 2015. ADEC also requested that by November 30, 2015, the school district provide historical and current information regarding the heating oil system at the school, and provide any documentation of environmental work not previously submitted to ADEC.

Eileen Olson

11/30/2015

Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other

ADEC letter dated 11/30/2015 reviews the "Response to letter dated September 4, 2015 RE: Aleknagik School Day Tank Request for Information, ADEC Database Hazard ID No. 26396" by Restoration Science and Environmental (RSE) dated and received 11/24/2015. The report documents a site visit on 11/10/2015 during which additional field screening and analytical samples were collected from the source area and the landspread area at the Aleknagik landfill. ADEC's review letter notes that the requested PAH testing was performed with results below the applicable cleanup level and that, based on the results, ADEC finds that the landspread soil meets applicable cleanup levels and that determination will be incorporated into any future decision document issued for the site. Based on report results ADEC stated that no additional evaluation of vapor intrusion potential is required. Additional soil and groundwater characterization as the source area was requested, with a work plan requested by March 15, 2016 to include a schedule for completing field work by June 30, 2016.

Eileen Olson

3/23/2016

Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other

ADEC letter dated 3/23/2016 conditionally approves plan dated 3/18/2016 prepared by RSE for boring and monitoring well installation to further characterize contamination remaining at source area.

Eileen Olson

10/24/2017

Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other

ADEC letter dated 10/24/2017 reviewed the "Site Characterization Report, Aleknagik School Day Tank Site, October 2017" received on 10/22/2017. Characterization activities took place in May 2016 and included installation of ten soil borings to depths of 12 to 20 feet below ground surface (bgs) with three of the borings completed as groundwater monitoring wells. ADEC's letter concurred with consultant RSE’s recommendation that further investigation at the site is needed to delineate the horizontal and vertical extent of the impacted area to the southwest of the former day tank shed that is the spill source; and to determine whether surface water has been impacted. ADEC requested a work plan for additional soil and groundwater characterization and monitoring of the three wells at the site by April 15, 2018, with work to begin by June 15, 2018. ADEC also approved a request to discharge groundwater monitoring well purge water currently on site to an upland area following filtration using a granular activated carbon filter.

Eileen Olson

9/20/2019

Workplan Requested

ADEC letter dated 9/20/2019 requested a work plan for the 2nd time from Rick Dallman of the Southwest Region School District. The Aleknagik School Day Tank requires further characterization to determine the extent of the contamination, and whether surface water has been impacted.

Randy Guintu

9/20/2019

Update or Other Action

Updated ETM to reflect the findings detailed in the Site Characterization Report, Aleknagik School Day Tank Site, October 2017.

Randy Guintu

5/20/2022

Site Characterization Workplan Approved

The ADEC reviewed and approved the “Aleknagik School Day Tank Additional Site Characterization Workplan”, dated May 17, 2022 by Restoration Science & Engineering. Field investigation includes pore/surface water sampling, shoreline/hillside slope soil sampling, monitoring well sampling, and drinking water well sampling.

Alena Voigt

Contaminant Information

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Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation

Site Report: Aleknagik School Day Tank

Site Chronology

IC / Closure Details

Documents

Associated Sites

Problems/Comments

Action Information

Contaminant Information

Control Type

Requirements

Missing Location Data

State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation