Problems/Comments

On May 15, 2014 it was reported to DEC and the US Coast Guard (USCG) that there was a visible sheen along the shoreline of Shishmaref directly north from the Shishmaref Native Store. DEC and the USCG responded but a source was not discovered. On December 15, 2014 the Village Public Safety Officer noted there was a strong gas odor throughout the community and a sheen was visible under the sea ice. DEC and the USCG responded to the event on 12/20/2014; a potential source area was discovered and the USCG collected samples below the marine header across from the Shishmaref Native Store. Samples were analyzed and showed that the product was fresh gasoline. On May 28, 2015 the sheen and odor returned in Shishmaref. DEC and the USCG sent representatives to the community on 6/4/2015, it was then determined that the likely source of the gasoline was the marine header. The Captain of the Port mandated that the lines in Shishmaref leading from the marine header be hydrostatically tested before any fuel be transferred to the tank farm. The diesel line from the marine header has multiple users, however the gasoline line is used only by the Shishmaref Native Store. The lines were hydrostatically tested in the beginning of September and showed that the diesel line does not leak but the gasoline line does. The point at which the leak formed was at a 90 degree bend at the point which the pipe from the marine header turns and connects to the pipe that goes to the tank farm. A patch was done and the line re-tested - it passed and fuel was transferred. Since the time of the repair there have been no reports of sheen or of gasoline odor in the community. Work with the community to delineate the site began during the summer of 2016. A test pit was dug approximately 20 feet SW of the marine header and field screening showed gasoline contamination extended down 6-7 feet below ground surface. At that depth permafrost was encountered and the contaminated moved horizontally at that point. Due to the material of the island being mostly sand and the limited spacing between buildings additional site characterization work could not be performed. Surface field screenings show that the gasoline contamination from the header is limited to that area, however it did show a separate contaminated area that possibly has a different source. This second location is the main fuel pump for local residents, it is likely there is diesel and gasoline contaminants that have resulted from fueling of personal vehicles. These two areas of contamination may be comingled. The marine header across from the Native Store sits in a slightly open area next to an unoccupied building. However, the buildings in Shishmaref are close together which limits potential cleanup options. This area is adjacent to a high-use road and parkway for the Shishmaref Native Store - community members of all ages frequent this area. It is also an access point to the bottom of the seawall. Residents have in the past used the section of shoreline beneath the marine header for subsistence fishing. 2019 site characterization activities included digging seven test pits, field screening , and soil sample collection to characterize contamination at the site. Gasoline Range Organics (GRO), Xylene, 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, and 1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene were found to exceed DEC cleanup levels in some of the test pits. A surface soil sample was also collected. Groundwater sample collection and well installation was not undertaken because no groundwater was encountered above permafrost. Additionally, a perfunctory Building Inventory and Indoor Air Sampling Questionnaire was performed to assess building vapor intrusion potential for the Shishmaref Native Store and Warehouse buildings.Further site characterization activities are needed to assess the extent of contamination and vapor intrusion potential.

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Requirements

No associated sites were found.