| Action Date |
Action |
Description |
DEC Staff |
| 6/24/1989 |
Update or Other Action |
Air Force provided ADEC a memorandum stating that a preliminary assessment was done at the Radio Relay Site (RRS) and that further work is necessary under the Installation Restoration Program. |
John Halverson |
| 7/13/1994 |
Update or Other Action |
ADEC received a draft preliminary assessment report from the Air Force. It documents the presence of petroleum contaminated soil and groundwater (suprapermafrost), DDT in soil, and an on-site landfill that contains the fromer structures and debris from the site. The landfill was created in 1989 and 1990 when the Air Force tore down the site and buried the wastes beneath the gravel pad. Further investigation and/or cleanup were recommended. |
John Halverson |
| 9/6/1995 |
Update or Other Action |
(Old R:Base Action Code = SI - Site Investigation). SI action added by Shannon and Wilson, Inc. on 02/11/1997, based on Air Force Relative Risk Evaluation Worksheet dated 9/6/95, which indicates SI is currently in phase. No other information available. |
S&W-Miner |
| 2/10/1997 |
Site Added to Database |
Site added by Shannon and Wilson, Inc. |
S&W-Miner |
| 11/14/1997 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
Final Management Action Plan submitted for the Bethel RRS. MAP includes: 1) restoration objectives; 2) identifies contaminated sites, condition of property; 3) IRP status summary; 4) installation-wide strategy; 5) master schedule of planned activities. Hard copy filed under 2407.38.008. |
Sammi Castle |
| 10/8/1999 |
Update or Other Action |
Between 1996 and 1998, during the Air Force cleanup at the 27 acre BIA Adminstrative Site (former WACS and AWCS), approximately 9,000 cubic yards of petroleum contaminated soil were excavated and placed in a bioremediation cell located over the landfill at the RRS. Also, monitoring wells installed at the RRS during the PA were periodically sampled along with wells installed at the BIA site. Petroleum contaminated soil and shallow groundwater, the landfill and the biocell remain at this site and all still need to be addressed. |
John Halverson |
| 1/1/2001 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
Year 2000 Biocell Performance Report dated January 2001. Activities conducted during the 2000 field season included: 1) turning the blower system on to route air through the injection lines 2) continue the treatment and discharge of precipitation water 3) collect performance samples 4) collect interim closure samples from the top three feet of soil in the biocell. |
Sammi Castle |
| 10/5/2001 |
Update or Other Action |
Staff reviewed and responded to a letter from the Air Force proposing that ADEC determine groundwater beneath the site is not a potential future drinking water source and raising the soil cleanup levels to ten times the method two migration to groundwater cleanup levels. This would require an amendment to the record of decision. The ADEC letter describes the steps necessary to accomplish this. |
John Halverson |
| 2/6/2002 |
Update or Other Action |
Staff discussed the biocell cleanup project status with the Air Force management. They plan to propose changing to landfarming, but not changing the soil cleanup levels. This would require an explanation of significant differences to the record of decision, but not formally changing the ROD. |
John Halverson |
| 7/23/2002 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
Final Management Action Plan for Bethel Radio Relay Station dated July 2002. |
Sammi Castle |
| 10/29/2002 |
Update or Other Action |
DEC and the Air Force signed an Explanation of Significant Difference, amending the Record of Decision of the Bethel BIA site. The remedy for soil placed in the biocell at the RRS was changed from treatment in a biocell to landfarming. Workplans still need to be reviewed and approved before the biocell is dismantled. |
John Halverson |
| 7/1/2003 |
Cleanup Plan Approved |
DEC approved the landfarming plan that calls for dismantling the biocell containing soil from the BIA Administrative Site and landfarming the soil at the RRS. **Note, this is not a cleanup plan for the RRS, which still needs further characterization and cleanup work. Environmental Work and Quality Plans Part I - Project Activities Work Plan dated June 2003. Part II - Field Sampling Plan dated September 2002. Part III - Quality Assurance Program Plan dated September 2002. |
Bob Glascott |
| 12/19/2003 |
Update or Other Action |
DEC recevied a Technical Memorandum of the Bethel Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Biocell Demolition and Landfarm Construction, Dec. 2003. The report describes closure of the biocell and construction of a fenced landfarming area. |
John Halverson |
| 2/8/2005 |
Update or Other Action |
DEC received a final Technical Memorandum Bethel Bio-cell Soil Landfarming Remedial Action document, dated January 2005. |
John Halverson |
| 6/10/2005 |
Update or Other Action |
DEC approved the landfarming technical memo and concurred no further soil treatment is required for the soil which was excavated from the BIA site, moved to a biocell at the RRS site and subsequently landfarmed in 2003-04.
**Note, site characterization and cleanup work at the Bethel RRS site has not been completed and is planned for a later date. |
John Halverson |
| 7/26/2007 |
Update or Other Action |
Staff sent the Air Force comment on the draft supplemental site investigation work plan |
Debra Caillouet |
| 9/19/2007 |
Update or Other Action |
Staff sent comments on the draft RI work plan |
Debra Caillouet |
| 10/9/2007 |
Exposure Tracking Model Ranking |
|
Debra Caillouet |
| 11/6/2007 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
Supplemental Site Investigation Work Plan for Bethel RRS dated October 2007 and received by ADEC on this date. This document includes the work plan, sampling and analysis plan, health and safety plan, and data management plan. |
Sammi Castle |
| 7/31/2008 |
Update or Other Action |
Comments were sent to the Air Force on the Draft Work Plan Addendum, Bethel Radio Relay Station, DDT and Septic Tank Outfall Area, Interim Removal Action. The plan had did not address the U listed DDT and staff requested the Air Force coordinate with EPA to determine the appropriate treatment, storage and disposal for the RCRA waste. The laboratory proposed for use is not a DEC approved lab. |
Debra Caillouet |
| 8/19/2008 |
Interim Removal Action Approved |
The Work Plan Addendum, DDT and Septic Tank Outfall Area, Interim Removal Acion, Bethel Radio Relay Staion, Final August 2008 was approved. |
Debra Caillouet |
| 8/25/2008 |
Update or Other Action |
Significant comment was sent to the Air Force on the Draft Remedail Investigation report for 2007 work. |
Debra Caillouet |
| 3/20/2009 |
Update or Other Action |
Staff reviewed the draft IRA report and sent comment |
Debra Caillouet |
| 7/10/2009 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
Staff reviewed and approved the supplemental IRA work plan. |
Debra Caillouet |
| 9/4/2009 |
Update or Other Action |
Staff acknowledged receipt of the final Work Plan Addendum Supplement DDT and Septic Tank Outfall Area Interim Removal Action. The implementation of the work was approved based on the draft and there are no changes in the final. |
Debra Caillouet |
| 3/1/2010 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
Final Report Remedial Investigation dated March 2010. The objectives of the RI were to characterize past hazardous waste disposal and spill areas, obtain characterization data to complete a baseline RA, and make recommendations for future remedial actions. |
Sammi Castle |
| 3/26/2010 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
DDT and Septic Tank Outfall 2009 Interim Removal Action Report - Bethel Radio Relay Station Technical Memorandum dated March 26, 2010. The intent of the 2009 IRA was to excavate and dispose of any remaining in situ soil contamination of PCB in the former septic tank outfall and DDT in the DDT excavation. Conclusions from this report suggest that no further action is required with regard to the DDT excavation. The three final soil confirmation samples collected from the final excavation effort at the STO contained PCB just above the ADEC Cleanup levels, but are below ADEC's cumulative risk level for PCB. The remaining 60 to 70 cubic yards of stockpiled PCB-contaminated soil will require proper disposal in the future. |
Sammi Castle |
| 11/17/2010 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
Final Supplemental Feasibility Study dated October 2010. The purpose of this report was to re-evaluate the disposal of PCB contaminated stockpiled soil with PCB concentrations of less than 10 mg/kg. |
Sammi Castle |
| 6/17/2011 |
CERCLA Proposed Plan |
ADEC-CS staff reviewed and approved the final June, 2011 Proposed Plan |
Curtis Dunkin |
| 6/23/2011 |
CERCLA Proposed Plan |
ADEC-CS staff participated in the public meeting for the June, 2011 Proposed Plan at the City Hall in Bethel, AK. |
Curtis Dunkin |
| 6/23/2011 |
Site Visit |
While in Bethel to participate in the public meeting for the 2011 Proposed Plan, contaminated sites staff conducted a site visit of the Bethel RRS. One of the previous four radio relay towers remains standing and is planned for demolition disposal in the onsite landfill in 2011. Staff also inspected the POL Pad Site (SS001), the stockpile of PCB-contaminated soil that will be disposed offsite in 2011, the ground water monitoring wells associated with the POL Pad area, the Landfill/Pad Area (SS010), the DDT Area (SS006), and the STO Area (SS009). There is evidence of ongoing trespassing and vandalism, which is suspected to decrease significantly once the last remaining tower is demolished and buried in the landfill pad area. |
Curtis Dunkin |
| 8/8/2011 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
Final Work Plan - PCB Contaminated Soil Stockpile Removal at ST001 Bethel RRS dated July, 2011. There is approximately 70 cubic yards (cy) of soil with PCB concentrations between 1.0 and 8.5 mg/Kg at the SS001 site. The soil with PCB concentrations between 1.0 and 8.5 mg/Kg will be containerized and shipped offsite to an approved landfill for disposal. |
Sammi Castle |
| 8/14/2011 |
Long Term Monitoring Established |
As required by the final 2011 ROD, visual inspection and monitoring of the protective cap and exclusion fence will occur at least once every 5 years along with CERCLA 5-yr. reviews. The ROD also requires biennial sampling of groundwater to evaluate whether monitored natural attenuation of DRO-contaminated suprapermafrost groundwater at the site continues to progress at an acceptable rate. |
Curtis Dunkin |
| 8/14/2011 |
CERCLA ROD Approved |
ADEC-CS staff reviewed the draft 2011 Bethel RRS Record of decision and submitted comments to the Air Force. After resolving comments and revision requests, ADEC reviewed and approved the final ROD, which was signed by John Halverson on August 09, 2011, and by the USAF on August 14, 2011. The selected remedies include removing and disposing of the PCB-contaminated soil off site, and implementing instutional controls; including maintaining current property records and land use controls in the Air Force's forthcoming Land Use Control Plan, visual inspection and monitoring of the protective cap and exclusion fence every 5 years, and biennial sampling of groundwater to evaluate whether monitored natural attenuation of DRO-contaminated suprapermafrost groundwater at the site continues to progress at an acceptable rate. |
Curtis Dunkin |
| 8/14/2011 |
Institutional Control Record Established |
Institutional Controls established and entered into the database. |
Curtis Dunkin |
| 8/26/2011 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
ADEC-CS staff reviewed the draft 2011 Removal Action and Demolition Work Plan and submitted comments to the Air Force. After resolution of comments, ADEC approved the final work plan. |
Curtis Dunkin |
| 4/25/2012 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
ADEC-CS Staff reviewed the draft 2011 Removal Action and Demolition Report and submitted comments to the Air Force. After resolving comments, ADEC approved the final report. 2011 remedial efforts included removing and disposing of the 70 cu yard stockpile of PCB-contaminated soil offsite and the demolition and offsite disposal of the remaining radio relay tower. |
Curtis Dunkin |
| 8/17/2012 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
ADEC-CS staff reviewed the draft 2012 Site Inspection and Groundwater Monitoring Work Plan and submitted comments to the Air Force. After resolution of comments, ADEC approved the final work plan. Work is being conducted as required by the long-term monitoring controls outlined in the 2011 ROD. |
Curtis Dunkin |
| 3/7/2013 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
ADEC received the 2012 Site SS001 and PAD Area Annual Inspection and Biennial Groundwater Monitoring Letter Reports on this date. Damage to the northern gate, an exposed liner, surface water ponding, and erosion areas were observed. |
Sammi Castle |
| 6/11/2013 |
Exposure Tracking Model Ranking |
A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 73807 Radar Station. |
Curtis Dunkin |
| 8/29/2014 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
ADEC contaminated sites staff reviewed the 2014 revised final long-term monitoring work plan for Site SS001 and submitted approval to the Air Force. Biennial monitoring is being conducted at site SS001 as required by the 2011 Record of Decision. Monitoring efforts planned for 2014 include the decommissioning of a previous groundwater monitoring well and the installation of a new monitoring well along with the collection of groundwater samples for analysis. Planned activities also include inspecting the landfill cap, perimeter exclusion fencing, and the installation of warning/no trespassing signs. |
Curtis Dunkin |
| 1/23/2015 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
Final Technical Project Report - Biennial Groundwater Monitoring Site SS001 dated January 2015 and received by ADEC on this date. Field activities consisted of decommissioning damaged well MW-19RRS, installing replacement well MW-19RRS-R, monitoring site groundwater, performing visual inspection, photo documentation, and repair of existing fencing, signage, and Pad Area soil cap. |
Sammi Castle |
| 11/18/2015 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
Final Project Activities Addendum to the 2014 LTM Work Plan Bethel Radio Relay Station Site SS001 dated November 2015 and received by ADEC on this date. This document summarizes the procedures for conducting site restoration by placement of 100cy of clean backfill for an erosion ditch, repair of fencing and gates, sampling of a groundwater monitor well and securing all wells with new locks. |
Sammi Castle |
| 6/16/2017 |
Institutional Control Periodic Reporting |
DEC approved the 2016 Site SS001 First Five-Year Report. The report concludes that the remedy is protective of human health and the environment. To maintain long-term protectiveness, concerns raised by DEC regarding the remedy performance, including the efficacy of the exclusion measures and the integrity of the soil cap, will have to be addressed. Site inspections will be increased to 2 times per year for the first 2 years (once in the spring, and once in the fall) to ensure that the exclusion measures are maintained. Additionally, the USAF will conduct additional public outreach in Bethel to communicate the hazards associated with Site SS001. |
Joy Whitsel |
| 8/17/2017 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
DEC approved the final work plan addendum to the 2014 Work Plan for Biennial Groundwater Monitoring Site SS001. The work plan addendum describes the environmental monitoring and site investigation activities that will be performed at the SS001 operating unit. The monitoring activities will consist of the collection groundwater depth measurements and the investigation for free product from both site monitoring wells and the collection of groundwater samples from monitoring well MW19RRS-R for analysis of DRO concentrations. In addition, the project field team will inspect the condition of the existing landfill cap and assess the effectiveness of the cap and the established land use controls (LUCs) in mitigating exposure to the residual site contaminants. |
Joy Whitsel |
| 2/28/2018 |
Update or Other Action |
DEC Approval – Final Remedial Action-Operations / Long-Term Management Report, Bethel Radio Relay Station, Site SS001, February 2018 detailing the assessment of the land use controls including signage and fencing; the inspection of the landfill cap, and monitoring of groundwater. Most of the signage is undamaged and the integrity of the fencing is intact, however two gates have been damaged. The landfill cap is reported to be in good condition and free of erosion. Groundwater contamination was documented as elevated compared to previous sampling events with DRO detected at 6.54 mg/L, more than ten times higher than the concentration reported in 2016. DEC concurs that continued groundwater monitoring at Bethel Radio Relay Station and further outreach regarding the hazards of the site to the Bethel community are necessary. |
Gretchen Caudill |
| 3/18/2019 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
DEC Comments - LTM WP DEC is concerned that the concentration of DRO in groundwater recorded in 2017 may indicate an unevaluated source area and/or presence of NAPL. Given the increasing concentrations of DRO recorded since 2014, DEC recommends a more robust, current evaluation of groundwater at the RRS site.
• DEC recommends evaluating for additional contaminants in groundwater, particularly PCBs and pesticides, to ensure petroleum is not mobilizing other contamination remaining on site.
• Additional site characterization may be warranted at the site. In reference to the PAD area the 2011 Record of Decision (ROD) states it is currently unknown if contaminants detected along the perimeter may be migrating offsite via seeps into the adjacent wetlands, due to the wide range and significant concentrations levels of analytes that were actually detected in groundwater and subsurface soil samples. Further, remaining DDT and PCB contamination outside of the PAD area exceeds current DEC migration to groundwater and human health cleanup levels, respectively. |
Gretchen Caudill |
| 7/2/2019 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
DEC Approval - LTM WP. |
Gretchen Caudill |
| 1/9/2020 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
DEC approved the Final 2019 SS001 Environmental Long Term Monitoring Report, Bethel Radio Relay Station, Bethel, AK, Dated December 2019. Monitoring activities included an institutional control (IC) inspection, visual inspection of the soil cap integrity, and groundwater sampling. The IC inspection found evidence of trespass, vandalism, and damaged signage in need of replacement. Weathered signage was replaced and the two access gates were secured with new chains and locks to prevent trespassing. The soil cap was found to be in good condition. Additionally, two groundwater samples taken at MW-19RRS found no exceedances of diesel range organics (DRO) cleanup levels. It is stated that groundwater monitoring activities will continue until at least three consecutive sampling events show no DRO exceedances, while IC inspections will continue to occur at least once every five years. It is also recommended that an annual attempt be made to secure the fencing, gates, and locks at the site due to persistent vandalism and trespass. |
Kevin Fraley |
| 9/3/2020 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
DEC approved 2020 Supplemental Work Plan for RAO/LUC/IC Long Term Monitoring. MW-19RRS-R will be sampled to see if DRO concentrations are still below Table C. The landfill cap and signs, along with other ICs, will be inspected annually. Vandalism and trespassing have been common at the site, and the northwestern gate will be replaced. Details of the construction are unclear, but will be explained in the report. |
Tim Sharp |
| 3/1/2021 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
DEC sent comments on the Draft RAO and IC/LUC for SS001. DRO was detected below Table C in the one monitoring well sampled. The report recommends further biennial groundwater sampling to ensure DRO concentrations are stable or decreasing. Vandalism remains a problem at the site, and the AF may install a more secure system in the future to prevent trespassing. Comments focused on the remaining concentrations of PCBs and DDT possibly present at the site, which will hopefully be addressed in the next FYR for the site. The RPD of the groundwater DRO sample and its duplicate were outside of reasonable acceptance levels, and so DRO levels were flagged as estimated. The LCS duplicate was also missing. |
Tim Sharp |
| 5/28/2021 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
DEC Approved the Final 2020 LTM Report, all comments were incorporated and recommendations were addressed. |
Tim Sharp |
| 6/11/2021 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
DEC sent comments for the Draft 2021 LTM RAO UFP-QAPP. Comments focused on incorporating recommendations and observations from the 2020 LTM Report into the new QAPP. The site work consists of sampling one well for DRO and conducting IC inspections. It is uncertain if or how necessary repairs will be implemented. |
Tim Sharp |
| 7/26/2021 |
Exposure Tracking Model Ranking |
A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 73807 Radar Station. |
Tim Sharp |
| 8/18/2021 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
DEC approved the Final LTM/RAO UFP-QAPP. Minor repairs of ICs will be addressed in the current contract, and DEC requested allocations for major repairs be included in the next contract or a modification of the current contract. |
Tim Sharp |
| 4/28/2022 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
DEC sent comments on the Draft 2021 Long Term Monitoring and Institutional and Land Use Controls Report. The gate and fencing requires repairs as the area has been trespassed upon. Diesel range organics were detected just above the Table C value in the duplicate sample, while the primary sample fell below Table C but was estimated and biased low. Continued biennial sampling is recommended. Minor erosion and damage to an erosion control device were observed and should be addressed by future work at the site. |
Tim Sharp |
| 6/2/2022 |
Site Visit |
DEC personnel conducted a site visit to this area. Gates to the region have been cut or unlocked via vandalism. |
Tim Sharp |
| 8/1/2022 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
DEC Approved the Final 2021 Long Term Management Land Use and Institutional Controls Report for Site SS001. |
Tim Sharp |
| 12/12/2022 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
ADEC submitted comments for the Draft 2022 Five-Year Review for Site SS001 at Bethel Radio Relay Station (RRS). The Five-Year Review details the summary of the site history, contaminants, and land use or engineering controls at the Bethel Radio Relay Site (RRS). The site has a history of trespassing and vandalism of the fencing surrounding SS001. The Five-Year Review determines remedies at SS001 are protective of human health and the environment in the short term, but future protectiveness may be affected by issues at the site. ADEC comments consisted of requesting further information about recommendations for removal of fencing or improvements to prevent trespassing at the site. |
Tim Sharp |
| 2/14/2023 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
DEC requested further information in the Five Year Review comment responses, including cap thickness, amount of additional material proposed to be added, reseeding information, etc. DEC also requests a Notice of Activity and Use Limitation be recorded, as the Notice of Environmental Contamination was recorded after the Uniform Environmental Covenants Act was promulgated, the NEC does not mention polychlorinated biphenyls, and identifies fencing as a land use control, which the FYR is proposing to be removed. USAF will also require post-Record of Decision documentation, such as an Explanation of Significant Differences, to capture the change in the remedy. |
Tim Sharp |
| 3/21/2023 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
DEC approved the Final 2022 Five-Year Review (FYR) for Site SS001 at Bethel Radio Relay Site (RRS). The FYR determines remedies at SS001 are protective of human health and the environment in the short term, but future protectiveness may be affected by issues at the site. The FYR recommends removing the fence while ensuring protectiveness of the remedy, as well as curtailing erosion by applying native grass seed to the soil cap. The FYR also recommends a Notice of Activity and Use Limitation (NAUL) be prepared and recorded in accordance with the Uniform Environmental Covenants Act (UECA), which will identify polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination and the land use controls (LUCs) to be implemented. Community outreach is also recommended to raise awareness of site contaminants and soil cap integrity maintenance. |
Tim Sharp |
| 4/25/2023 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
DEC reviewed and commented on the Draft 2022 Long Term Management (LTM), Land Use and Institutional Controls (IC) Report for the Bethel Radio Relay Station. The report summarized groundwater sampling and results, as well as IC inspections, including landfill cap inspections. The groundwater data analysis indicates concentrations of diesel range organics (DRO) are increasing at the site. The southern gate fencing has been vandalized to allow access to the site by vehicles, which was repaired by the field team. The report recommends continued annual groundwater monitoring and inspections of the ICs in place at the site. |
Tim Sharp |
| 6/8/2023 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
DEC approved the Final 2022 Long Term Management, Land Use and Institutional Controls Report on this date. |
Tim Sharp |
| 9/18/2023 |
CERCLA PA |
DEC completed a review of the Draft Preliminary Assessment (PA) Report for Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) Areas at the Bethel Radio Relay Station (RRS). The PA Report evaluates if a potential environmental release of AFFF occurred from historical storage or use at fire training areas (FTAs) or other areas through historical records review and interviews with individuals who were present at the site when AFFF may have been stored or used. The PA Report states that there were no potential AFFF storage, use, or release locations identified at the Bethel RRS and therefore the Bethel RRS is recommended for No Further Remedial Action Planned (NFRAP). |
Tim Sharp |
| 11/20/2023 |
CERCLA PA |
DEC approved the Final Preliminary Assessment Report for Aqueous Film-Forming Foam Areas at the Bethel Radio Relay Station on this date. |
Tim Sharp |
| 2/16/2024 |
Institutional Control Periodic Reporting |
DEC submitted comments on the Draft 2023 Long Term Monitoring Report. Comments regarded future protectiveness and recommendations of reseeding eroded areas and additional sampling. |
Tim Sharp |
| 5/8/2024 |
Long Term Monitoring Workplan or Report Review |
DEC Approved the 2023 LTM Report on this date. |
Tim Sharp |
