Skip to content Skip to content

Site Report: Danger Bay Log Camp

Site Name: Danger Bay Log Camp
Address: Kazakof Bay, Afognak Is., Kodiak, AK 99615
File Number: 2502.38.001
Hazard ID: 3796
Status: Active
Staff: Dawn Wilburn, 9072628200 dawn.wilburn@alaska.gov
Latitude: 58.136834
Longitude: -152.552508
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

Twenty five years of incidental spills of petroleum and waste oil onto shop area gravel soils has resulted in contamination. Shop area and mill was once run by the Army in World War II. Outlying areas associated with logging were run by logging contractors, with the last being Ben Thomas Logging. Besides the shop, outlying areas are being evaluated and remediated as site activity permits. Heavy Vehicle Maintenance Shop. Drinking water intake is at 150 feet elevation. The site is adjacent to saltwater shoreline and consists of shot rock fill material. Site transferred to Southeast (Juneau) office at request of Anchorage staff. Southeast staff have experience with site conditions and logging facilities. Conversation with Montauk Environmental (04/02/2004) indicated Alutiiq will be proceeding with this site under a three phase approach: Phase 1 - early work by CH2M Hill at Log Camp Shop/Camp Areas (this work is incomplete and will be re-addressed in Phase 3) Phase 2 - work at outlying areas and Sortyard Phase 3 - back to shop and camp area to finish the project Work at outlying areas and Sortyard is mainly petroleum contamination and straightforward so project manager is being fairly flexible. Phase 3 work finishing shop and camp itself appears to have a much longer history and more complex contamination, and will need closer scrutiny.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
6/19/2001 Update or Other Action Spoke with Pete Olson regarding initial Afognak Native VCP application. Mike Jaynes
6/21/2001 Site Added to Database Spillage of waste and other oils over 25 year period. Bruce Wanstall
6/21/2001 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Preliminary ranking. Bruce Wanstall
6/21/2001 Voluntary Cleanup Program Acceptance letter sent to applicant. Bruce Wanstall
8/29/2001 Update or Other Action Recieved final plan from Afognak for bioremediation. Addresses issues with sampling and leachate control. Mike Jaynes
11/7/2001 Update or Other Action Pete olson called to let me know that draft report is on its way today to me. told him my schedule for the next few weeks. he said they have 7200 yards of soil and have it in long term storage and will decide on what to do with soil this winter. ch2m hill is writing report. Mike Jaynes
12/18/2001 Update or Other Action Comments on Shop/Camp area Draft Final Report submitted to CH2MHill. Report Title - not sure if we should call this a final report since more work needs to be performed onsite. Cleanup Action Interim Report or makes sense. I can close out individual sites if you desire; still have questions concerning the confirmational samples and groundwater and do not see closure to at this pointfor this area. My comments by section: Section One page 1-2 para 2 last sentence, "A thin layer of perched water..." Was this layer continuous or discontinuous? page1-2, para 3 - any noted surfacewater drainages on site? page 1-6, table 1-1 - RRO regulatory level is 8,300 not 9,700. Cleanup level is capped at the most stringent Inhalation, Ingestion or Migration to Groundwater level. In this case it is capped at Ingestion. Note this will affect confirmation sample ANC01SL14 in terms of RRO clean closure. page1-7, para 1 - I concur with your conclusions for methylene chloride. Common laboratory occurrence page 1-7, para 3 - also concur with your arsenic conclusions. Very common to have levels of background arsenic similar to yours in Alaska Section Two page 2-1, para 1 - Method Two, Migration to Groundwater cleanup goals are appropriate for this site, is this your requested cleanup level? Table 2-1 - Soil cleanup goal for RRO is capped at most stringent ingestion level of 8,300 Section Three page 3-1, para 1 - the stockpile as built is limited to two years in situ with a 20-mil liner. What are your future intentions for the soil? page 3-1, para 4 - What are the intentions/possible timelines for excavation of remaining soil under the structures? Groundwater Sampling and Conclusions One single sample and duplicate does not seem to be thorough enough for the complete site. The report states multiple times that a layer of "perched water" was seen throughout the site. If groundwater is extensive, then this would justify a few more samples from the different areas. The description of groundwater and how the sample was collected is very limited. What did the groundwater look like? Sheens? Any floating product as in splotches of motor oil, hydraulic fluid? Any clearer photographs? For your groundwater sampling, did you sample straight out of a test pit after it was mucked up by the shovel? Your actual GW levels may be lower and not need a 10X rule decision. Collection of water samples from the bottom of test pits is not recommended. Installation of a simple 2" PVC well may suffice. Mention is made of surfacewater runoff, but no sampling occurred in surfacewater drainages. How do you explain sample ANC01SL18 which shows high benzene next to the diversion creek? When onsite evidence shows the potential for a surfacewater/groundwater interface, generally we request that surfacewater be sampled for Total Aqueous Hydrocarbons and Total Aromatic Hydrocarbons (TAqH and TAH) to ensure this pathway is not affected by contamination. Application of the 10x rule may be workable; however the process is more rigorous than your conclusion. More sitewide water sampling is needed than a single sample. (It could be that only a small area is contaminated and the surrounding areas are uncontaminated...) Confirmational Sampling Excavation sidewalls did not appear to be sampled. Also, confirmational samples need to be collected one every 100 square feet of ground surface. (Petroluem Cleanup Guidance) We can approve smaller numbers of confirmational samples within reason prior to initiating onsite work. More sampling will be needed to confirm excavation work is done. Laboratory Records I assume all records will be in the final of this report. Mike Jaynes
6/14/2002 Update or Other Action Afognak Native Corporation to go ahead with bioremediation of Phase 1 soils (3200 cubic yards post-screening) using Enzyme Tech system. Mike Jaynes
3/10/2004 Site Characterization Report Approved Recieved Site Characterization report from Montauk Environmental evaluating outlying areas of operation out of the camp. Contamination found to be mostly petroleum hydrocarbons. These sites are distict and separate from camp shop and buildings. Montauk proposed Method Three Cleanup level. Project manager required additional organic carbon sampling, further evaluation of subsurface water onsite to evaluate wheather it is an aquifer or not. GW appears to be perched, not a viable aquifer. SW is the drinking water source for the camp and adjacent areas. Also required additional site specific sampling for potential contaminants of concern that may have been missed. Mike Jaynes
3/11/2004 Cleanup Level(s) Approved Site removed from VCP to use Method Three Cleanup levels. Method Three ACL approved for Sortyard and Outlying areas with RRO at 8,300 ppm, DRO at 6,700 ppm, GRO at 1,400 ppm, Benzene at 0.118 ppm, Toluene 67.7 ppm, Ethylbenzene 92.7 ppm and Total Xylenes at 1,320 ppm. Mike Jaynes
4/1/2004 Update or Other Action Reranked site with additional known information. Still Medium priority. Mike Jaynes
5/27/2004 Update or Other Action Phone call with Cliff Elsmann at Montauk. Finished recent fieldwork and 1500 cubic yards of screened material, 30 samples from sortyard were taken for confirmation. Ttwo excavations at sort circle and ast area were performed. Noted makeup of ground was different than expected. Mostly bedrock, but found highly compressed riprap and cobbles. Sortyard was fill, wtih about 12 feet of dirt. Put in about 80-odd test holes around the entire area. Did confirmational samples, one spot had to reexcavate, next step will be the treatment and outlying sites which may be the 2nd week of June. Enzyme Tech and L&C will be proposing on remediation through bioaugmentation. Mike Jaynes
6/15/2004 Update or Other Action Recieved report on last month's fieldwork. Report reviewed. Afognak Corporation asking for closure or NFRAP of sortyard while a new contractor moves into the camp. Willing to NFRAP the site with the requirement that further work commence once the current contractor completes work. Mike Jaynes
6/16/2004 Update or Other Action File number added 2502.38.001 Sarah Cunningham
6/16/2004 Meeting or Teleconference Held Met with Bill DeAtri, Jim Erickson of Aluutiq Corporation and their consultant regarding this season's fieldwork at the Sortyard area. The Sortyard is to be used by Whitestone Logging and Alutiqq is requesting a separate closure of this area prior to Whitestone moving onsite. Review of this season's site actions show Sortyard to be in good shape with the exception of some diethylene glycol above cleanup level in the sump area. Will NFRAP site with a note that the sump will need further evaluation once current operations are closed down. Both Jim Erickson and Bill DeAtri reaffirmed Aluutiq's committment to continue the cleanup of this facility in phases and will send out an official letter stating their intentions for the site. Work at this site is progressing steadily. Mike Jaynes
6/28/2004 Update or Other Action NFRAP approved for Sortyard facility to open Sortyard for commercial operations. NFRAP conditional on proper management of Sortyard settlement basin soils which have petroleum and glycol concerns. Approval letter is at G:\SPAR\Spar-Contaminated Sites\38 Case Files (Contaminated Sites)\2502 Danger Bay Log Camp. Mike Jaynes
7/8/2004 Cleanup Plan Approved Approved by brief email cleanup plan for Outlying sites. Cleanup to occur in the next following weeks. Mike Jaynes
10/21/2005 Update or Other Action Telecon with Cliff Elsmannn at Mauntauk. Told him we could explore the possibility of conditionally closing the site if the bio cells could be shown to be the 95 UCL based on systematic random sampling. Soil would have to be managed in place and would have to reach most conservative cleanup levels if proposed to be moved or used for other purposes. Bill Janes
10/26/2005 Update or Other Action Spoke with Cliff Elsmann at Mauntauk. He will be sending report on cleanup at outlying sites and biocells onsite. Mike Jaynes
3/19/2008 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed. Don Fritz
8/4/2009 Meeting or Teleconference Held Phone call with Cliff Elsmann regarding lab results and exceedences. Discussed impacts found, and minimal remaining contamination encountered in the field and depicted by sample results. Don Fritz
1/7/2010 Cleanup Plan Approved On November 20, 2008, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) received the Request for Department Authorization to Dispose Post-Treatment Soil for the Danger Bay Log Camp facility submitted on behalf of the Afognak Native Corporation by Cliff Elsmann (Montauk E/E). On December 16, 2008, ADEC received the Addendum to 18 Nov. '08 Contam. Soil Transportation Request, also submitted by Montauk. Additional information was submitted via e-mail by Cliff Elsmann on December 28th and December 30th. Based upon the information presented in the above referenced documents, the request to land spread the approximately 1,800 cubic yards of petroleum impacted soils is approved. In addition, the proposal to utilize the East Cell for the purpose of remediating the additional contaminated soil generated from the upcoming Old Shop cleanup (March 14, 2008 POL-Contaminated Soil Treatment Plan, approved on March 26, 2008) is also approved provided that the excavation and remediation activities follow the approved March plan (except for the revised location for remediation cell construction). Don Fritz
3/31/2010 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Reviewed the Cleanup Report, Former Ben A. Thomas Inc. Old Shop Building, Danger Bay, dated October 2009, from Montauk Environmental Engineering for Don Fritz. Approximately 1,730 cubic yards of soil was excavated within and north of the former Old Shop area, west of the Old Shop area, and in two vehicle storage areas north and northeast of the former Old Shop area. DRO soil contamination remains in the south side wall of the former Old Shop Building excavation at approximately 1 ½ feet below ground surface, and Benzene soil contamination remains in the west side wall of the former Old Shop Building excavation at approximately 4 to 4 ½ feet below ground surface. Arsenic and Chromium was detected above the soil cleanup levels in all the laboratory samples and the presence of these concentrations is believed to be naturally occurring. The presence of Mercury above the soil cleanup levels is not known. No known Mercury containing compounds were utilized on the site, other than the thought that the World War II era saw mill might be the contributing factor. The excavated soils were stockpiled north of the site for remediation using ammonium nitrate. Alyce Hughey
11/16/2011 Update or Other Action Site transferred from Don Fritz to Peter Campbell per Paul Horwath. Alyce Hughey
4/27/2012 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Letter to Afognak Native Corporation regarding information presented in Cleanup Report Former Ben A. Thomas Inc. Old Shop Building. Excavation Area A (Former Footprint of the Old Shop Building); the majority of the impacted soils have been excavated and moved to the treatment cells. One sample under the shop wall exceeded the migration to groundwater cleanup level for DRO at 299 mg/kg and one sample from the west wall exceeded the migration to groundwater cleanup level for benzene at 0.0254 mg/kg at approximately 4 to 4 ½ feet below ground surface. Based on this soil sample data, these residual contaminant concentrations are acceptable; however, should additional contamination be detected when the remaining building is demolished, additional assessment and cleanup may be required. Based on the information presented within the report, cleanup efforts at Areas B, C, and D are considered complete. No further cleanup work is required in Areas B, C, and D at this time. ADEC has requested a workplan for closure sampling of a 1730 cubic yard contaminated soil stockpile. Peter Campbell
9/18/2013 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Reviewed the Cleanup Plan for Spill at Afognak Native Corporation Danger Bay Camp, Former Lubricant Storage Shed, dated January 18, 2012, prepared by Montauk Environmental Engineering. On November 3, 2011 during the demolition of a lubricant storage shed, a small stained area located directly beneath the lubricant storage shed polyethylene containment membrane. Soil samples collected detected DRO at 7,410 mg/kg and RRO at 39,800 mg/kg at a depth of approximately 6-inches bgs. Alyce Hughey
9/18/2013 Update or Other Action On June 28, 2012 Don Fritz approved approximately 8 to 10 cubic yards of contaminated soil associated with the former lubricant storage shed, to be transported to the treatment cell at the Danger Bay Log Camp, approximately four miles north of the former lubricant storage shed. Alyce Hughey
6/19/2020 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter Potential Responsible Party Letter sent to Afognak Native Corporation and to Ben A Thomas Inc. Jessica Hall
6/19/2020 Workplan Requested Work Plan Request Letter sent to Afognak Native Corporation and to Ben A Thomas Inc. Jessica Hall
6/26/2020 Update or Other Action Spoke with Natasha M. Hayden, P.E. Director of Lands & Natural Resources, she is the new point of contact for Afognak Native Corporation. Jessica Hall
10/29/2020 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC received the Response to Workplan Request letter, dated September 29, 2020. ADEC has no objections to the work proposed to be included in the draft workplan, however ADEC needs copies of the October 2001: Cleanup Action Final Report by CH2M Hill AND October 2003: Report of Limited Site Assessments, Ben A. Thomas, Inc. Area of Operation, Danger Bay, Alaska by Montauk Environmental Engineering which is mentioned in the Response to Work Plan Request, dated September 29, 2020 to have a better understanding of the scope. Jessica Hall
1/8/2021 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC sent RP comments on the Danger Bay Log Camp Site Characterize Work Plan for the Danger Bay Log Camp “site”, dated December 2020. Jessica Hall
2/1/2021 Site Characterization Workplan Approved ADEC sent the RP work plan approval letter dated January 2021. Soil and groundwater sampling are planned to commence in field season of 2021. Jessica Hall
4/28/2021 Update or Other Action Updated site location and added datum. Previous CSP application coordinates without datum were 58.137556 -152.550333. Coordinates updated to reflect location on ANCSA conveyed land Site location verified with figures and satellite imagery from 2020.12.29 AfognakDangerBayWorkPlan.pdf Ginna Quesada
7/21/2021 Update or Other Action TPECI is currently in Danger Bay to carry out the site characterization approved in the work plan. Jessica Hall
3/3/2022 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC sent the RP comments on the “Danger Bay Log Camp Site Characterization Report”, dated February 2022. Requested and updated report be submitted. Jessica Hall
4/12/2022 Site Characterization Report Approved ADEC sent the RP an approval letter for the “Danger Bay Log Camp Site Characterization Report”, dated March 2022, via electronic mail April 8, 2022. A work plan should be submitted to address existing contamination at the site. Exceedances of DRO and RRO above Human Health Cleanup Levels were documented at the Sort Yard Circle in sample locations 03BSA-01. Exceedances of DRO Migration to Groundwater Cleanup Levels were documented at the Sort Yard Circle in sample locations 03BSA-02 and 03BSA-03. Exceedances of DRO above Migration to Groundwater Cleanup Levels were documented at the Former AST in sample locations 03BSA-08. Exceedances of DRO, GRO, Benzene, Toluene Ethylbenzene and Xylenes above Human Health Cleanup Levels were documented at the Former AST in sample location 03BSA-09. Exceedances of DRO and Benzene above Human Health Cleanup Levels were documented at the Former AST in sample location 03BSA-12. Exceedances of DRO, Benzene, and Ethylbenzene above migration to groundwater Cleanup Levels were documented at the Sort Yard Saw Gas in sample location 03BSA-14. Exceedances of DRO above migration to groundwater Cleanup Levels were documented at the Sort Yard Scaler Schack at sample location 03BSA-18. Exceedances of DRO above migration to groundwater Cleanup Levels were documented at the Sort Yard Sump at sample location 03BSA-54 and 03BSA-55. Exceedances of DRO above migration to groundwater Cleanup Levels were documented at the Equipment Repair Yard at sample location 03BSA-21. Exceedances of DRO, Benzene, Ethylbenzene, Xylenes above migration to groundwater Cleanup Levels were documented at the Old Cobblestone Saw Gas at sample location 03BSA-25, 03BSA-26, , 03BSA-27, 03BSA-28 and 03BSA-29 Exceedances of DRO above migration to groundwater Cleanup Levels were documented at the New Cobblestone at sample location 03BSA-31. Exceedances of DRO, Benzene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylenes above migration to groundwater Cleanup Levels were documented at the 6.5-mile 1110 Road Saw Gas at sample location 03BSA-35. Exceedances of DRO above migration to groundwater Cleanup Levels were documented at the Crushed Drum and Diesel Stockpiles at sample location 03BSA-41 through 03BSA-44. Exceedances of DRO above migration to groundwater Cleanup Levels were documented at the Crushed Drum and Diesel Stockpiles at sample location 03BSA-45 and 03BSA-47. Exceedances for DRO and BTEX at 6.5 Mile Rock Pit Debris Area, Crushed Drums Disposal Area, Petticoat Saw Gas, 1.0 Mile 1100 Road Saw Gas. Jessica Hall
4/12/2022 Workplan Requested Workplan requested in the approval letter ADEC sent to the RP for the “Danger Bay Log Camp Site Characterization Report”, dated March 2022. Jessica Hall
8/2/2022 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC sent Afognak Native Corporation comments on the “Danger Bay Log Camp Site Cleanup Work Plan at Outlier Sites”, dated May 2022. ADEC requested and updated work plan be submitted for review. Jessica Hall
3/17/2023 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other A work plan was reviewed, comments were sent. Lisa Krebs-Barsis
8/18/2023 Site Characterization Workplan Approved Work plan approved proposing construction of a landfarm and removals from the Cobblestone Saw Gas Site and the 6.5 Mile Rock Pit Debris Area. Additional sampling will be done at the 6.5 Mile 1110 Road Saw Gas Site, Equipment Repair Yard, and 1.0 Mile 1100 Road Saw Gas Site. No groundwater sampling is proposed. Lisa Krebs-Barsis
10/9/2023 Underground Storage Tank Site Characterization or Assessment Request to extend execution of approved work plan from Afognak approved. Lisa Krebs-Barsis

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments

Control Type

Type Details

Requirements

Description Details

No associated sites were found.

Missing Location Data

Because the GIS location data for this site has not been entered, we cannot direct you to its position on the map. Click "Continue" to proceed to the Contaminated Sites Web Map or "Close" to return to the site report.
Continue     Close