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Site Report: Cape Sarichef

Site Name: Cape Sarichef
Address: Cape Sarichef, NW end of, Unimak Island, Akutan, AK 99553
File Number: 2527.38.001
Hazard ID: 72
Status: Active
Staff: Brian Watts, 9072694702 brian.watts@alaska.gov
Latitude: 54.593748
Longitude: -164.882932
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

The White Alice Site was built by the Air Force on U.S. Coast Guard property under a permit or license. Contaminants of potential concern include fuels, asbestos, lead based paint and PCBs. The amounts and dates of disposal/releases and extent of contamination are unknown. Threat to human health appears low due to the isolated location of site. EPA ID#AK5570028634. Two separate sites at Cape Sarichef include the LORAN station (USCG) and White Alice site (FUDS). The White Alice site operated from the late 1950s to the mid 1970s. It has two 20,000 gallon abandoned USTs, smaller abandoned fuel tanks, a septic system, abandoned buildings, possibly PCB and fuel contaminated soil. Also, there are two 210,000 gallon above ground fuel storage tanks and a runway with associated lights, power supply building and UST about mid-point between the LORAN and While Alice sites, used by both the AF and USCG. A Phase I preliminary assessment discussing cleanup/disposal was completed by Ecology and Environment 1/1/90.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
6/1/1989 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = RAPR - Remedial Action Plan Review (CS)). "Field Investigation Work Plan, Phase I - Preliminary Assessment" by Ecology and Environment. Contains workplan, sampling plan and safety and accident prevention plan. Former Staff
6/15/1989 Preliminary Assessment Approved "Field Investigation Report, Phase I - Preliminary Assessment" by Ecology and Environment, Inc. 15 soil, 4 POL and 26 building material samples obtained at LORAN station; 12 soil, 2 POL and 9 building material samples obtained at White Alice site. Small quantities of paints, thinners, solvents, antifreeze and water soil observed at LORAN site; an area of stained ground observed around USTs at White Alice site. No analyses results in report. Former Staff
12/1/1989 Site Characterization Report Approved (Old R:Base Action Code = SI - Site Investigation). "Hazardous and Toxic Waste Report, Phase I - Preliminary Assessment" by Ecology and Environment. 42 soil, 8 POL and 43 building material samples obtained. LORAN station: surface soil samples showed up to 460,000 ppm TPH and the presence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), base/neutral/acid extractable compounds (BNAs). Subsurface soil samples showed up to 4200 ppm TPH and low levels tetrachloroethene (PCE) near the USTs and up to 2000 ppm TPH and low levels of toluene and pyrene near the gas shed. Asbestos found in building materials. POL samples identified as gasoline and lube oil. White Alice site: Surface soil samples showed up to 14,000 ppm TPH and several BNA compounds, lead and 0.5 ppm Aroclor 1254. Subsurface soil showed up to 6000 ppm TPH and several VOC (including PCE) and BNA compounds. One sample contained 110 ppm lead. A sample from the sewer manhole showed elevated metals which may be the result of waste oil discharge to the sewer. POL samples identified as gasoline and/or diesel fuel. Asbestos found in building materials. Former Staff
1/1/1990 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = RAPR - Remedial Action Plan Review (CS)). "Pre-design Report, Phase I - Preliminary Assessment" by Ecology and Environment. Discusses alternatives and requirements for cleanup/disposal. Final copy dated March 1990. Former Staff
5/7/1990 Site Added to Database Petroleum, asbestos, paints, solvents are possible contaminants of concern. Former Staff
1/3/1991 Site Number Identifier Changed Changed region from 21 to 25. Former Staff
9/29/1992 Site Number Identifier Changed Region portion of Reckey number changed to consolidate district 26 into 25. Former Staff
1/22/1993 Site Ranked Using the AHRM A DOD Ranking Score of 58 (High) was assigned by DOD staff after further review of files. Site includes White Alice site only not the Lighthouse, LORAN, nor barracks area. See "Scotch Cap" Reckey 1981250912816. Former Staff
8/18/1998 Site Characterization Workplan Approved Site Characterization workplan finalized. John Halverson
10/22/1998 Site Characterization Report Approved Site Characterization report submitted. Additional investigation and removals/cleanup are necessary. John Halverson
3/31/1999 Update or Other Action ADEC sent the Corps a letter with comments on the draft Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA) for a proposed removal action to cleanup the site. Several issues are unresolved with respect to level of effort and available funding. John Halverson
4/6/1999 Update or Other Action ADEC sent a letter to the Corps informing them the USTs at this site are out of compliance with 18 AAC 78 and federal regulations, the above ground fuel tanks still contain fuel (some of which is contaminated with low level PCBs), site investigations by the Corps in 1988 and again in 1998 documented petroleum contaminated soil, containerized wastes, building debris and other solid wastes and that congress authorized cleanup of debris at this site. Requested that site work be coordinated with the USCG, which has similar issues/problems at Cape Sarichef. John Halverson
8/7/1999 Interim Removal Action Approved Corps contractor removed fuel from USTs and stored it in drums inside the WACS building. John Halverson
2/15/2005 Update or Other Action File number issued 2527.38.001 Aggie Blandford
8/16/2005 Update or Other Action PGDC submitted a Site Survey Investigation report on behalf of USCG. It covers USCG Cape Sarichef LORAN station, USAF Cape Sarichef White Alice site and Scotch Cap LORAN station. It summarized the spatial survey results at the three sites with the purpose of potential future improvements including new towers and buildings, as well as retrofit of existing building. The investigation also included an examination of existing facilities, soil inspection, and suitability for proposed construction evaluation. The recommendation was to either install three new pre-fabricated fiberglass shelters at each sites or install these infrastructures at only two LORAN stations. Linda (Qi) Liu
6/9/2006 Update or Other Action Site transferred from Halverson to Palmieri. Aggie Blandford
6/16/2006 Update or Other Action Staff provided comments to the USACE on the Interim Removal Action work plan. Anne Marie Palmieri
1/30/2007 Update or Other Action Staff reviewed the draft Interim Removal Action report, dated 12/06. Staff had no comments on the draft document. Anne Marie Palmieri
5/10/2007 Interim Removal Action Approved Staff approved the 2006 Interim Removal Action report on this date. Anne Marie Palmieri
5/10/2007 Interim Removal Action Approved The Interim Removal Action Report summarized the field activities conducted by Jacobs Engineering in 2006. Potential contamination sources including seven USTs, two 210,000-gal ASTs, 2 miles of 2-inch fuel pipeline, and miscellaneous hazardous waste (drums, batteries, and compressed gas cylinders) were removed. Additionally, >45,000 gal of fuel-impacted water from the USTs was treated onsite and ~6,000 gal of usable fuel from the ASTs was reused and comsumed to heat the camp and heavy equipment during the IRA. Linda (Qi) Liu
3/27/2008 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed. Anne Marie Palmieri
9/24/2008 Update or Other Action FUDS Declaration of Project Closure Decision was signed this date by John Halverson and USACE District Commander. The Containerized/HTRW (CON/HTRW) portion of the project is closed. This covers removal of tanks, pipelines, drums, batteries and other containerized waste. All remaining contamination will be handled under the FUDS HTRW project. Anne Marie Palmieri
8/2/2010 Site Characterization Workplan Approved A site characterization work plan was approved this date. Sampling will be conducted at AST1 and AST2 to determine the extent of contamination. Fieldwork is scheduled to occur in August 2010. Anne Marie Palmieri
11/17/2010 Update or Other Action Staff provided comments on the draft Limited Site Investigation report on this date. Anne Marie Palmieri
11/17/2010 Update or Other Action The Limit Site Investigation Report summarized the limit investigation performed by Fairbanks Environmental Services in August 2010. 16 soil borings were hand-augured in and around the former footprint of ASTs #1 and #2 to depths ranging from 4 to 6 ft bgs. A total of 70 soil samples were collected from the borings and analyzed only for DRO. All of the results were below 8,250 mg/kg for over 40-in zone ingestion cleanup level. Linda (Qi) Liu
12/7/2011 Meeting or Teleconference Held CS staff met with the USCG to discuss site prioritization for all Alaska USCG contaminated sites. Meghan Dooley
12/7/2011 Meeting or Teleconference Held CS staff participated in a teleconference with the Corps of Engineers, US fish and Wildlife, and the US Coast Guard to discuss data gaps at the FUDS site and what measures will need to be taken in order to transfer the land back to the FWS. A follow up meeting will be scheduled to discuss the issue further. Meghan Dooley
6/2/2014 Meeting or Teleconference Held Meeting with Robert Glascott to discuss site history and plans for future work. Meredith Savage
4/16/2015 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Received 2015 Cape Sarichef Remedial Investigation Work Plan. Meredith Savage
4/20/2015 Site Visit DEC accompanied RP and Contractor on a site visit to assess the various areas that will be investigated later this summer, including the runway, the beach access road, the pump houses, the WACS main building, and the former WACS construction camp. Meredith Savage
5/15/2015 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Interim comments sent out on the Remedial Investigation Work Plan. A Risk Assessment Work Plan was included as an Appendix to the RI Work Plan and will be reviewed by an independent contractor. The contractor's comments will be added to the interim comments so that a revised draft report can be issued. Meredith Savage
6/9/2015 Update or Other Action Notice to Proceed sent out to consultant conducting the review of the Risk Assessment Work Plan. Meredith Savage
7/31/2015 Site Characterization Workplan Approved The ADEC Contaminated Sites Program approved the Final 2015 Cape Sarichef Remedial Investigation Work Plan, Cape Sarichef, Alaska. The document was approved with the following conditions 1) Further discussion regarding the site hydrogeology is needed to determine whether the groundwater is a reasonable exposure media at the site. 2) Additional features and potential contamination sources may need to be further evaluated in order to achieve site closure for the overall Cape Sarichef facility. Jessica Morris
9/8/2016 Meeting or Teleconference Held A meeting was held with the USACE and ADEC to discuss the site history and path forward for this project. ADEC received a draft remedial investigation and risk assessment report, however the report has not gone through internal review at the USACE and the review is pending receipt of the revised document. Jessica Morris
12/1/2016 Meeting or Teleconference Held CS managers participate in the annual FUDS site management action plan meeting. The purpose of the is to collaborate with FUDS management on site progress and prioritization for all of the formerly used defense sites. FUDS prioritization is based on risk, congressional interest, state input and proximity to other sites on the prioritization list. FUDS has increased environmental restoration funding in Alaska for the 2017 and 2018 field seasons to meet National goals for site progress. Darren Mulkey
2/13/2018 Update or Other Action USACE submitted draft final 2015 Cape Sarichef RI report. The report included conceptual site models, historical and 2015 field investigations, archaeological monitoring report, risk assessment, and a 350 determination request. During 2015 investigation, PAH, RRO and arsenic contamination were found above cleanup levels. USACE compared results to human health cleanup levels, since they assumed no groundwater at the site and no groundwater exposure in the conceptual site models and risk assessment based on two borings encountering refusals at ~25 ft bgs. ADEC's main comments are: 1) further investigation/assessment about the site hydrogeology is required to build good conceptual site models; 2) sampling results should be compared to the most stringent cleanup levels (in most cases are the MTGW levels) since 350 determination is not granted; 3) conceptual site models, risk assessment and 350 determination are not accepted unless further information is provided. Linda (Qi) Liu
8/15/2018 Update or Other Action ADEC received the Draft Final Revision 1 “2015 Cape Sarichef Remedial Investigation Report” for the Cape Sarichef FUDS on July 27, 2018 and finished reviewing the report on August 14, 2018. Rachael Petraeus
9/30/2019 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other On September 30, 2019. ADEC received "2015 Cape Sarichef Remedial Investigation Report, Cape Sarichef, Alaska, Final Revision 1" dated June 2019. ADEC previously completed its review of the "2015 Cape Sarichef Remedial Investigation Report Draft Final" and submitted it's review of additional comments electronically on January 07, 2019. Rachael Petraeus
11/29/2019 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other On November 29, 2019 ADEC reviewed "2015 Cape Saricheft Remedial Investigation Report, Cape Sarichef, Alaska, Final, Revision 1" and provided a receipt letter. Rachael Petraeus

Contaminant Information

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Control Type

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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