Division of Spill Prevention and Response

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Incident location map. Summary Date: June 4, 2007
Document posted: April 19, 2010		 Check information from database on this site.arrow
Status: Active Database Name: Cape Romanzof
Location: Scammon Bay, Alaska Latitude: 61.735820 North, Longitude: 165.938290 West

DEC Contaminated Sites Contact: Louis Howard, Project Manager - 907-269-7552
U.S. Air Force Contact: Keith Barnack, U.S. Air Force, 611 CES/CEVR - 907-552-5160

Update April 19, 2010: Proposed Plan available for the Diesel Seep Area (SS013) and an underground fuel storage (UST) Spill Area (SS015). See "More Information" below.
Road on the Cape to site.
Road on the Cape to site.

Description
The Cape Romanzof Long Range Radar site covers 4,900 acres within the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge. It was 1 of 10 original Aircraft Control and Warning sites in the Alaska air defense system. The nearest communities, Scammon Bay (300 people) and Hooper Bay (800 people), are located 15 miles east and south respectively. The Air Force (AF) has identified 15 contaminated sites, which consist of: landfills, drum storage areas, fuel spill areas, and leaking underground storage tanks (UST's). The facility continues to be operated as a minimally attended radar site.

Response Actions -

  • In 1985, the AF had a release of approximately 14,000 gallons from a fuel bladder being pulled across the site. In 1991, a release of 46,000 gallons of diesel fuel occurred from an active pipeline.
  • In 1992, the US Fish & Wildlife Service released a report of its findings on an investigation at the facility. Creek sediments were contaminated with petroleum, tissue samples from dolly varden, voles, red fox contained petroleum, PCBs & DDT-related compounds.
  • In 1992, US EPA conducted a preliminary site assessment at this site and determined it did not score high enough to added to the National Priorities List.
  • In 1995, the AF excavated contaminated soils from 3 source areas: SS15 (spill site/USTs), SS08 (waste accumulation area), and SS14 (drum storage area). At Landfill no. 2 (LF03) a soil cover was installed as a remedial action.
  • In 1997, 3 above ground biocells were constructed to remediate the petroleum contaminated soil. In 2000, the AF proposed to remove the 3 biocells and use them as cover on the active landfill since cleanup was not progressing as planned.

Public Health and Environmental Concerns
Soil is contaminated with PCBs, pesticides, diesel and other petroleum constituents. Groundwater contains diesel and other petroleum constituents. Multiple releases aboveground and below ground have occurred at the facility.

People may be exposed to pollutants through dermal contact or accidental ingestion of contaminated soil or water. Contaminants that have bioaccumulated in fish and other wildlife may also pose a health threat to humans.

Current Status
An ecological assessment was funded by the Air Force to determine if the contamination is impacting the ecosystem. Emphasis is on subsistence foods. Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation solicited input from core local community members on the type of subsistence foods they eat and specific areas where they harvest their subsistence foods. Sampling was conducted in 2003 and 2004. The draft report on the sampling results is expected in the fall of 2005.

The Air Force in 2004 planned to conduct a limited removal of PCB contaminated soils from around an old landfill to eliminate what was thought to be the last known source of PCBs. Additional site characterization revealed more PCB contamination, and this will be addressed in a future remedial action that most likely will involve capping the landfill.

Additional investigation was conducted in 2004 on an old truck fueling station, a drum storage area, Towek Mountain Debris Area. The purpose of the investigation was to collect initial environmental data and to address identified gaps in data at the landfill. Soil, groundwater, surface water and sediment was sampled at the truck fueling station (ST09), the drum storage area (SS14), and Towek Mountain Debris area (DP11) and analyzed for various chemical constituents. One soil sample at DP11 had slightly exceeded the "migration to groundwater" cleanup level of 250 mg/kg. Surface water and sediment do not appear to be above cleanup levels. The drum storage area has gasoline and diesel fuel contamination in the soil above cleanup levels. Sediments, surface water and groundwater do not appear to be impacted above cleanup levels. The truck fueling station has diesel fuel contamination in the soil above cleanup levels and groundwater has been impacted with diesel fuel above cleanup levels. Surface water and sediments are not contaminated above cleanup levels.

There is a restoration advisory board (RAB) with the communities of Scammon Bay, Hooper Bay, Chevak and Paimuit. The RAB meets in a different community to discuss environmental issues and concerns about the DoD facility.

More Information

Administrative record for most 611 CES sites in Alaska can be found at: http://www.adminrec.com/PACAF.asp?Location=Alaska