Division of Spill Prevention and Response

Breadcrumbs

Incident location map. Summary Date: January 2005 View detailed information from database on this site.arrow
Status: Active Database Name: Defense Energy Support Pt-Anchorage
Location: Anchorage, AK Latitude: 61.233269 Longitude: -149.887916
DEC Contaminated Sites Contact: Louis Howard - Project Manager - 907-269-7552

Description
Defense Fuel Support Point-Anchorage (DFSPA) is located at 1217 Port Road encompassing approximately 69 acres. DFSPA is bordered by Elmendorf Air Force Base to the north and east, Government Hill community to the south and various petroleum tank farms operated by private companies to the west, southwest and northwest. Historically since 1942, the DFSPA terminal received, stored and issued fuel via pipelines, ships, rail and truck to EAFB, Kulis Air National Guard and Fort Richardson, Greely and Wainwright. It was decommissioned in 1996. conducted a site investigation and a soil gas survey.

Public Health and Environmental Concerns
Previous investigations have identified approximately 27 releases of various petroleum fuels and transformer fluid between 1960 and 1989. Fuel-related contaminants, semi-volatiles, metals have been identified in the soil, sediment, groundwater or surface water. human health and ecological risk assessment.

Response Actions

  • In 1987, Woodward Clyde Consultants conducted a site investigation and a soil gas survey.
  • In 1992, Shannon &Wilson (S&W) prepared a summary site assessment of the Port of Anchorage area for the Port Users Group (PUG).
  • In 1993, Dames & Moore collected and analyzed groundwater samples, which were incorporated in a site-wide monitoring report for the Port users group.
  • In 1999, S&W conducted a facility wide human health and ecological risk assessment.• In 2000, a Proposed Plan was developed and finalized identifying removal of petroleum contaminated soils as the preferred alternative. Monitoring of the groundwater and surface water will continue until cleanup levels are met.
  • In 2001, all tanks and piping have been removed from the site. Approximately 20,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil have been removed, treated and brought back to the site.
  • A Record of Decision is scheduled to be signed by DEC and DESC-A by May 2002 to memorialize the actions taken in 2001 to address the contaminated soils. It will also identify what type of institutional controls will be required for the soil, groundwater, surface water and the type of acceptable land use at the site.
  • A Record of Decision was signed by DEC and DESC-A in 2003 to memorialize the actions taken in 2001 to address the contaminated soils and identified institutional controls (ICs) for soil and groundwater. To the maximum extent practical, ICs developed for Fort Richardson are being utilized for the site since the Army is the landowner and has existing ICs in place for the Post which were transferable to the site.

Current Status
The DFSPA has been closed down since 1996. Site access is limited to visitors or construction workers. Workers and incidental wildlife may be exposed to contaminants by accidentally swallowing contaminated soil or water, or through contact with exposed skin. Community interest in reuse of the property is high for recreational purposes. Local government and private parties are interested in the property as well for commercial use.

The Defense Energy Support Center (DESC) has disbanded the restoration advisory board. 2005 Update: The long term ground water and surface water monitoring have shown stable or decreasing trends since the majority of the contamination removed in 2001 during a soil removal action. The Port of Anchorage has expressed interest in accepting the property from the Army pending agreement on responsibilities for long-term monitoring and enforcing institutional controls identified in the Record of Decision.

Site plan.
Click on the image for a larger version.

More Information

  • Site Summary, Sept. 2000 (PDF 97KB)
  • Proposed Plan for the Defense Fuel Support Point-Anchorage (PDF 96K)
  • Record of Decision (PDF 2.05MB)