Skip to content Skip to content

Site Report: Huslia Huntington School Elementary Bldg Day Tank

Site Name: Huslia Huntington School Elementary Bldg Day Tank
Address: Huslia School Boulevard, Huslia, AK 99746
File Number: 820.38.007
Hazard ID: 25739
Status: Active
Staff: Laura Jacobs, 9074512911 laura.jacobs@alaska.gov
Latitude: 65.701971
Longitude: -156.390476
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

On 3/2/11 it was determined that a fuel release had occurred in the boiler room of the Elementary building at the Jimmy Huntington School in Huslia. A pump malfunctioned resulting the overfilling of the boiler room day tank, releasing approximately 200 gallons of diesel fuel onto the floor, down a drain, into a wooden utilidor, and into the soil beneath the school building and into the sewage holding tank. Nortech removed approximately 8 cubic yards of contaminated soil on 3/10/11. Less than 5 cubic yards of contaminated soil were expected to remain near the foundation where it could not be removed. During the initial response odors were present in the school building and the school was temporarily closed. DEC staff coordinated with Alaska State Division of Public Health and YKSD to evaluate the impacts to staff and students in the school and determine when cleanup within the building was sufficient to allow staff and students back into the building. PERP staff will retain management of the soil treatment cell created during initial response actions and all other aspects of the cleanup will be managed by the Contaminated Sites Program.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
3/3/2011 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter PRP/State Interest letter sent by PERP staff Wesley Ghormley to Jimmy Huntington School. Mitzi Read
9/28/2011 Spill Transferred from Prevention Preparedness and Response Program Spill transferred by PERP staff Wesley Ghormley. Spill no. 11309906101; spill date = 3/2/11; substance = diesel; quantity = ~200 gallons; description: release from day tank in boiler room due to automated pump failure; PERP file no. 820.02.005. Mitzi Read
9/29/2011 Site Added to Database A new site has been added to the database Mitzi Read
10/12/2011 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 79181 name: 200-Gal Diesel Release from Elementary Bldg Day Tank Mitzi Read
11/29/2011 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Interim report submitted by Shannon & Wilson (S&W) with this date describing the fall 2011 soil treatment activities for the stockpile generated during contaminated soil removal from beneath the Huslia Elementary School. The contaminated soil was initially stored in containers near the school - S&W estimates there was less than 2 cubic yards. S&W submitted a workplan in August 2011 proposing landfarming, which was approved on 8/9/11 by DEC PPR staff. In August and September, S&W constructed a lined 24x40 feet landfarm with 1-foot berms at the old landfill site in Huslia. The contaminated soil was spread 3 inches thick, sampled, and fertilized. The soil was covered in October for the winter. The report indicates S&W plans to hire a local resident to uncover the soil in the spring and will return next fall to sample and fertilize if necessary. Janice Wiegers
8/1/2013 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Shannon & Wilson submitted stockpile sampling report dated 8/1/13 for the landfarm at the old landfill site. Samples were collected from the contaminated soil and from beneath the liner. DRO remained in the contaminated soil up to 17,700 mg/kg. Due to the remaining DRO contamination, the contaminated soil was placed in super sacks and sent to OIT in Fairbanks for thermal remediation. No contaminants were found above DEC cleanup levels from the two samples collected beneath the liner. Janice Wiegers
7/17/2014 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other A Site Characterization Report, dated 6/27/14, was submitted by Nortech. Site characterization confirmed that 2-3 cubic yards of contaminated soil remained beneath the building next to the foundation where it could not be removed. The residual contamination included BTEX and DRO above soil cleanup levels. To reduce the potential for vapors from the residual soil contamination, a soil vapor extraction system was installed in the excavation in March 2011. A vapor barrier was installed over the crawlspace soil. A fan was also installed to ventilate the crawlspace. In April Nortech worked with YKSD staff to ventilate the boiler room where the spill occurred to exhaust vapors from this room to the outside rather than push them into the school. Air samples collected in March and April indicated that benzene and naphthalene slightly exceeded the residential indoor air target level in the school; however, only benzene exceeded in the crawlspace. Vapors are expected to continue to reduce as the building is further ventilated. Janice Wiegers
7/12/2017 Meeting or Teleconference Held DEC notified that YKSD is constructing a new wing to the high school that will house the elementary school in the future. The existing elementary school building will be demolished. Soil cleanup will be included in plans. Janice Wiegers
5/22/2018 Update or Other Action ADEC provided guidance to YKSD regarding the need for work plans prepared by a Qualified Environmental Professional for construction activities in a contaminated site. Laura Jacobs
1/23/2019 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC staff reviewed the "2018 Summary Report, Huslia Soil Assessment" submitted by Shannon & Wilson, December 3, 2018. Some contaminated soils were identified and excavated in 2017 during a construction project next to the elementary school. In 2018, the elementary school building was relocated to a location west of the existing high school, and 260 cubic yards of contaminated soil was removed and taken to a landfarm on property owned by the City of Huslia. during this work an abandoned underground tank was also found and removed. ADEC responded in a letter with comments about additional borings to characterize the horizontal and vertical extent of contamination left on school grounds. Janice Wiegers
7/1/2019 Update or Other Action Site location was updated on this date. Coordinates for this site are used to determine the presence and position of the site on BLM’s ANCSA Conveyed Land web map. Rebekah Reams
8/9/2019 Meeting or Teleconference Held ADEC staff met with the Yukon Koyukuk School District Capitol Projects Manager to discuss funding sources, last year's construction activities, and current understanding of risk to contaminated sites. Both the state and the school district plan to pursue additional funding, and work with consultant to develop a work plan for site characterization. Laura Jacobs

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments

Control Type

Type Details

Requirements

Description Details

There are no documents for this site report.

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