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Site Report: Circle School Fuel Release

Site Name: Circle School Fuel Release
Address: Adjacent to Old Boiler Rm, Circle School, Circle, AK 99733
File Number: 160.38.002
Hazard ID: 4100
Status: Active
Staff: Stacee Henderson, 9072628202 stacee.henderson@alaska.gov
Latitude: 65.826914
Longitude: -144.067087
Horizontal Datum:

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 May 30, 2004 contamination was discovered during excavation for a new school building (ADEC spill number 04309915101/Circle School Fuel Release site). At the time of discovery, it was suspected that the contamination originated from two 5,000-gallon ASTs that were located about 55 feet northwest of the new school site (it may be possible that the 5,000 gallon tanks are actually 7,000 gallon tanks). Impacted soil that was excavated during construction activities in 2004 were placed into a lined stockpile near the sewage lagoon for temporary storage, and were later transported to the village landfill for permanent disposal. This site is being cleaned up in conjunction with another site (160.38.001)

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
1/21/2005 Site Added to Database Diesel contamination present. Deborah Williams
1/21/2005 Spill Transferred from Prevention Preparedness and Response Program Site transferred from PERP (Toivo Luick). Deborah Williams
1/21/2005 GIS Position Updated The source of the locational data is TopoZone Pro with NAD 83. Deborah Williams
1/21/2005 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Preliminary ranking. Deborah Williams
1/25/2005 Update or Other Action ADEC sent a letter to the Superintendent Linda Evans requesting more information regarding the fuel release and what their intention is for further cleanup of the contaminated soil. ADEC requested a response regarding their intention within 30 days. Deborah Williams
7/18/2005 Meeting or Teleconference Held Met with Larry Peterson and Don Johnson regarding plans for further excavation at the site. Excavation will be limited by permafrost, utility lines and both the new and old school buildings. Excavated soil will be landfarmed on a liner in a fenced area near the sewage lagoon if a Nationwide Wetlands Permit can be obtained from the Army Corps of Engineers.. Kim DeRuyter
8/4/2005 Update or Other Action PM assignment changed from Williams to DeRuyter. Deborah Williams
3/7/2006 Update or Other Action Called the Circle Tribal Council , spoke toTribal Chief Albert Carroll Jr. Received verbal approval for stockpiling soil from the school at the landfill for eventual use as cover. Albert asked his secretary to follow up with a faxed approval on Council Letterhead. Kim DeRuyter
3/8/2006 Meeting or Teleconference Held Met with Don Johnson and Mark Rockwell to discuss the upcoming field season. We discussed the option of stockpiling soil at the landfill for eventual use as cover. We also discussed the potential for a conditional closure for the site in the event that all of the contaminated soil could not be removed. Kim DeRuyter
12/19/2006 Update or Other Action Received 'Circle School Soil Remediation Report' detailing the removal of two 7,000-gallon ASTs and one 500-gallon AST (associated with ADEC file 160.38.001). Extensive soil and groundwater contamination identified on site. Approximately 1500 cubic yards of contaminated soil excavated from the site and transported (with ADEC approval) to the village landfill for use as a cover source. Areas of contamination remain underneath utilities and the Old School Building foundation (now the Teacher Housing). Excavation was not possible without damage to the sewage system or the foundation of the building. Soil contamination remains up to 45,000 mg/kg DRO. Groundwater has been impacted up to 23.2 mg/L DRO. Groundwater is thought to be a perched aquifer originating from the sewage lagoon, which is within 50 feet of this site. The site is underlain by a thick layer of permafrost. Shannon Oelkers
2/22/2007 Update or Other Action Human Health Conceptual Site Model Scoping Form received from Rockwell E&C. Indoor Air pathway identified as incomplete, however, based on the levels of contamination present in both the soil and groundwater, and the skirted construction of the school buildings, this pathway should be identified as complete. Shannon Oelkers
3/23/2007 Update or Other Action Received full data package from Rockwell. Original report missing GRO/BTEX lab analysis for groundwater samples. Shannon Oelkers
4/3/2007 Meeting or Teleconference Held Met with Mark Rockwell and Aaron Hall from Rockwell Engineering & Construction. Discussed Circle site and possible CAP for summer. Shannon Oelkers
4/4/2007 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Ranked site using ETM. Shannon Oelkers
9/4/2008 Update or Other Action Reviewed the June 2008 report titled: Circle School Soil Remediation Project by Rockwell ECS Inc. which includes information on both 160.38.001 Teacher Housing and 160.38.002 Fuel Release (information will be copied in both files). The field efforts completed in 2007 included: field screening, analytical sampling and laboratory analysis to determine extent of soil contamination east of the previously identified sewer line and south of the former high school. The groundwater directional flow is to the northeast and a contamination plume is pushing northeast from the location of the former fuel tanks responsible for the contamination. Water samples from groundwater monitoring wells showed DRO and Benzene in levels exceeding clean-up criteria in one monitoring well (MW9). Soil samples taken from the area of the two 7,000 gallon tanks confirmed DRO and Benzene contamination exceeding ADEC clean-up levels. All other soil samples were below clean-up levels. Indoor air quality was evaluated in the crawlspace under the teachers’ housing facility and inside the teachers’ housing facility. The results were all below EPA allowable levels from EPA subsurface Vapor Intrusion Guidance, Table 2a, November 2002. The drinking water well on-site was unable to be evaluated due to ‘logistical difficulties' during the 2007 site visit, more information is needed to assess the drinking water well situation in Circle. Pam Clemens
9/5/2008 Update or Other Action Reports have been submitted to ADEC that refer to the two source areas in Circle (the 500 gallon HOT - 160.38.001 reported in 1992 and the 2004 contamination discovered when they excavated for the new school - 160.38.002) Pam Clemens
9/10/2008 Update or Other Action Sent letter to Bill Walz, YDSD Superintendent requesting information on intent and a work plan. Pam Clemens
1/15/2009 Update or Other Action Second email request to Bill Walz as follow-up on the letter dated 9-08 requesting a letter of intent on the Circle School Fuel Release and the Circle School Teacher's Housing sites. Pam Clemens
4/9/2009 Update or Other Action Received a copy of the letter of intent from John Christian, the Facilities Manager for the Yukon Flats School District (YFSD), that was sent 1-27-09. The school district is unable to do further remediation at the two sites in Circle (also see 160.38.001). They will decommission the old drinking water well as per Rockwell E & C recommendations. The YFSD has applied for CIP funding through Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) but have not had any luck receiving funds for further investigation or cleanup in Circle. Pam Clemens
12/29/2010 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 75073 Former ASTs. Pam Clemens
2/16/2012 Update or Other Action Staff changed from Pam Clemens to Linda Nuechterlein. Kristin Thompson
3/23/2012 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 75073 Former ASTs. Bill O'Connell
1/25/2016 Update or Other Action Sent letter on this day in reference to two listed contaminated sites; the Circle School Fuel Release site (file number 160.38.002) and the Circle School – Teacher Housing site (file number 160.38.001). The purpose of the letter was to provide the responsible party with a site history and outline existing data gaps. Joshua Barsis
6/2/2016 Update or Other Action Sent letter requesting work plan by September 1, 2016 to superintendent of Yukon Flats School district. Erin Gleason
4/20/2017 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Characterization work plan review complete. ADEC request additions/changes to work plan, due May 15th 2017. Erin Gleason
4/24/2017 Site Characterization Workplan Approved ADEC approves the use of peristaltic pumps for the summer 2017 temporary well point sampling event. A discussion of the resulting data bias will be included in the final report. Erin Gleason
5/3/2017 Site Characterization Workplan Approved Erin Gleason
3/27/2018 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Received combined report from Rodney Guritz at Arctic Data Services for Circle School Teacher Housing and Circle School Fuel Release on 3/7/2018.Report is not approved. Erin Gleason
6/10/2019 Update or Other Action ADEC has reviewed the history and most current data of the site and conducted a closure evaluation. Due to the contaminated groundwater on site, further work is require before the site can be closed. ADEC sent a letter to YFSD explaining the site status and requesting that a work plan for further groundwater characterization. Erin Gleason
10/30/2019 Update or Other Action Inventory of Yukon Flats School District contaminated sites sent to Superintendent Lance Bowie. The letter provides a comprehensive list of all YFSD sites and their risk human health and their environment. ADEC records indicate that the next step for all sites is to delineate the extent of contamination. Erin Gleason

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments

Control Type

Type Details

Requirements

Description Details

There are no documents for this site report.

Hazard ID Site Name File Number
1605 Circle School - Teacher's Housing 160.38.001

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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