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Site Report: Alaska Battery Enterprises, Inc.

Site Name: Alaska Battery Enterprises, Inc.
Address: 157 Roman's Hwy., Fairbanks, AK 99701
File Number: 102.23.011
Hazard ID: 117
Status: Cleanup Complete - Institutional Controls
Staff: IC Unit, 9074655229 dec.icunit@alaska.gov
Latitude: 64.820349
Longitude: -147.704468
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

Beginning in 1969, and prior to 1976, an on-site battery recycling business cracked open used batteries and buried the cases on site. Lead and sulfuric acid have been released. Site presents threat to public. Contaminated soil removed in 8/88 and fall of 1989. Contaminated soil known to remain. EPA ID #AKD004904215. Site was proposed to the National Priorities List (NPL) of the Superfund program in 1988 and added in 1989. Earl Romans is owner and president of Alaska Battery. Lead contamination up to 14,200 ppm found in soil in 1986.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
1/8/1980 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = FI - Field Inspection (General)). NIOSH conducted environmental/medical survey January 8-10, 1980. It was concluded that personnel had been exposed to hazardous amounts of lead dust and fumes. All five 8-hour TWA air lead levels exceeded the OSHA standard at that time of 50 ug/cubic meter. Former Staff
8/11/1980 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = SI - Site Investigation). EPA Field Investigation Team, Ecology and Environment, concluded no generation of large amounts of hazardous waste. Former Staff
8/1/1984 Preliminary Assessment Approved TetraTech conducted preliminary assessment for ADEC and recommended a site investigation. Former Staff
9/27/1985 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = FI - Field Inspection (General)). Along with I. Alexakos of EPA, performed pre-site investigation visit. Concluded no generation of hazardous wastes since all potential hazardous waste is collected and reused or returned for recycling. May be some contamination from floor drains and spills. Jeff Mach
4/1/1986 Site Characterization Report Approved (Old R:Base Action Code = SI - Site Investigation). Site investigation by Tryck, Nyman and Hayes on DOT right-of-way that completely surrounds Alaska Battery site. Included one soil boring on Alaska Battery property and 3 in DOT right-of-way. Lead levels ranged from 584 ppm to 3600 ppm in right-of-way and 14,200 ppm at surface on Alaska Battery property. Soil pH ranged from 2.1 to 5.7. PCBs also detected in two borings. Low levels of lead were detected in Alaska Battery well. No off-site groundwater contamination indicated. HRS score of 31. DOT excavated 60' by 100' area to a depth of 1 foot and used the soil to construct a roadway prism. Surface drainage from Alaska Battery to right-of-way prevented by grading. Former Staff
4/1/1986 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = RAPR - Remedial Action Plan Review (CS)). Tryck, Nyman and Hayes summary of April 1986 investigation for DOT and workplan for Phase II work for ADEC and EPA. Work to include a comprehensive report of background data to support HRS score. Former Staff
5/1/1988 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = SI - Site Investigation). Extended site assessment by the Technical Assistance Team, Ecology and Environment. Lead contamination in soil up to 14,700 ppm at a depth of 3 to 4 feet. Battery casings observed at a depth of 5 feet on and off site. Sampling was conducted May 25-26, 1988. Collected were 62 soil samples from 16 backhoe excavation locations, 4 surface runoff route soil samples and 3 background surface soil samples. Total lead up to 128,000 ppm. Average background level 28.7 ppm. Elevated levels along surface drainage routes. Soil pH ranged from 2.15 to 7.94. Sulfate from 900 to 19,000 ppm. Former Staff
8/1/1988 Interim Removal Action Approved (Old R:Base Action Code = SC - Site Control (Emergency Response)). Removal of contaminated soil (about 4100 tons) for shipment to disposal site in Utah. 2900 cubic yards removed from site by October 28, 1988. Additional removal of approximately 800 cubic yards of soil in fall of 1989 to clean site to 1,000 ppm lead. Former Staff
5/1/1989 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = SI - Site Investigation). Interim On-Scene Coordinator's Report by Technical Assistance Team, Ecology and Environment. Field activities to characterize soil, groundwater and air contamination, public health and environmental threat, and to obtain site documentation. Sampling/QA Project Plan dated August 1988. Soil on the northern section of the site exceeded cleanup action level. Lead exceeded MCL in water samples taken from sewer cribs, although results are suspect. Former Staff
5/8/1990 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = FI - Field Inspection (General)). R. Cormack performed site inspection. No observed spills and it appeared facility was not generating hazardous waste. Former Staff
8/17/1990 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = RAPR - Remedial Action Plan Review (CS)). Ecology and Environment, Inc. Remedial Investigation Work Plan, Quality Assurance Project Plan and Sampling Plan. Former Staff
9/4/1990 Site Added to Database Battery-related contamination. Former Staff
11/20/1990 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Initial ranking. Former Staff
5/1/1991 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = RI - Remedial Investigation). Ecology and Environment did investigation of deed boundaries of affected properties surrounding site. Letters sent to individual property owners for investigation and well exploration. Former Staff
6/17/1991 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = RI - Remedial Investigation). During summer 1991 a complete set of soil and GW data for 1st two rounds of sampling complete. Data from final rounds of sampling unavailable as of 1-9-92. (letter sent to Earl Roman from Keith Rose of EPA). Former Staff
8/26/1992 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = TAS - Treatment Alternative Study (CS)). BESCORP presented a Soil washing demo at ABE. Contaminated soil washed and stockpiled and tested to see if it can be redeposited. Former Staff
9/8/1992 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = RPL2 - Site Information Request Letter). ADEC sent PRP-CS Database Notification Letter to RP requesting update and more environmental information concerning the contaminated site. As of this "complete date" I have not received response. Jeff Peterson
11/9/1992 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = NFA - No Further Action Required (CERCLA)). EPA issued a draft ROD stating NFA is required on site. On 1-4-93 Earl Romans of ABE and William McGee of ADEC signed a Notice of Condition affecting property in Fairbanks, recorded in 4th Judicial District. William McGee
1/26/1993 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Reranked. Former Staff
3/2/1993 Record of Decision Record of Decision (ROD) was signed stipulating long-term monitoring for lead in groundwater for a period of two years. The ROD was authored by Dana A. Rasmussen/EPA. Kalu Kalu
3/2/1993 Long Term Monitoring Established Long-term monitoring for lead in groundwater for a period of two years as a result of a ROD. Action entered by Petrik as part of action code transfer from R:Base. Former Staff
7/1/1993 Long Term Monitoring Complete Groundwater monitoring was completed as stipulated by the ROD. It was concluded that lead contamination in groundwater did not pose a human health risk. Kalu Kalu
10/17/1995 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = DD - Decision Document (CERCLIS)). Final Groundwater Monitoring Report for 1993 through 1995 for the Alaskan Battery Enterprise Site in Fairbanks was submitted by Jim Baker/Corps of Engineers. Kalu Kalu
11/17/1995 Interim Removal Action Approved EPA (Randal F. Smith) sent a Notice of Proposed Deletion of Alaska Battery Enterprise (ABE) from the National Priorities List (NPL). Kalu Kalu
12/4/1995 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = DD - Decision Document (CERCLIS)). A letter stating that the state (ADEC) concurs with EPA's proposal to delete Alaskan Battery Enterprises from the National Priorities list was sent to the EPA from Kurt Fredriksson. Kalu Kalu
1/24/1996 Site Closure Approved Closed. Kalu Kalu
7/10/1996 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = DD - Decision Document (CERCLIS)). The site was formally deleted from the NPL. A Notice of Deletion of the Alaskan Battery Enterprise Site from the National Priorities List was complete. Site was then listed in the federal register as such. The final notice was authored by Michael F. Gearheard/EPA. Kalu Kalu
7/10/2002 GIS Position Updated Changed the Latitude, Longitude, Method Accuracy, Accuracy and Unit fields. Heather Goldman
2/16/2005 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Changed the Release Information Value from 0.2 to 1 based on the assumption that if the GW Exposure Index Value was 1, a confirmed release must have occurred. Bill Petrik
12/16/2013 Site Reopened Site re-opened in order to place protective institutional controls on the property and affected soils. Robert Burgess
12/19/2013 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 71097 name: Buried Battery casings Robert Burgess
1/16/2014 Cleanup Complete Determination Issued Cleanup Complete IC agreement signed on 1/15/2014. Notice of environmental contamination detailing restrictions on excavation and soil transport was filed at the state recorder's office on 1/16/2014. Robert Burgess
1/16/2014 Institutional Control Record Established Institutional Controls established and entered into the database. Robert Burgess
10/6/2014 Institutional Control Compliance Review IC compliance review conducted and staff changed from Robert Burgess to IC Unit. Reminder system set-up to follow-up with the responsible party in 2019. Kristin Thompson
10/6/2016 Institutional Control Compliance Review IC compliance review conducted. Kristin Thompson
2/26/2019 Institutional Control Update An Institutional Controls reminder letter sent to the property owner on this date. Mossy Mead
5/21/2024 Institutional Control Compliance Review IC compliance review completed on this date. An IC reminder letter was mailed to the landowner. The next review will be in five years’ time. Gaige Robinson
6/10/2024 Institutional Control Update Updated the Landowner and resent an IC reminder letter to the new landowner. Gaige Robinson

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments
For more information about this site, contact DEC at (907) 465-5390.
Lead - Total > Human Health/Ingestion/Inhalation Soil Subsurface soil contamination exists throughout property and right of way at levels above Method 2 cleanup levels.

Control Type

Type Details
Notice of Environmental Contamination NEC describes the type and extent of contamination and documents restrictions on soil excavation and off-site transport, in addition to a requirement to report to DEC in the event of a change in land use or ownership.

Requirements

Description Details
Advance approval required to transport soil or groundwater off-site. Standard condition.
Excavation / Soil Movement Restrictions Sub-surface soil contamination is located throughout the subject property, including the right-of-way. If excavation is planned in these areas, the department must be notified prior to excavation, and the soil must be evaluated and contamination addressed in accordance with an ADEC approved work plan.
Other If land use and/or ownership changes, these management conditions may not be protective and ADEC may require additional remediation and revised conditions. Therefore Mrs. Judy Romans shall report to ADEC as soon as she becomes aware of any change in land ownership and/or use. Future landowners are also subject to this reporting requirement.
Movement or use of contaminated material (including on site) in a manner that results in a violation of the water quality standards is prohibited (18 AAC 70) Standard condition.

No associated sites were found.

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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