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Site Report: FAA Skwentna Station - Dump No. 1

Site Name: FAA Skwentna Station - Dump No. 1
Address: Dump Road, Skwentna, AK 99667
File Number: 2254.38.001
Hazard ID: 1506
Status: Active
Staff: Michael Hooper, 9074515174 michael.hooper@alaska.gov
Latitude: 61.968328
Longitude: -151.231528
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

The FAA Skwentna Dump No. 1 is located approximately 0.75 miles west of the Skwentna Airport Runway. The Dump No 1 is located adjacent to the Skwentna River, and the shifting river eroded the capped debris. In 2010, the majority of Dump No. 1 debris and contaminated soil were excavated. The debris was placed in a permitted monofill on FAA property at the NDB Bulk Fuel Area. Contaminated soil was removed and disposed of off-site. Analytical soil sample results indicated the site was contaminated by DDT and its daughter products, DDD and DDE, PCBs, lead from broken lead-acid batteries, and petroleum. During removal of the debris a portion of the contaminated river bank had to be left in place to act as a dam to prevent flooding of the excavation when the river started to rise in the spring. At completion of the removal activities the riverbank was reconstructed by placement of tree trunks with root wads and jute matting to stabilize the bank and resist erosion, leaving the berm in place and buried.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
6/22/2004 Site Added to Database Landfill leachate to surface water. Former Staff
7/22/2004 Meeting or Teleconference Held Meeting held with FAA and CIRI. FAA will conduct visual survey and advance test pits to determine if solid waste is present. Anne Marie Palmieri
2/18/2005 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Site ranked based on pesticide sample collected by EPA. Anne Marie Palmieri
2/18/2005 Update or Other Action Staff reviewed and commented on draft RI. Some debris still remains in the landfill and has not eroded into the river. Contents are unknown. Anne Marie Palmieri
10/25/2005 Update or Other Action DEC requested that FAA conduct a removal in spring 2006 in order to prevent additional erosion of the landfill into the river. Anne Marie Palmieri
12/7/2005 Meeting or Teleconference Held Meeting held with CIRI and FAA to discuss removal of the landfill. FAA will try to locate a place in Skwentna to put the 2300 cy of material. Anne Marie Palmieri
6/8/2007 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking ETM ranking Anne Marie Palmieri
9/15/2009 Update or Other Action ADEC recieved a copy of the Draft version of the Work Plan for Remediation of Dump No. 1 Area of Concern and Demolition of Various Abandoned Infrastructure for review. Jonathan Schick
9/21/2009 Update or Other Action ADEC submitted commments on the Draft Work Plan for Remediation of Dump No. 1 Area of Concern and Demolition of Various Abandoned Infrastructure at Skwentna, Alaska. The main concerns of the State are that the Control Site (CT) area has not been adequately characterized as information regarding the location of abanoned PCB containing transformers near the CT site in Skwentna. Other concerns were noted in the comment response form. Jonathan Schick
11/24/2009 Update or Other Action ADEC isssued a letter approving the finalization of the work plan for remediation of Dump No. 1. In addition to the documented changes on the comment response form , it was agreed that soils will be segregated based on a PID reading of 10 ppm as opposed to 50 ppm. Jonathan Schick
12/4/2009 Update or Other Action ADEC recieved the Final version of the Work Plan for Remediation of Dump No. 1 Area of Concern and Demolition of Various Abandoned Infrastructure, Skwentna Alaska in our office. Jonathan Schick
2/9/2011 Update or Other Action ADEC recieved a Draft report for the cleanup of the dump and other sites at the FAA Skwentna Air Station. Jonathan Schick
6/10/2011 Update or Other Action ADEC staff submitted numerous comments on the Draft Report detailing the removal of impacted soils at the dump site and around the Skwentna Air Station. Overall the report required thorough revisions to make it more readable and consistent. Also additional characterization and cleanup work remains at the sites and the recommended site closures from the report were not accepted by ADEC. Jonathan Schick
6/13/2011 Update or Other Action ADEC recieved an email from the FAA remedial project manager informing us that the report was going to be rejected and another draft will be submitted. Jonathan Schick
12/29/2011 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Contaminated SItes Staff recieved a revised Draft version of the RemedialAction Cleanup Summary Report Demolition and Remediation of the Former FAA Air Station for Skwentna Air Station in our office for review. The report details the excavation and removal of solid waste from the eroding landfill in Skwentna as well as investigations of several other sites associated with the Air Station. Jonathan Schick
2/1/2012 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Contaminated Sites Staff submitted a letter to the remedial project manager at the FAA for the Draft Remedial Action Cleanup Summary Report for the Skwentna Air Station. ADEC has concerns about the adequacy of the cleanup effort at the dump site as well as the need to collect analytical samples to characterize several other sites associated with the Air Station. Comments were submitted within the letter and address the State's concerns with the report. Jonathan Schick
11/28/2012 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Draft Landfill Cleanup Report Received Fred Vreeman
3/12/2013 Update or Other Action Site assigned to Jessica Morris Fred Vreeman
8/8/2013 Site Characterization Workplan Approved The ADEC Contaminated Site Program approved the 2013 Final Work Plan FAA Site Investigation, FAA Station Skwentna, Alaska. The proposed work included investigations at the Non-Directional Beacon (NDB) Bulk Fuel Area, Simultaneous Broadcast Range with Adcock Antenna (SBRA) Range Building, Control Tower (CT) Building, Dump Number 1, Shop Drum Area, Pesticide Sprayer Area, and the NDB Drum Pond Area. Jessica Morris
12/23/2014 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 72484 dump. Jessica Morris
12/29/2014 Site Characterization Report Approved The ADEC Contaminated Site Program approved the 2014 Final Site Investigation and Hydrocarbon Risk Calculator Report for the, FAA Station Skwentna, Alaska. 35 soil borings were advanced and 97 soil samples were collected at the Dump No. 1 site. All of the soil samples were analyzed for DRO, RRO, PCBs, Lead and Pesticides and select samples were also analyzed for SVOCs and VOCs. DRO was the only contaminant detected above the most stringent ADEC Method Two soil cleanup levels. Five groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for DRO, RRO, VOCs, SVOCs, RCRA metals, PCBs, and pesticides. The groundwater sample results were below ADEC Table C cleanup levels. Due to the site's proximity to the Skwentna River and potential risk to the environment, further evaluation of ecological risk is needed at this site. Jessica Morris
9/4/2015 Site Characterization Workplan Approved The ADEC Contaminated Sites Program approved the Final Work Plan Addendum No. 1 Soil Sampling For Pesticides Federal Aviation Administration, Skwentna, Alaska. Jessica Morris
9/8/2016 Meeting or Teleconference Held A project meeting was held to discuss the soil sampling results for the pesticide background sampling. In order to move on to the cleanup portion of this project, we will need to agree on soil and sediment cleanup levels that are protective of all pathways and receptors. Jessica Morris
10/4/2018 Update or Other Action FAA was contacted by email on September 20, 2018 and issued the following update: a contract for further work will be awarded by the end of the calendar year. The plan is to finish remediating by excavation the dump and sprayer areas with pesticides then perform an ecological risk assessment for the concentrations that remain at the dump site. The petroleum sites will have the surface soil removed and transported off site and then the remainder of the contamination will be remediated with ISCO products. In situ tilling should allow for a better cleanup than injection. John O'Brien
7/16/2019 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
4/24/2020 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Approved remainder of workplan for work occurring in 2020 and 2021 field seasons. Michael Hooper
8/30/2022 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Approved interim remedial action report for phases one through three of the remedial action project, ADEC will issue final recommendations and comments upon review of the final project reporting next year. Michael Hooper
6/15/2023 Site Visit Visited Deshka Landing to address community concerns about soils coming from the Skwentna cleanup. Michael Hooper
6/20/2024 Update or Other Action Provided comments on the post remedial action report dated May 2024. Michael Hooper

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments

Control Type

Type Details

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Description Details

There are no documents for this site report.

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