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Site Report: Kotlik Electric Former Tank Farm

Site Name: Kotlik Electric Former Tank Farm
Address: 100 Curry Street, Kotlik, AK 99620
File Number: 2423.38.002
Hazard ID: 1866
Status: Active
Staff: * Currently Not Assigned, 9072693057 bill.oconnell@alaska.gov
Latitude: 63.032197
Longitude: -163.552587
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

This site is known locally as the Old Power Plant Tank Farm. In April of 1993 approximately 7,000 (downgraded from the original estimate of 15,000) gallons of diesel spilled when a valve broke due to a snow machine running over it. The spill was originally thought to have been caused by snow removal equipment. Villagers have retrieved 6,000 gallons by shoveling snow into 55 gallon drums, and then used the fuel in their furnaces. Site ranked on basis of 1,000 gallons remaining at the site in May, 1993. As per Bill Stokes site visit on June 10, 1993 there was still petroleum odor within the tundra root system surrounding the tank farm next to the generator building. There was also fecal odor and fecal material present in the tundra root system which makes the health risk associated with any additional petroleum recovery too great. Tim Law, an engineer with the Village Safe Water project in Kotlik, was there during the spill and initial cleanup. He said that fecal odor and material comes from the yearly flooding at the landfill and the sewage lagoon; as well as poor handling of honey buckets. In 2001 a new tank farm for the City of Kotlik was constructed by the Alaska Energy Authority on the west side of Barge Landing Access Road. 26 tanks were slated for demolition, but two 50,000 gallon tanks were decommissioned rather than being demolished for their possible use in a river bank stabilization project. 16 of the tanks were city-owned and were removed from the power plant and the washeteria. No analyitical data was submitted to delineate the spill area of the 1993 release. In the March 2002 Aboveground Storage Tank Farms Site Reconnaissance (Draft) submitted by Ecology and Environmental Inc., analytical data is reported and natural attenuation in the wetland area of the former power plant tank farm (called the Kotlik Electric Tank Farm in the CS database) is discussed. It is noted that the excavation related to the 1993 spill had damaged the wetlands and did not show any re-vegetation in 2001. Photos were taken in July 2012 by ADEC CSP. Tank cribs/liner present at the former tank farm

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
4/7/1993 Interim Removal Action Approved Local villagers shoveled diesel contaminated soil into 55 gallon barrels to retrieve 6,000 gallons of diesel as of 5/24/93 according to Joe Mike. Former Staff
6/7/1993 Site Added to Database Diesel contamination at storage tanks. Former Staff
6/7/1993 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Site ranked by interviews with Joe Mike at Kotlik Electric, Dennis Lundine, and Bill Reith. Dennis Harwood
6/10/1993 Site Visit Bill Stokes visited Kotlik on June 10, 1993 and found petroleum odor within the tundra root system surrounding the tank farm next to the generator building. There was also fecal odor and fecal material present in the tundra root system which makes the health risk associated with any additional petroleum recovery too great, as per his site visit report. Action added to system 3-25-09 but listed as actual site visit date. Pam Clemens
5/11/1998 Voluntary Cleanup Program Application to the Voluntary Cleanup Program accepted. Anne Marie Palmieri
2/8/2001 Update or Other Action Two phone calls leaving message with Rose Chitlik(?) utility manager for Chris Hunt on 12/15/00 and 1/31/01 unanswered. Mike Jaynes
2/14/2002 Update or Other Action Called and spoke with Chris Hunt again about site. He stated the spill did occur and he believes spill has been finally cleaned up. Said he would look into more information for site. Mike Jaynes
11/29/2006 Update or Other Action Staff transferred from Pikul to Jaynes. Aggie Blandford
3/21/2008 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed. Bill O'Connell
3/19/2009 Update or Other Action Requesting a new file number (2423.38.002) to separate out the AKARNG Kotlik FSA which should remain 2423.38.001 and this file: Kotlik Electric Tank Farm (which will become 2423.38.002) Pam Clemens
3/25/2009 Update or Other Action File review, updated problem statement and actions to reflect earlier site assessment and site visit. Pam Clemens
8/6/2009 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other In the March 2002 Aboveground Storage Tank Farms Site Reconnaissance (Draft) submitted by Ecology and Environmental Inc., analytical data is reported and natural attenuation in the wetland area of the former power plant tank farm (called the Kotlik Electric Tank Farm in the CS database) is discussed. It is noted that the excavation related to the 1993 spill had damaged the wetlands and did not show any re-vegetation in 2001. Select pages from this report are filed in the Kotlik Electric Tank Farm 2426.38.002; for the full report see the general Kotlik file 2423.38.000. The total organic carbon (TOC) value was determined using soil that was not impacted by petroleum contamination and this value was used to determine the alternative cleanup level (ACL). Only one sediment sample was taken from just outside the fenced area of the former Kotlic Electric Tank Farm in 2001. At that location DRO was found at 2,910 mg/kg, and GRO was 8.1 mg/kg. Benzene and Toluene were not detected at 0.07 mg/kg and 0.2 mg/kg respectively. These levels are below the Method 3 ACL values of DRO = 3,810 mg/kg, GRO = 1,400 mg/kg, Benzene = 0.07 mg/kg, and Toluene = 40 mg/kg. Pam Clemens
8/13/2009 Update or Other Action Received great pictures of the site from Victor Tonuchuk, Jr. the KTC Environmental Coordinator. The fence is down and something needs to be done with the old tank farm area. I have also made contact with Ken Berlin the AVEC person for Kotlik. Pam Clemens
4/5/2010 Update or Other Action Reviewed file to respond to question from Pius Akaran (this contact was sent to me by Sonja Benson, ADEC Brownfields). I listed Mr. Akaran, Environmental Director, Village of Bill Moore's Slough, in the affiliates tab here and in the site called: Former Lower Yukon School District Tank Farm, Kotlik. Pam Clemens
4/8/2010 Update or Other Action Attached the photos that were taken by Victor Tonuchuk, Jr. in August 2009 of the area surrounding the new Electric Tank Farm. There is no stressed vegetation and no visible staining near the old tank cribs. There is evidence of a few abandoned 55-gallon drums and what appears to be the two tanks that were decommissioned rather than demolished at the request of the village council. Follow-up is needed to see if the tanks were ever used for the river-bank stabalization project. See the problem/comments tab, under the Site Description section in this file for more information. Pam Clemens
7/1/2010 Update or Other Action Sent out an information request letter to Kotlik Electric Services. I asked what had been done to remove contamination at the old power plant since the initial response in 1993; if any soil or water testing had been done since 2001; what was done with the tanks from the old tank farm; and what their intentions were for addressing the remaining tanks, drums and AST cradles at this site. My letter was addressed to the Kotlik Electric Service, during my web search I discovered that AVEC is now the owner, but the owner in 1993 was the City of Kotlik and the operator was the Kotlik Electric Service. Pam Clemens
7/11/2012 Site Visit ADEC performed a site visit on this date. The former Kotlik Electric TF pad and cradles were still in place, but no petroleum odors or sheen was observed. However, contamination was noted adjacent to this site evident by dead vegetation, petroleum odor and sheen. These source areas include a 2/6/2012 diesel spill of 615 gallons at the AVEC powerplant currently managed by PERP; as well as an unknown spill event at the former Health Clinic Building. PERP was notified about these two source areas. Grant Lidren
8/9/2012 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter PRP letters sent on this date to the City of Kotlik and AVEC. Grant Lidren
3/10/2015 Update or Other Action Letter sent with site summary and information request. Joshua Barsis
8/24/2016 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 72844 Former ASTs. Lisa Griswold
8/25/2016 Update or Other Action Site Characterization work plan request sent. Work plan is due by October 24, 2016. Lisa Griswold
10/24/2016 Update or Other Action ADEC approves of extending the site characterization work plan submittal deadline. The site characterization work plan is to now be submitted by December 23, 2016. Lisa Griswold
12/19/2016 Update or Other Action ADEC approves of extending the site characterization work plan submittal deadline. The site characterization work plan is to now be submitted by February 17, 2017. Lisa Griswold
5/12/2017 Update or Other Action Letter sent to RP notifying of site management transfer to Rodman and a request to submit the site characterization work plan be submitted as soon as possible as it is now past due. Lisa Griswold
5/12/2017 Update or Other Action Site transferred to Rodman Lisa Griswold
9/4/2018 Workplan Requested Work plan request letter mailed to RP via USPS First Class Mail. Due September 28. Amy Rodman

Contaminant Information

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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