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Site Report: FAA Sisters Island

Site Name: FAA Sisters Island
Address: The Sisters in Icy Strait, ~8 Miles NE of Hoonah, Hoonah, AK 99829
File Number: 1510.38.005
Hazard ID: 1984
Status: Cleanup Complete - Institutional Controls
Staff: Livia Bracker, 9072697695 livia.bracker@alaska.gov
Latitude: 58.176389
Longitude: -135.257222
Horizontal Datum:NAD27

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

Former FAA remote navigational aid facility has contamination issues stemming from ASTs, USTs, inadequate storage of used batteries and other wastes. This site was issued an 18 AAC 75.350 determination in 2012. On June 13, 2017, DEC distributed a finalized version of the Sisters Island Decision Document. This document indicates that all of the FAA Sisters Island areas of concern are either non-qualifying, cleanup complete, or cleanup complete with institutional controls. Non-qualifying sites include the Picric Acid Detonation Site, the Boat House Facility, the Abandoned Pump House Facility, the H-Marker Facility, the Metal Shed Facility, the Fuel Delivery Line Site, and the 1.25 Inch Fuel Line Site. Cleanup Complete sites include the VORTAC Area – Former Drum Rack/ Gasoline AST Area, the Former Incinerator Area and Dump Site, the Water Supply House Facility, the Standby Generator Facility, the VORTAC Area – Former Burn Barrel, the Building 632 Area, and the Battery Disposal Area. The sites with a Cleanup Complete with Institutional Controls site include the Building 102 Area, the Pump House Area, the Building 412 Area, the First Tank Farm/Building 207 Area, and the Former Tank Farm Area.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
11/8/1994 Site Added to Database Leaking tanks. Randy Rice
11/28/1997 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Initial ranking. Sally Schlichting
8/23/1999 Cleanup Plan Approved Approved FAA "Work Plan for Off Site Thermal Treatment of Petroleum Contaminated Soils" dated July 30, 1999. Eileen Olson
9/3/1999 Update or Other Action ADEC letter requesting revised work plan for "Work Plan for Off Site Thermal Treatment of Petroleum Contaminated Soils, Sisters Island, Alaska". The revised plan was requested because FAA could not identify the sources of the soils to be remediated. Eileen Olson
9/29/1999 Update or Other Action Letter from STP and CSRP to thermal treatment facility where Sisters Island soils are to be treated: "Modifications to operating plan for USR thermal treatment facility in Juneau, Alaska". Eileen Olson
12/10/1999 Update or Other Action Re-ranked site: Area is not an environmental/recreation area so score was lowered. Eileen Olson
9/26/2001 Update or Other Action Recieved the May 2001 Asbestos Abatement/Environmental Upgrade Remedial Action Report and request for NFA for Tank Site 41-C-1. Elizabeth Stergiou
10/30/2003 GIS Position Updated Updated the coordinates of the island center using TopoZone, NAD27. Former Staff
12/5/2006 Update or Other Action Staff reviewed site files in anticipation of 2007 fieldwork. Staff looked at all areas of concern and areas of potential concern and made determinations regarding these areas. A letter was issued this date documenting those decisions. Anne Marie Palmieri
12/5/2006 Update or Other Action VORTAC Tank 41-B-2: Elevated levels of benzene were left in place during the tank removal. Also, a geoprobe groundwater sampling result from an unspecified location in this general area showed elevated levels of diesel-range organics. Additional action is required. Anne Marie Palmieri
12/5/2006 Update or Other Action VORTAC Burn Barrels: A geoprobe groundwater sampling result from an unspecified location in this general area showed elevated benzene. Additional action is required. Anne Marie Palmieri
12/5/2006 Update or Other Action Quarters Building 102 Tank 41-C-2: Elevated levels of diesel-range organics were left in place during the tank removal. Also, a geoprobe groundwater sampling result from an unspecified location in this general area showed elevated levels of benzene. Additional action is required. Anne Marie Palmieri
12/5/2006 Update or Other Action Quarters Building 207 Tank 41-A-7: Elevated levels of diesel-range organics were left in place during the tank removal. Additional actions are needed. Anne Marie Palmieri
12/5/2006 Update or Other Action Quarters Building 412: Elevated levels of diesel-range organics were left in place during the tank removal. Additional actions are needed. Anne Marie Palmieri
12/5/2006 Update or Other Action Former Water Tank Building 632, Tank 41-A-8: Elevated levels of diesel-range organics were left in place during the tank removal. Subsequently, another tank has been installed on the concrete foundation of the former building. Action needed to confirm that the remaining contamination is limited in extent. Anne Marie Palmieri
12/5/2006 Update or Other Action Tank Farm Tanks 41-A-1, 2, 3, 4, and 5: Elevated levels of diesel-range organics were left in place on the northwest and southwest sides of the tank farm during the removal of the tanks and liner. Additional actions needed. Anne Marie Palmieri
12/5/2006 Update or Other Action Dump Site/Incinerator: Low levels of dioxin were found in ash in the incinerator which was placed at the dump and later on disposed of properly. The original location of the incinerator is unknown. The department requests that FAA try and determine the original location of the incinerator and, if this location can be found, that FAA conduct sampling for dioxin. Anne Marie Palmieri
12/5/2006 Update or Other Action Battery Casing Debris Area: Battery plates and casings were present on the beach and removed in 1994. No samples were collected in this location. The department requests that FAA attempt to determine the original location of the incinerator and, if this location can be found, that FAA conduct sampling for lead. Anne Marie Palmieri
12/5/2006 Update or Other Action Engine Generator Building 616 Tank 41-B-4: Elevated levels of diesel-range organics were left in place during the tank removal. Additional actions are needed. Anne Marie Palmieri
12/5/2006 Update or Other Action Pump House: Petroleum-contaminated soil was found at the valve near the former Pump House. A geoprobe groundwater sampling result from an unspecified location in this general area showed elevated levels of diesel-range organics. Additional actions are needed. Anne Marie Palmieri
12/5/2006 Update or Other Action Former Tank Farm: No sampling has been conducted in this area which is upgradient of a large volume of contamination near Quarters Building 207. Characterization is requested. Anne Marie Palmieri
12/5/2006 Update or Other Action VORTAC Tank 41-B-1: This 4000-gallon regulated underground storage tank (UST) was removed in 1999. Forty-three (43) cubic yards of petroleum contaminated soil was excavated and sent to United Soil Recycling (USR) for disposal. Three (3) confirmation samples were collected from the bottom of the excavation at a depth of 9.5 feet below ground surface (bgs) and all results were non-detect. Site Closure is Approved. Anne Marie Palmieri
12/5/2006 Update or Other Action During its review of the file, the department noted that no potential sources of contamination were present at the Water Supply House, H-Marker, Picric Acid Detonation Area, Boat House Building 206, Abandoned Pump House, or Metal Shed, and thus, no action is requested. Anne Marie Palmieri
12/5/2006 Update or Other Action The department has determined that no action is requested at the following potential areas of concern as no contamination was found: VORTAC 41-B-3, VORTAC 41-B-4, VORTAC 41-C-2, Generator Building 617, Tank 41-C-1, Fuel Line, and Engine Generator Building 616, Tank 41-A-6. Anne Marie Palmieri
6/7/2007 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking ETM ranking Anne Marie Palmieri
9/18/2009 Site Characterization Workplan Approved Site characterization workplan reviewed. Field work is scheduled for October 2009. Anne Marie Palmieri
6/17/2010 Site Characterization Workplan Approved Groundwater monitoring work plan approved this date. Two rounds of samples will be collected in 2010 from all groundwater monitoring wells -- sampling timeframes are June and October/November. Samples will be analyzed for GRO, DRO, RRO, PAH, BTEX, EPH, and VPH. Anne Marie Palmieri
11/19/2010 Site Characterization Report Approved The Site Characterization Report dated March 2010 was approved this date. An updated site summary spread sheet outlining remaining actions was sent to FAA. 3 AOCs were determined to be closure complete: 1)VORTAC-area Former Burn Barrel, 2)Building 632 (Former Water Tank), and 3) Beach Battery Debris. Also, no additional investigation will be required at the Dump Site/Incinerator as no contamination was found to be present. Anne Marie Palmieri
5/19/2011 Update or Other Action Draft 2010 Groundwater Sampling Report received. Fred Vreeman
5/26/2011 Update or Other Action Site management transferred to Fred Vreeman. Anne Marie Palmieri
9/7/2011 Update or Other Action Draft Hydrocarbon Risk Calculator Report received by DEC. Fred Vreeman
8/14/2012 Cleanup Level(s) Approved The Draft Groundwater Use Determination in Accordance with 18 AAC 75.350 at Sisters Island FAA Station, Alaska, was approved. The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Contaminated Sites Program (ADEC) received this report on May 19, 2011. ADEC has conducted a review of the environmental records associated with the FAA Sisters Island Station. Based on the information provided to date, ADEC has determined that the groundwater at Sisters Island does not meet the criteria to be considered a current or future drinking water source. ADEC has further determined that groundwater affected at this site will not be transported to a current or reasonably expected future source of drinking water, and will not impact surface water quality. Following this determination, further groundwater monitoring at the Sisters Island sites will not be required and the Migration to Groundwater soil cleanup levels are no longer requirements for the cleanup. This determination is in accordance with 18 AAC 75.380(d)(1) and does not preclude ADEC from requiring additional assessment and/or cleanup action if future information indicates that this site may pose an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment. A final draft of the groundwater use determination document was received by ADEC on April 3, 2012. Fred Vreeman
2/24/2015 Update or Other Action DEC Approval of the 2012 Monitoring Well Decommissioning Report, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Station Sisters Island, Alaska. 22 of the 23 monitoring wells on the island were decommissioned from September 26-28, 2012. The 23rd monitoring well could not be located and was assumed to have been destroyed or decommissioned sometime between November 2010 and September 2012. Monte Garroutte
2/24/2015 Site Characterization Report Approved DEC Approval of the Draft 2009/2010 Groundwater Sampling Report, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Station Sisters Island, Alaska. Following the August 14, 2012 groundwater use determination at this site, groundwater monitoring at the Sisters Island sites will not be required and the Migration to Groundwater soil cleanup levels are no longer requirements for the cleanup. Monte Garroutte
1/16/2016 Update or Other Action DEC responses to the RTCs were completed for the FAA Station Sisters Island Decision Document. Monte Garroutte
6/13/2017 Update or Other Action DEC distributed a finalized version of the Sisters Island Decision Document. This document indicates that all of the FAA Sisters Island areas of concern are either non-qualifying, cleanup complete, or cleanup complete with institutional controls. Non-qualifying sites include the Picric Acid Detonation Site, the Boat House Facility, the Abandoned Pump House Facility, the H-Marker Facility, the Metal Shed Facility, the Fuel Delivery Line Site, and the 1.25 Inch Fuel Line Site. Cleanup Complete sites include the VORTAC Area – Former Drum Rack/ Gasoline AST Area, the Former Incinerator Area and Dump Site, the Water Supply House Facility, the Standby Generator Facility, the VORTAC Area – Former Burn Barrel, the Building 632 Area, and the Battery Disposal Area. The sites with a Cleanup Complete with Institutional Controls site include the Building 102 Area, the Pump House Area, the Building 412 Area, the First Tank Farm/Building 207 Area, and the Former Tank Farm Area. Monte Garroutte
6/13/2017 Institutional Control Record Established Institutional Controls established and entered into the database. Monte Garroutte
6/13/2017 Cleanup Complete Determination Issued Monte Garroutte
6/13/2017 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 72962 facility. Monte Garroutte
8/1/2018 Update or Other Action Final RA Report for Former Incinerator and Dump Site (now referred to as Former Dump Area). Brice excavated roughly 100 cy of contaminated soil in addition to a large amount of lead batteries, paint cans, and capacitors. Four AOCs remain contaminated with dioxins, PCBs, and hexavalent chromium individually. Monte Garroutte
4/15/2020 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 72962 facility. Tim Sharp
6/9/2020 Update or Other Action DEC Approved the 2019 Remedial Action Report for Sisters Island. The final document discusses the removal of contaminated soil from four areas of concern. COCs: hexavalent chromium, dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) oil. After contaminated soil was removed, ISM sampling at the excavation limits were used to determine if the impacted soil was completely removed. Three of the AOCs had ISM samples with COCs below CULs. The last AOC has remaining dioxin contamination above CULs and will require further characterization and excavation efforts. Tim Sharp
7/6/2020 Update or Other Action DEC sent comments on the Draft Work Plan for additional dioxin contamination characterization. Dioxin was present on the south and west sidewalls of the previous excavation extent. The work plan discusses composited sampling methodology from step out locations. Tim Sharp
11/25/2020 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other DEC sent comments on the draft SI report. The report details soil sampling to further characterize the extent of dioxin contamination at the Former Dump Area. Composite soil samples collected from 0.5 feet bgs to five feet bgs were analyzed for dioxins. Analytical results were used to calculate the KM TEQ for each sample. Six soil samples were analyzed, and all results were below relevant screening levels. The report recommends a further estimated 40 cubic yards of soil be excavated to ensure remaining dioxin impacted soil from the sidewalls of the 2019 excavation is removed. Tim Sharp
12/10/2020 Site Characterization Report Approved DEC Approved the 2020 Final Site Investigation Report. FAA will attempt to return next summer to excavate the last 40 cy of dioxin contaminated soil. Tim Sharp
3/23/2021 Update or Other Action This site is on Forrest Service land. Kara Kusche
3/23/2021 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other DEC sent comments on the Draft Sisters Island Dump Remediation Work Plan. The FAA will remove an estimated 55 cubic yards of dioxin contaminated soil. Once soil is removed, FAA will collect confirmation samples and analyze them for dioxins on a rush turnaround time. Following this, FAA will remobilize to the site to backfill the excavation with adjacent material. Tim Sharp
5/24/2021 Offsite Soil or Groundwater Disposal Approved Transport and Disposal Request approved for 85 tons of dioxin contaminated soil to Arlington Oregon Landfill Tim Sharp
6/14/2021 Update or Other Action DEC Approved the WP Addendum for 15 further CY of soil removal to hopefully remediate the remaining dioxin contaminated soil. Tim Sharp
9/23/2021 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 72962 facility. Tim Sharp
9/27/2021 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other DEC sent comments on the draft remedial action report. In total, 75 cy of dioxin-contaminated soil was removed from the Former Dump site and transported to Arlington Landfill. FAA has recommended the area of concern (AOC) for closure, which DEC will review separately from this document. Tim Sharp
1/10/2023 Site Characterization Report Approved DEC approved the Final 2021 Field Work Report where all remaining dioxin contaminated soil above human health cleanup levels was removed and disposed of. Tim Sharp

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments
DRO > Table C Groundwater Site has an 18 AAC 75.350 determination.

Control Type

Type Details
Federal or State Agency GIS Database Note This IC has been recorded on the FAA FEATS database which will ensure that all construction projects will be notified of the IC requirements prior to conducting work in the area subject to ICs. Institutional controls necessary to support this closure determination include a restriction on using groundwater from the site without prior DEC review. Figures attached to the decision document for this site indicate the areal extent where the groundwater ICs apply.

Requirements

Description Details
Groundwater Use Restrictions Institutional controls necessary to support this closure determination include a restriction on using groundwater from the site without prior DEC review. Figures attached to the decision document for this site indicate the areal extent where the groundwater ICs apply.
Advance approval required to transport soil or groundwater off-site.
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)

No associated sites were found.

Missing Location Data

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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
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