Skip to content Skip to content

Site Report: FAA - Middleton Island Facility Gulf of Alaska

Site Name: FAA - Middleton Island Facility Gulf of Alaska
Address: Middleton Island, Cordova, AK 99574
File Number: 2242.38.001
Hazard ID: 24696
Status: Active
Staff: Kelly Walker, 9074512166 kelly.walker@alaska.gov
Latitude: 59.436984
Longitude: -146.324094
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

FAA Middleton Island station remediation and cleanup work is ongoing. Areas of Concern (AOCs) at FAA Middleton include the Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN), Former Housing Area (FHA) Buildings 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, and 602, the Air Traffic Control Beacon Indicator (ATCBI), Burn Pit, FHA Bulk Fuel Tank/Burn Pad, FHA Building 300/Shop, FHA Building 600/Engine Generator, and 2007 Pipeline Removal Areas. Current work focuses on delineation of soil contamination at the FHA Building 300, FHA Building 600, and 2007 Pipeline Removal Area. During the 2023 field season, contaminated soils were excavated from Building 300 and Building 600, with additional delineation needed to the west of Building 300 and to the East of Building 600. Contaminated soils were also excavated from the 2007 Pipeline Excavation Area, with additional delineation needed in the vicinity of Buildings 103 and 104. Contaminants of concern include volatile organic compounds (VOCs), gasoline range organics (GRO), diesel range organics (DRO), residual range organics (RRO), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
8/10/1996 Site Added to Database Former Staff
8/10/1996 Leaking Underground Storage Tank Cleanup Initiated - Petroleum Tanks removed Former Staff
8/10/1996 Leaking Underground Storage Tank Release Confirmed - Petroleum LUST Site created in CSP for source area ID 77703 Former Staff
7/20/2006 Underground Storage Tank Site Characterization or Assessment Approved 2006 SI Work for site. Mike Jaynes
7/27/2006 Update or Other Action updated file number Wendy Uzzell
2/8/2007 Update or Other Action Per PM, changed PM to new staff. April Woolery
3/7/2007 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Intitial Ranking Complete for Source Area: 77703 (Autogenerated Action)
8/19/2014 Update or Other Action Site transferred from Fred Vreeman to Keri DePalma. Keri DePalma
4/26/2016 Update or Other Action Site assigned to project manager for evaluation of cleanup progress, and follow up. Fred Vreeman
12/16/2016 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other On November 21, 2016, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) received a Draft 2016 Groundwater Monitoring Report for Middleton Island Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Station, Middleton Island, Alaska. The report describes groundwater sampling activities and results at three areas of concern: Air Traffic Control Beacon Interrogator (ATCBI); Former Housing Area (FHA); and Very High Frequency (VHF) Omni-directional Range (VOR). DEC requested minor clarifications and/or edits to the text. Joy Whitsel
1/1/2017 Site Characterization Report Approved DEC approves the groundwater monitoring report. The report describes groundwater sampling activities and results at three areas of concern: Air Traffic Control Beacon Interrogator (ATCBI); Former Housing Area (FHA); and Very High Frequency (VHF) Omni-directional Range (VOR). Analytical results of groundwater indicate DRO remains at concentrations greater than the DEC groundwater cleanup levels at the ATCBI and the FHA. Benzene, ethylbenzene, 1-methylnaphthalene, 2-methylnaphthalene, and naphthalene were detected at concentrations greater than DEC groundwater cleanup levels at the VOR. Additionally, lead was detected at one well at the VOR at a concentration greater than the associated DEC groundwater cleanup level; however, the analytical results for lead did not meet quality assurance criteria. Therefore, lead remains a potential COC at the VOR. Joy Whitsel
6/29/2018 Update or Other Action In correspondence between the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) project manager and the DEC project manager, the FAA contract for a remedial investigation (RI) to address remaining data gaps at the Middleton Island sites has not yet been awarded. The FAA expects the RI work to be awarded soon, and to start planning for fieldwork during the summer 2019 season. DEC will need to follow up with the FAA on the timeline for when this work will be conducted. Erica Blake
12/14/2018 Update or Other Action Email exchange with FAA contact Dave Hanneman, who advised that work is planned at this site for 2019 and that a draft work plan should be expected in early 2019. Kevin Fraley
5/13/2019 Cleanup Plan Approved 2019 work plan approved. Release investigations will be conducted using an ultra-violet optical screening tool (UVOST) at areas of concern within the Middleton Island site. Also, groundwater monitoring will be conducted at ATCBI, Burn Pit, the VHF Omni-Directional Range, and the Former Housing Area. Additionally, soil samples will be collected at the Burn Pit, surveying will be conducted, and site restoration to pre-investigation conditions will be undertaken. Kevin Fraley
9/16/2020 Site Characterization Report Approved FAA Middleton Island Release Investigation Report reviewed and approved. This report details the 2019 investigation and monitoring work. Subsurface petroleum characterization was conducted using an ultra-violet optical screening tool (UVOST) and analytical soil sampling at several areas of concern (AOCs). Grounwater monitoring was conducted at the Air Traffic Control Beacon Indicator (ATCBI), Burn Pit, Very High Frequency Omni-directional Range (VOR), and Former Housing Area (FHA). Soil samples were collected at the Burn Pit and surveying was conducted. Analytical results were used as inputs to the hydrocarbon risk calculator to evaluate risk at each AOC. Additional remedial action is recommended at ATCBI and FHA Buildings 300 and 600. Additional monitoring is recommended at VOR and FHA Bulk Fuel Tank/Burn Pad. Kelly Walker
2/27/2023 Site Characterization Workplan Approved DEC has completed review and approved the Middleton Island Soil Removal Work Plan for the FAA. This work plan details the removal action and soil sampling to be conduction during the 2023 field season. Removal actions will occur at Building 300/Shop, Building 600/Engine Generator and at four location at the 2007 Pipeline Removal Area. A background soil concentration study for arsenic will also be conducted. Kelly Walker
5/10/2024 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other DEC reviewed and approved the "2023 Middleton Island Soil Removal Report" for the former FAA Middleton Island station. This report detailed the removal of contaminated soils at the Building 300/Shop and Building 600/Engine Generator sites and the 2007 Pipeline Removal Areas. Additional excavation of contaminated soils is needed at both the Building 300/Shop and Building 600/Engine Generator sites and will be conducted during future mobilizations. Additional investigation will be conducted at the Pipeline Removal areas during future mobilizations. Kelly Walker

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments

Control Type

Type Details

Requirements

Description Details

There are no documents for this site report.

No associated sites were found.

Missing Location Data

Because the GIS location data for this site has not been entered, we cannot direct you to its position on the map. Click "Continue" to proceed to the Contaminated Sites Web Map or "Close" to return to the site report.
Continue     Close