Site Report: USPS Point Hope Post Office
| Site Name: | USPS Point Hope Post Office |
|---|---|
| Address: | Tuttu Street, Point Hope, AK 99766 |
| File Number: | 420.38.007 |
| Hazard ID: | 2474 |
| Status: | Cleanup Complete |
| Staff: | No Longer Assigned, 9074655229 dec.icunit@alaska.gov |
| Latitude: | 68.349705 |
| Longitude: | -166.741024 |
| Horizontal Datum: | NAD27 |
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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
188 gallon diesel spill in 1995. Contamination under building could not be excavated and removed. Groundwater sampling showed DRO ranging from 3.84ppm to 17.06 ppm, up to 12 ppb benzene, 55 ppb toluene, total xylenes up to 122 ppb. Potential for Institutional Controls to be Established at this site due to contamination remaining under the foundation. A Notice of Violation was issued to USPS for failure to adequately clean up spill. Cross reference file 420.02.003. July 2005 additional investigation included sampling under building; no significant contamination was found. UPDATE (2/5/2013, update by Tamar Stephens): Closure letter was sent on June 16, 2006, but was not recorded in this database at that time. Site is now entered as closed as of 2/5/2013. The letter notes that confirmation samples show soil cleanup met arctic zone method 1 cleanup levels. The closure letter also notes that contaminated active zone groundwater remains, but likely results from multiple sources near the Post Office, including a NSB-owned fuel pipeline and former tank farm facility, both with very large documented fuel releases. Additionally, numerous spills and the discovery of a large, unreported spill along the Tuttu Street during installation of a utility line indicate groundwater is heavily impacted by multiple sources with no active cleanup occurring.
Action Information
| Action Date | Action | Description | DEC Staff |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/15/1995 | Site Added to Database | Site transferred this day to Contaminated sites from PERP. | Randy Rogers |
| 8/16/1996 | Site Ranked Using the AHRM | Ranked by Shannon and Wilson. NOTES: The site has been ranked based on contaminated soil that was stockpiled at the landfill, rather than on the contaminated soil remaining adjacent to the foundation at the post office. When the stockpiled soil at the landfill is determined by ADEC to require No Further Action, the site ranking should be re-evaluated for the post office building. | S&W |
| 1/30/2001 | Site Ranked Using the AHRM | Reranked site. Changed Population Density Value from 0 to 5 and Population Proximity Value from 0.5 to 1. | Former Staff |
| 1/30/2001 | Site Number Identifier Changed | Changed the Region from 36 to 31 to correctly reflect location. | Former Staff |
| 1/11/2005 | Update or Other Action | Name changed to USPS Identifier to promote database consistency. | Mike Jaynes |
| 2/7/2005 | GIS Position Updated | Site was located using maps included in the file and matched to a rectified air photo. Georeferencing of air photo suspect due to poor quality of base data, which reflected by the accuracy value. | Torsten Ernst |
| 12/31/2008 | Exposure Tracking Model Ranking | Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 73451 name: auto-generated pm edit USPS - Point Hope Post Office | Tamar Stephens |
| 2/5/2013 | Site Characterization Workplan Approved | On June 3, 2005, DEC staff Michael Jaynes sent an approval letter for a Heating Oil Release Investigation at the USPS Point Hope Post Office. The work plan involved use of a Geoprobe righ to collect soil and groundwater samples. [This action was not previously entered in the CS database, so is being entered now to bring site information up to date.] | Tamar Stephens |
| 2/5/2013 | Site Characterization Report Approved | On June 16, 2006, DEC staff Michael Jaynes sent an approval letter for a report titled: Site Characerization Report, Former Tuttu Street Post Office, Point Hope, Alaska. [This action was not previously entered in the CS database, so is being entered now to bring site information up to date.] | Tamar Stephens |
| 2/5/2013 | Cleanup Complete Determination Issued | Site closure letter was sent by DEC staff Michael Jaynes on June 16, 2006. [This action was not previously entered in the CS database, so it being entered now to bring site information up to date.] Site closure letter notes that confirmation samples showed contaminants in soil met the arctic zone method 1 cleanup levels. Active zone groundwater exceeds the 18 AAC 75.345 Table C cleanup levels, but contamination appears to primarily result from multiple larger spills in the general vicinity, including a NSB-owned fuel pipeline and former tank farm facility, both with very large documented fuel releases. Additionally, numerous spills and the discovery of a large, unreported spill along the Tuttu Street during installation of a utility line indicate groundwater is heavily impacted by multiple sources with no active cleanup occurring. See attached closure letter for more details. | Tamar Stephens |
| 12/13/2021 | Update or Other Action | Updated lat/long based on current geographic information. | Elizabeth Bishop |
Contaminant Information
| Name | Level Description | Media | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| DRO | < Method 2 Most Stringent | Soil | Meets arctic zone method 1 cleanup levels. |
| BTEX | Between Method 2 Migration to Groundwater and Human Health/Ingestion/Inhalation | Soil |
Control Type
| Type | Details |
|---|---|
| No ICs Required |
Requirements
| Description | Details |
|---|---|
| Advance approval required to transport soil or groundwater off-site. |
No associated sites were found.