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Site Report: Eareckson AS - Tank 3049-3/#28

Site Name: Eareckson AS - Tank 3049-3/#28
Address: Building 3049 - Power Plant Shemya, Amchitka, AK 99546
File Number: 2649.38.001
Hazard ID: 24774
Status: Active
Staff: Erica Blake, 9074512182 erica.blake@alaska.gov
Latitude: 52.713843
Longitude: 174.113269
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

Tank area TU568-3049 consists of three underground storage tanks (USTs): 3049-2/#27 (20,000-gallon diesel fuel No. 8 tank), 3049-3/#28 (20,000-gallon diesel fuel No. 2 tank) and 3049-6/#29 (40,000-gallon diesel fuel No. 2 tank). All three tanks were situated in a row east of Building 3051 and south of Building 3049 at Eareckson Air Station (EAS) on Shemya Island. The tanks were buried approximately 4 feet below ground surface (bgs) and were used to supply the Base Power Plant. The three tanks were removed in 1997, and samples collected from the excavations indicated petroleum, oil and lubricant (POL) contamination was present. Confirmation samples were collected from approximately 12 feet bgs out of the Tank 3049-3 excavation. Results indicated diesel range organics were present in the subsurface soil above migration to groundwater cleanup levels at concentrations of 2,400 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) and 940 mg/kg. A Phase I site characterization effort was conducted in May 2016 and March 2017, and a Phase II site characterization effort was conducted in 2019 to define the extent of petroleum contamination at the three 3049 tank sites. In 2019 only four of the eighteen proposed soil borings were completed due to the area having active underground utilities, fuel piping, fiber optics and two aboveground storage tanks (3049-17 and 3049-18) present. From the soil borings, DRO and naphthalene remain in the subsurface soil above DEC migration to groundwater cleanup levels. The vertical and horizontal extent of contamination has not been delineated, due to the presence of utilities. The three tank sites are currently being managed with requirements for the Installation Restoration Program Site ST009 Record of Decision institutional controls (ICs) and land use restrictions. The Tank 3049 sites were last inspected in 2021 and all sites were in good condition with no signs of unauthorized land disturbance. Tank 3049-2/#27 is being tracked separately under Hazard ID: 24773. Tank 3049-6/#29 is being tracked separately under Hazard ID: 25042. All 3049 tank sites are being managed under TU568 and remaining contamination will be cleaned up under ST009 (DEC File Number: 2649.38.009, Hazard ID: 45).

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
7/13/1997 Site Added to Database Former Staff
7/13/1997 Leaking Underground Storage Tank Release Confirmed - Petroleum LUST Site created in CSP for source area ID 77994 DRO contaminated soil found during UST closure on 7/13/97. Former Staff
7/13/1997 Leaking Underground Storage Tank Cleanup Initiated - Petroleum Source removal, UST removed from the ground 7/13/97. Tim Stevens
2/5/1999 Update or Other Action ADEC project manager requested the US Air Force to conduct a release investigation at this site, DRO contamination 2,400 mg/kg. Tim Stevens
1/12/2000 Underground Storage Tank Site Characterization or Assessment ADEC received the site assessment report. This site is one of 43 UST SA reports contained in the April 1998 Draft " Project Report" Eareckson AS. Final report dated June 11, 1999 and entitled "Project Report - UST Site Assessment Reports, AST Removal Reports, and Environmental Compliance Activities." Associated ADEC/STP comment letter dated January 12, 2000 prepared by Timothy Stevens. ADEC comment letter states that based on information and laboratory data contained in the site assessment reports, tank 3049-3 (ADEC #28) will need to have a release investigation done to determine the vertical and horizontal extent of the contamination found during the closure process. Gretchen Pikul
11/16/2007 Site Visit ADEC staff travelled to Eareckson Air Station for 4 days to conduct site visits and become familiar with the ecology and topography of the island. Site visits were conducted to all pertinent sites and meetings were held to discuss the plan moving forward for Records of Decision and remedial alternatives. Jonathan Schick
4/25/2008 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Intitial Ranking Complete for Source Area: 77994 (Autogenerated Action)
1/6/2012 Cleanup Complete Determination Issued Contaminated Sites Staff submitted a letter to the USAF Remedial Project Manager stating that the LUST site 3049-3 will be administratively closed ADEC's database because it is located wtihin and associated with IRP Site ST044. The residual contamination from this LUST site will be managed under the IRP program. Jonathan Schick
11/21/2014 Site Reopened This site was administratively closed because it was planned to be managed under site ST044. However, the Record of Decision for site ST044 was signed in February 2014 and did not address Tank 3049-3. Site ST044 is limited to the area immediately surrounding UST 3051-1. Jessica Morris
10/22/2015 Update or Other Action The ADEC Contaminated Sites Program reviewed and commented on a draft scope of work for investigation, remedial process optimization, and long term management studies at several sites for Eareckson Air Station. Jessica Morris
8/31/2016 Site Characterization Workplan Approved The ADEC Contaminated Sites Program conditionally approved the 2016 Uniform Federal Policy - Quality Assurance Project Plan (UFP-QAPP) for Site Characterization at 14 Former POL Sites, Eareckson Air Station, Shemya Island, Alaska. The conditions for the UFP-QAPP are as follows: 1) We do not object to the long term monitoring work being completed as outlined in the UFP-QAPP; however ADEC cannot concur that efforts will be counted towards meeting the end point criteria outlined in the decision documents until an adequate monitoring program has been established. 2)The QAPP states that field screening results and field observations will be used to determine additional groundwater monitoring well locations. These locations should to be coordinated with ADEC. 3) The leaking underground storage tank (LUST) sites at Eareckson Air Station will need to be characterized and closed in accordance with LUST regulations that are included in 18 AAC 78. 4) The scope of work for this investigation may not be sufficient to fully characterize the sites listed in the work plan, and additional investigation may be necessary. Jessica Morris
11/14/2016 Site Visit ADEC staff travelled to Eareckson Air Station for 4 days to conduct site visits and become familiar with the ecology and topography of the island. Site visits were conducted to all pertinent sites and meetings were held to with ADEC and USAF to discuss a path forward for the sites. Jessica Morris
11/27/2017 Site Visit ADEC staff travelled to Eareckson Air Station for 3 days to conduct site visits and institutional control inspections. Site visits were conducted to all pertinent sites and meetings were held to with ADEC and USAF to discuss a path forward for the sites. Jessica Morris
2/23/2018 Update or Other Action The ADEC Contaminated Sites Program submitted comments on the Draft Site Characterization Report at 13 Former POL Sites, Phase I, Eareckson Air Station, Alaska. Jessica Morris
2/23/2018 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other The ADEC Contaminated Sites Program provide comments on the Draft Site Characterization Report at 13 Former POL Sites, Phase I, Eareckson Air Station. Jessica Morris
5/2/2018 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other The ADEC Contaminated Sites Program submitted comments on the Draft Remedial Process Optimization Report for Eareckson Air Station. The purpose of the report was to present an evaluation of the effectiveness of the current selected site remedies and make recommendations for optimization of an island-wide monitoring and management program for contaminated sites at Eareckson. ADEC had numerous comments on the document, and requested a project team meeting to further discuss a more effective and efficient program at Eareckson. Jessica Morris
2/4/2019 Site Characterization Workplan Approved The ADEC Contaminated Sites Program approved the Final Addendum Addendum Uniform Federal Policy – Quality Assurance Project Plan (UFP-QAPP) for Site Characterization at 13 Former POL Sites, Eareckson Air Station, Sheyma Island, Alaska. The QAPP Addendum was approved with the following conditions: 1)ADEC requests weekly field meetings during the effort. 2)the LUST regulations in 18 AAC 78 still need to be achieved. 3) the scope of work for this effort may not be sufficient to fully characterize the sites, and additional characterization may be necessary. Jessica Morris
4/27/2022 Update or Other Action On 4/27/2022 ADEC approved the Eareckson Air Station, Alaska, REMEDIAL PROCESS OPTIMIZATION REPORT dated April 2022. This Remedial Process Optimization (RPO) Report presents an evaluation of the effectiveness of current selected site remedies and makes recommendations for optimization of the IWM Program, as appropriate to establish a more integrated groundwater monitoring program at Eareckson AS. RPO is a systematic approach for evaluating and improving the effectiveness of site remediation without increasing site risk. This RPO Report presents a site-by-site evaluation of effectiveness of the sites selected remedy and provides recommendations to: • Streamline groundwater monitoring. • Develop a holistic approach to site management. • Maintain the remedial action objectives (RAOs) set forth in established Record of Decisions (RODs) and Decision Documents (DDs). Daniela Fawcett
10/15/2024 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other DEC provided responses to comments for the Decision Document for 23 Petroleum Contaminated Sites, Eareckson Air Station, Shemya Island, Alaska, Draft (dated July 2024) to the U.S. Air Force. Most of the responses to comments were acceptable, with a couple requiring additional text changes to the document. Two sites (CS566 and OT617) have contamination present above human health levels and a Notice of Activity Use and Limitations will be required for those sites. Erica Blake

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments
DRO > Human Health/Ingestion/Inhalation Soil The residual contamination from this LUST site is being managed under IRP Site ST044.

Control Type

Type Details
No ICs Required

Requirements

Description Details
Advance approval required to transport soil or groundwater off-site.
Hazard ID Site Name File Number
24773 Eareckson AS - Tank 3049-2/#27 2649.38.001
25042 Eareckson AS - Tank 3049-6/#29 2649.38.001
45 Eareckson Air Station ST09 2649.38.001, 2649.38.009

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State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation

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Phone: 907-465-5066
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