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Site Report: FAA Sunset Cove Former VHF Facility

Site Name: FAA Sunset Cove Former VHF Facility
Address: South of Sunset Cove in Stephens Passage; ~4 Miles N/NE of Hobart Bay, ~70 Miles S of Juneau, at the Mouth of Libby Creek, Juneau, AK 99801
File Number: 1509.38.001
Hazard ID: 25377
Status: Cleanup Complete
Staff: No Longer Assigned, 9074655229 dec.icunit@alaska.gov
Latitude: 57.469335
Longitude: -133.512338
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

The FAA Sunset Cove Former VHF Facility was operated as a communication station from 1950 to 1958. Infrastructure remaining at the three main areas of the site includes: Beach Area - concrete barge landing ramp, a fuel tank, pipelines, debris, and an engine generator building foundation, drums, and piping; Camp Area - water pump house, quonset hut, piping drums, lead cable, asbestos, and construction debris; and Hill Area - wooden antennas, overhead metal cable, asbestos, aboveground storage tanks, large battery, and the VHF building. Five Areas of Concern (AOCs) were identified for remediation at the site in 2011 and 2013. Excavations were conducted at each AOC in 2013. Following the 2013 removal action, PCB contamination was confirmed to remain at the Electronic Debris Area (EDA). DRO contamination may remain at the Former Pipeline AOC, though the lab data suggested that biogenic interference may have caused the single detection above cleanup levels. Further excavation at the EDA was recommended in the 2013 report.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
2/23/2009 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC provided comments for the "Draft Work Plan for Coastal Decommissioning" for the VHF communications facility near Sunset Cove, dated January 2009. Recommendations were made to address the appropriate response to the discovery of contamination. A final remedial action report on FAA Coastal Decommissioning at Sunset Cove, Alaska, was received on June 6, 2011. Fred Vreeman
3/16/2009 Site Added to Database A new site has been added to the database Mitzi Read
5/22/2013 Interim Removal Action Approved The Draft Work Plan, Federal Aviation Administration, Soil Removal at Four Locations at the Former VHF Facility, Sunset Cove, Alaska, was approved via email. A Final version of the work plan was received by ADEC on May 31, 2013. A Draft Soil Removal Report was received June 2, 2014. Fred Vreeman
11/26/2014 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 79707 name: Sunset Cove Electronic Debris Area Monte Garroutte
6/3/2015 Site Characterization Report Approved DEC approved the 2011 Final Remedial Action Report, Former VHF Facility, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Sunset Cove, Alaska. This report describes the results of the 2010 investigation and remediation activities at the FAA Former VHF Facility at Sunset Cove. Activities occurred at three areas at Sunset Cove; the Beach Area (2 acres), the Camp Area (1 acre), and the Hill Area (0.25 acre). Following the actions described in this report, contamination remained at the Beach Area and the Hill Area. Monte Garroutte
7/21/2015 Interim Removal Action Approved DEC Approved the Final Soil Removal Report, Former VHF Facility, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Sunset Cove, Alaska. This report described the results of the 2013 investigation and remediation activities at the FAA Former VHF Facility at Sunset Cove. Five areas of concern (AOCs) were identified for remediation at the site. Excavations were conducted at each AOC in 2013. DEC concurs with the report's recommendations that no further action is required at AOCs PID#5, Battery 1 & Battery 2, the Former Pipeline AOC, and EDA-TA. DEC also concurs that further soil removal is required at AOC EDA to reduce PCB concentrations. Monte Garroutte
4/26/2016 Update or Other Action Site reassigned for follow up by project manager Fred Vreeman
4/17/2017 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 80060 name: PID #5 (P5) Gretchen Caudill
4/18/2017 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 80061 name: Battery #1 Area (B1) Gretchen Caudill
4/18/2017 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 80062 name: Battery #2 Area (B2) Gretchen Caudill
4/18/2017 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 80068 name: Quonset Hut & Burn Barrel Gretchen Caudill
4/18/2017 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 80070 name: Pipeline (HIll Area) Gretchen Caudill
5/22/2017 Cleanup Plan Approved Work plan outlining additional soil removal at Sunset Cove Former VHF Facility dated May 2017 approved. DEC received the initial draft of this work plan April 13, 2017 and provided comments to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) April 21, 2017. Comments were further discussed on a May 2, 2017 teleconference. The final work plan, received May 19, 2017, details the further removal of polychlorinated biphenyls contaminated soil at the Electronic Debris Area of Concern (AOC) and the visual inspection of the prior excavation at the Large AST and Pipeline AOC. Gretchen Caudill
1/10/2018 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other DEC Approval – Final Soil Removal Report, Former VHF Facility - Electronics Debris Area, FAA Sunset Cove, December 2017. This report describes the excavation of nine cubic yards of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB)-contaminated soil and the subsequent analytical sampling at the excavation extent which documented PCBs in remaining soil were below DEC’s cleanup level of 1 mg/kg. This report also describes the field screening of soils in the area of the Large AST and Pipeline where a 2010 sample exceeded the cleanup level for diesel range organics (DRO). Field screening indicated no petroleum contamination was present at the former sample location. Gretchen Caudill
1/19/2018 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 80069 name: AST (Hill Area) Gretchen Caudill
2/9/2018 Cleanup Complete Determination Issued Gretchen Caudill

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments
DRO Between Method 2 Migration to Groundwater and Human Health/Ingestion/Inhalation Soil The highest concentration of DRO remaining was 7,150 mg/kg at the Large AST and Pipeline. Other AOCs: 744 mg/kg remained at the AST (Hill); 958 mg/kg at the Pipelines (Hill); and 177 mg/kg and 133 mg/kg at the PID #5 and EDA/TA, respectively.
RRO Between Method 2 Migration to Groundwater and Human Health/Ingestion/Inhalation Soil The highest remaining concentration was 8,330 mg/kg at the Large AST and Pipeline. Other AOCs: 4,420 mg/kg at the AST (Hill); 1,420 mg/kg at the Pipelines (Hill); and 698 mg/kg and 59 mg/kg at the PID #5 and EDA/TA, respectively.
PCBs - Total < Method 2 Most Stringent Soil PCBs remaining at the EDA/TA AOC were 0.091 mg/kg.
Lead - Total < Method 2 Most Stringent Soil The highest concentration of lead remaining was 395 mg/kg at Battery 2. Battery 1 had a remaining concentration of 132 mg/kg. The Quonset Hut and Burn Barrel had a remaining concentration of 2.81 mg/kg.

Control Type

Type Details
No ICs Required

Requirements

Description Details
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
Physical Location: 410 Willoughby