Skip to content Skip to content

Site Report: Pelican Seafoods - Port Alexander

Site Name: Pelican Seafoods - Port Alexander
Address: Pelican Seafoods, Port Alexander, AK 99836
File Number: 1523.38.001
Hazard ID: 2545
Status: Cleanup Complete - Institutional Controls
Staff: IC Unit, 9074655229 dec.icunit@alaska.gov
Latitude: 56.246465
Longitude: -134.647428
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

Historical diesel spill, concentration between 7,700-17,000 parts per million (ppm); cause and responsible party (RP) unknown. Chlorinated solvents detected in one test pit. Gasoline in groundwater near beach detected. Release investigation workplan submitted, preliminary site investigation in March 1995. Davis Wright Tremaine, Law Offices are representing the RP, Pelican Seafoods. As of September 2015, no clean up has occurred on the property and a Notice of Environmental Contamination will be placed on the property. ADEC staff has spoken to the people at the City of Pelican and the City does not have any environmental concerns about the property and thus the NEC will be placed until a clean up can occur. 2019- Site closed with ICs following soil and groundwater characterization.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
2/26/1995 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Initial ranking. Bill Janes
5/12/1995 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = SA1A - Phase I Site Assessment Approval). Sally Schlichting
1/18/1996 Site Characterization Workplan Approved First received in Sitka Dist Office on 8/21/95. I requested beach seep sampling in the final workplan. Bill Janes
2/26/1996 Site Added to Database Sally Schlichting
11/4/1996 Site Characterization Report Approved Received in CS Juneau this date. No formal approval ever written. Bill Janes
4/30/1997 Update or Other Action NFA denial letter sent to Davis Wright Tremaine, representing Pelican Seafoods. This letter offered a number of suggestions. No work from the RP after this time. Site has been inactive since. Bill Janes
8/11/1997 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Re-ranked based on information from the report. Bill Janes
3/20/2000 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Re-ranking done as it had disappeared in database. Ranked on diesel although gasoline is in water and hits of chlorinated solvents in one test pit. Bill Janes
4/21/2000 Update or Other Action Met with Orrie Bell from Petersburg. Recommended he contact me when he is finally able to proceed at Port Alexander and we would get him going on a VCP application. Bill Janes
4/5/2002 Update or Other Action Site tickler update - Found out Davis Wright Tremaine no longer represents Pelican Seafoods. Company was sold to Kake Tribal several years ago. Kake Tribal is in Ch 11. Bill Janes
4/16/2002 Update or Other Action Site tickler update - Sent a letter to Pelican Seafoods telling them to get moving on project. June 14 response deadline. Letter is at G:\SPAR\Spar-Contaminated Sites\SITES\Pelican Seafoods Port Alexander\Glen Woods_.doc. Bill Janes
8/31/2005 Update or Other Action Change file number to reflect the correct location code. The site is located in Port Alexander and the original file number had a Pelican file number. The file number was changed from 1520.38.004 to 1523.38.001. (E. Reese) Former Staff
2/26/2008 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed. Bill Janes
3/11/2010 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter DEC staff issued a potential responsible party letter to Steve Malin of Kake Tribal Coroporation. The letter was submitted to request an update of cleanup or investigate actions, if any, Pelican Seafoods or prior owners of the facility have conducted to address fuel spills from the operation of the fish plant the past 10 years. DEC is aware that Kake Tribal Corporation has owned or will own the Pelican Seafoods Facility in Port Alexander and thus, has determined Kake Tribal Corporation is a potential responsible party. To our knowledge, no site investigation work has been conducted at the Pelican Seafoods Facility since 1997. During this time frame, DEC was notified that HDR conducted a release investigation and determined that soil and groundwater were contaminated above regulatory criteria near a bulk fuel storage tank array. HDR estimated that the total volume of contaminated soil was roughly 2,200 cubic yards and was contained in an area roughly 240 feet by 130 feet with an average soil depth of 2.5 feet. Groundwater samples were collected from 8 well points and elevated levels of GRO and DRO were detected in three of the well points. At this time, groundwater was determined to flow westerly and contamination did not appear to impact the marine environment at Port Alexander. In DEC's letter issued on March 10, 2010, we requested Mr. Malin respond in writing on Kake Tribal Corp's actions to address fuel and hazardous material spills at the Pelican Seafoods – Port Alexander Facility. The due date for their written response is May 21, 2010. Todd Blessing
7/2/2010 Update or Other Action File transferred to Anchorage 1/27/2010 Susan Carberry
3/14/2012 Update or Other Action File transferred to Juneau 3-3-12 Susan Carberry
9/11/2013 Update or Other Action Staff changed from Erik Norberg to Denise Elston. Kristin Thompson
3/17/2014 Update or Other Action Spoke to new owner Orrie Bell and he said there has been no new development on the site and doesn't anticipate any. Per Mr. Bell, Bill Janes's previous discussion with owner, we will let the area (on lower part of property near water; 5 ft to bedrock) naturally attenuate. The owner has no plans to sell the property and it will be passed down to his family. Danielle Duncan
6/25/2015 Update or Other Action Spoke to the RP and he said that there has been no activity at the site and that there is no one living there. Danielle Duncan
9/4/2015 Update or Other Action Sent (cerified # 7014 0150 0000 1163 5426) NEC to be signed this date. Danielle Duncan
9/28/2015 Update or Other Action NEC was delivered on 9/10/15, left message for RP today re: signing and returning the NEC. Danielle Duncan
10/1/2015 Update or Other Action RP is out fishing and will check his mail and send the NEC back when he returns. Danielle Duncan
1/21/2016 Public Notice Notice of Environmental Contamination: As required by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC), Grantor, pursuant to 18 AAC 75.375 b (3), Orrie Bell, Cascade Towing Inc., Grantee, as the owner [and operator] of the subject property, hereby provide public notice that the property located at: Cannery Subdivision. Subdivision of Lots 2 & 3, Block 6 Tract A, USS 2010 has been subject to a discharge or release, regulated under 18 AAC 75, Article 3, as revised April 8, 2012. On November 30-December 2, 1994 Hart Crowser conducted an environmental investigation at the site as a proactive approach to address potential legal liability and community concern. The results of the investigation indicated that elevated levels of petroleum hydrocarbons are present in the central portion of the site – south of the bulk fuel storage containment to former building number 6 and east to the powerhouse. Soil concentrations of diesel range organics (DRO) ranged from 920 to 17,000 mg/kg. Trichloroethane (TCE) and tetrachloroethane (PCE) were also detected at 6.7 µg/kg and 28 µg/kg respectively. Chromium was detected at 23 mg/kg. Following the receipt of the Hart Crowser report, the site was entered into the ADEC Contaminated Sites database on February 26th 1995. Hart Crowser performed groundwater sampling at the site on September 4-9 1996. Eight wells were installed to investigate groundwater conditions near the former bulk diesel fuel storage site where petroleum hydrocarbons were previously detected in soil. DRO was detected in all of the wells sampled ranging from 0.68 to 287 mg/L. GRO was detected in 3 of the wells in concentrations ranging from 0.504 to 5.83 mg/L. One of the wells was also contaminated with ethylbenzene at 0.042 mg/L and xylenes at 0.209 mg/L. Hart Crowser concluded that the groundwater in the area associated with the former fuel storage area was contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons but that this contamination did not appear to have appreciable negative effects to the marine environment. Hart Crowser estimated that the total volume of contaminated soil is about 2,200 cubic yards within an oval measuring roughly 240 feet by 130 feet with an average depth of 2.5 feet. Danielle Duncan
4/28/2017 Update or Other Action Sent letters to the responsible parties of this site, requesting a work plan detailing future actions to characterize and clean up the fuel and hazardous material contamination that remains at the Pelican Seafoods - Port Alexander facility. Sammi Castle
6/26/2017 Update or Other Action Noticed a mistake in the Notice of Environmental Contamination posted to Orrie Bell's property. Legal description on the NEC is listed as "Cannery Subdivision, Subdivision of Lots 2 & 3, Block 6 Tract A, USS 2010". The legal description needs to be changed to Lots 2 & 3, Block 5 Tract A, USS 2010. Old NEC rescinded and replaced with new NEC containing correct legal address. Sammi Castle
3/20/2018 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Sampling and Analysis Plan submitted by NORTECH, dated February 27, 2018. This plan proposes to field screen soil using a PID and collect analytical samples from the northern, southern, eastern, and western extent of contamination, as well as the area with the highest PID readings (five sampling locations total). In addition, five groundwater monitoring wells will be installed in order to delineate the groundwater plume at the site. ADEC has reviewed the report and sent comments on the work plan on this date. Sammi Castle
8/17/2018 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other On 7/12/2018 the "SITE ASSESSMENT REPORT LOTS 2 & 3, BLOCK 5, TRACT A, USS 2010 CITY OF PORT ALEXANDER, ALASKA, FILE NUMBER 1523.38.001" was received from NORTECH that documented the delineation and characterization activities associated with the ADEC approved Sampling and Analysis Plan on May 14-15, 2018. On 8/17/2018 ADEC provided comments on the report and requested that a revised report be submitted by 10/1/2018. Catherine Beatty
8/29/2018 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Responses to ADEC comments submitted by consultant on 8/29/18. On 9/12/18 ADEC had teleconference with consultant to go over comments. ADEC and consultant appear to be in general agreement regarding edits to final report and consultant will submit revised report in coming weeks. Kara Kusche
9/24/2018 Site Characterization Report Approved ADEC issues approval for the report titled "Site Assessment Report, Lots 2&3, Block 5, Tract A, USS 2010" and dated 9/24/18. Kara Kusche
2/12/2019 Institutional Control Update Site Closure with Institutional Controls Decision Document and the Notice of Environmental Contamination and Institutional Controls (NEC-IC). Signature was requested on NEC-IC to complete site closure with ICs determination. Catherine Beatty
4/15/2019 Cleanup Complete Determination Issued The final NEC-IC has been recorded at the DNR Recorders Office and has been received by ADEC. Kara Kusche
4/19/2019 Institutional Control Record Established Institutional Controls established and entered into the database. Kara Kusche
6/3/2024 Institutional Control Compliance Review IC compliance review completed on this date. An IC reminder letter was e-mailed to the landowner. The next review will be in five years’ time. Gaige Robinson

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments
Ethylbenzene < Table C Groundwater
Xylenes (total) < Table C Groundwater
1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane < Method 2 Most Stringent Soil
DRO > Table C Groundwater
DRO Between Method 2 Migration to Groundwater and Human Health/Ingestion/Inhalation Soil
GRO < Table C Groundwater
GRO < Method 2 Most Stringent Soil

Control Type

Type Details
Notice of Environmental Contamination NEC-IC recorded at DNR Recorders Office

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)
Other The Landowner agrees to notify ADEC prior to any sale or transfer of the property and shall report to ADEC every 5 years to document the status of compliance with the institutional controls described in this notice.
Groundwater Use Restrictions No groundwater wells shall be installed in the area covered by the institutional controls without prior ADEC approval.
Other ADEC must be notified in advance of the subdivision or replat of the property associated with these institutional controls. This recorded NEC-IC must be included as part of future property transactions and attached to subsequent associated parcels.

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