| Action Date |
Action |
Description |
DEC Staff |
| 4/13/2012 |
Spill Transferred from Prevention Preparedness and Response Program |
Spill transferred by PERP staff Paul Lhotka. Spill no. 11309914601; spill date = 5/26/11; substance = multiple, including: oil, grease, glycol, lubricants, solvents, pain, and batteries; quantity = unknown; PERP file no. 100.02.323. |
Mitzi Read |
| 4/18/2012 |
Site Added to Database |
A new site has been added to the database |
Mitzi Read |
| 1/30/2013 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
Site Characterization and Corrective Action Report, dated 1/22/13, submitted by Nortech. The report describes the intial actions in 2011 following the fire, including the recovery of approximately 28,000 gallons of contaminated water and excavation of approximately 1,300 cubic yards of visibly contaminated soil. The response primarily focused on the area around the Napa building, ditches where firefighting water collected, and the waste storage areas where contaminated soil and water were temporarily stored. The response included the adjacent properties to the west (Club Soda and Gold Star Liquor) and east (an undeveloped lot).
Site characterization activities in the fall of 2011 included installing 21 soil borings, 10 temporary well points, and two monitoring wells. Excavation around the building slab was also completed and a vapor barrier with perforated piping system was installed along the south edge. Excavations were filled and brought back to grade and repaved. Groundwater sampling indicated benzene, DRO, and glycol were present above DEC groundwater cleanup levels west of the NAPA building. Some benzene, ethylbenzene, PCE, TCE, DRO, and RRO remain along the southern edge of the building slab, in the west ditch, or in the areas where wastes were stored during the cleanup.
Nortech recommends no further action in the ditch areas. Due to the groundwater contamination, Nortech recommends a two-year monitoring plan to evaluate trends, starting in the spring 2013. Evalutation of the need for addtional well points should be complete after the first monitoring event. Additional characterization should include the COCs listed above. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 2/20/2013 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
Nortech submited Waste Disposal Report, dated 2/20/13. The report summarizes and documents the wastes that were disposed of as part of hte cleanup. All waste streams were disposed of except for a stockpile of recycled asphalt pavement from the former parking and driveway areas. Nortech plans to remove this material in 2013.
The NAPA building was demolished in October 2011. Building demolition activities were completed by Central Environemntal, Inc. (CEI). |
Janice Wiegers |
| 5/4/2013 |
Update or Other Action |
DEC commented on the groundwater monitoring plan recommendations made by Nortech in the site characterization and corrective action report. DEC recommends including the downgradient drinking water well that is usable and including all VOCs for the first year of monitoring until seasonal trends are evaluated. A groundwater monitoring plan and a workplan for additonal characterization, including delineation of the groundwater contamination and effectiveness of the vapor mitigation system, should be submitted. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 7/5/2013 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
2011 Corrective Action Plan/2012 Report Wrap-up Update and 2013/2014 Proposed Workplan and Cost Estimate submitted by Nortech. Tasks include 1)RAP stockpile removal and characterization of the southern storage area and dioxin testing of remediated soils at OIT; 2) Coordination with ADEC; 3) Workplan development including a 2-year groundwater monitoring plan, site-wide risk assessment plan, and vapor intrusion assessment plan; 4) groundwater monitoring in 2013/2014 at high (May/June) and low (March/April) groundwater, including natural attenuation parameters; 5) sitewide evaluation of risk associated with remaining contamination; 6) evaluation of vapor intrusion risk near the building. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 8/29/2013 |
Meeting or Teleconference Held |
Met with Nortech Environmental to discuss July groundwater monitoring results and June workplan for additional characterization. Agreed to some revisions to workplan which will be submitted in a workplan amendment. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 9/23/2013 |
Exposure Tracking Model Ranking |
Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 79281 name: NAPA Auto Parts |
Janice Wiegers |
| 9/26/2013 |
Site Characterization Workplan Approved |
Reviewed workplan addendum submitted on 9/9/13. Nortech Environmental submitted this work plan addendum based on discussions in the August meeting. This addendum addresses additional boring and monitoring well installation at the southern corners of the building slab where releases occured from the former structure. The wells, in addition to the two existing montioring wells, will be used to confirm groundwater flow gradient on the site and to evaluate possible groundwatwer impacts near these sources. Vapor intrusion evaluations have also been reduced for now to air sampling from the vapor extraction system, after a two week ventilation evaluation. This information will be used to determine the best way to evaluate vapor intrusion in an industrial building that is likely to have indoor sources of volatiles. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 9/26/2013 |
Update or Other Action |
Nortech notified DEC that a 100 x 400 foot addition has been built on the southern side of the Napa building. Nortech discussed the construction with the contractor. During construction, the vapor extraction piping was uncovered, but was not affected. A concrete slab was poured over the piping and connected to the original slab with rebar. The addition is used as a warehouse. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 11/6/2013 |
Update or Other Action |
Nortech responded to DEC comments on 9/26/13 workplan submittal. Temporary monitoring points will be included at the southern corners of the building to investigate the possibility of DNAPLs below the water table. Plans are also underway to include glycol as a COC during air sampling. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 11/6/2013 |
Update or Other Action |
Nortec provided post-treatment sampling results for stockpiles taken to OIT in 2012. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 1/17/2014 |
Update or Other Action |
DEC reviews post-treatment soil data and approves reuse of the treated material except in environmentally sensitive areas, in surface water, or in ways that will cause a violation of the state water quality standards. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 3/24/2014 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
DEC receives the Final Stockpile Treatment and Closure addendum. The addendum describes outstanding tasks completed in 2013, including the removal of the recycled asphalt plant (RAP) stockpile, sampling beneath other former stockpiles in the southern storage area, and sampling of the thermally treated soil for VOCs at OIT. DRO and RRO were detected in soil samples collected beneath the former stockpiles but at concentrations below cleanup levels. Sampling of the thermally treated soil met the treatment objectives. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 5/11/2015 |
Update or Other Action |
DEC receives 2013 and 2014 Groundwater Monitoring Report. Groundwater monitoring during seasonal high and low groundwater tables were completed in MW1 and MW2. Additional wells MW3 and MW4 were installed at the southeast and southwest corners of the building in 2013. A deeper well point to assess vertical migration was also completed in 2013. Groundwater sampling results indicate that contaminant concentrations (DRO, glycols, benzene, and other VOCs) have decreased to below the cleanup levels in MW1 and MW2, along the western property boundary. Groundwater flow direction was confirmed to be to the northwest. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 7/15/2015 |
Update or Other Action |
DEC sent letter to NAPA regarding status of the East Lot (Tract B). No additional investigation or cleanup is expected on the east lot. This decision is based on soil and groundwater sample results collected after the removal of the top 12 inches of contaminated soil in ditches where firefighting water mixed with product pooled. Monitoring continues on Tract A (NAPA facility). An additional letter was sent out on 7/16 addressed to the General Parts Company, NAPA's representative, as requested. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 10/10/2015 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
Received report titled, "Site Based Risk Assessment of Vapor Intrusion Potential" from Nortech. Exhaust fans were installed on vapor extraction lines installed on three sides of the original building slab. PID readings were taken regularly from the exhaust air for several months in the fall of 2013, and then at a reduced schedule in 2014 and 2015. Air samples were also collected in December 2013 and analyzed for VOCs and for ethylene glycol. Results indicate that methylene chloride, tetrachloroethylene, and naphthalene have been observed in the system exhaust air above ADEC soil gas target levels. Nortech also noted that the outside exhaust fans were damaged or made inoperable several times and had to be repaired or put back into service. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 8/1/2016 |
Meeting or Teleconference Held |
Met with Nortech staff to discuss the latest data and options for proceeding with additional monitoring and vapor management. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 8/19/2016 |
Update or Other Action |
DEC sent letter to the General Parts Company approving recent groundwater monitoring reports and the October 9, 2016 report titled Site Based Risk Assessment of Vapor Intrusion Potential. DEC requested a long-term monitoring plan, an operations and maintenance plan for the vapor extraction system, and recommended development of a closure plan to describe how the site will be moved toward closure. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 5/1/2017 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
Reviewed 2017/2018 Long Term Groundwater Monitoring Plan dated 2/28/17. Groundwater monitoring scheduled for fall 2017 and 2018 and include 4 wells sampled for DRO and VOCs. DEC responded to work plan and requested additional detail about low-flow sampling method, data collection for groundwater flow direction and gradient, and purge water disposal. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 8/15/2017 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
DEC received a revised 2017/2018 workplan for groundwater monitoring dated 6/5/2017. DEC reviewed and approved the workplan. Samples will be collected with a bladder pump due to concerns about VOC loss when using a peristaltic pump. Approval letter sent on 8/15/17. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 5/1/2018 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
Nortech submitted groundwater monitoring report. No contaminants were found in monitoring wells that exceeded the DEC's groundwater cleanup levels. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 5/21/2018 |
Update or Other Action |
Received incidence report from the Fairbanks International Airport describing response to the original fire in 2011. A crash-fire-rescue vehicle was sent to the scene from the airport to provide foam for fire suppression. Discussions with FIA Deputy Fire Chief indicate some foam was used during the suppression efforts. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 5/21/2018 |
Update or Other Action |
DEC sent a letter approving the 5/1/2018 Long-Term Groundwater Monitoring report. The letter also requested sampling for perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) due to the use of firefighting foams during the fire, and submittal of an operations and monitoring plan for the vapor extraction system. Work plans were requested by June 30, 2018. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 6/11/2018 |
Update or Other Action |
Report for operation and maintenance of vapor extraction system submitted. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 6/26/2018 |
Update or Other Action |
DEC sent letter response requesting additional detail on the Operations and Maintenance Plan for the Vapor Extraction System installed near the foundation at the south end of the Napa building. Recommended subslab ports and regular monitoring of the exhaust to evaluate effectiveness of the system ant to determine when the system can be turned off. Nortech later submitted a revised O&M Plan, dated July 18, 2018, that was on file at the NAPA facility. Nortech also indicated that an additional plan to address system effectiveness would be submitted separately. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 6/26/2018 |
Update or Other Action |
DEC approved extension for groundwater monitoring workplan, including sampling for perfluorinated alkyl substances, to August 13, 2018. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 7/12/2018 |
Update or Other Action |
TPECI submitted a soil screening plan for the east lot. The plan indicates that approximately 900 cubic yards of top soil and vegetation will be stripped from the East Lot and placed on the NAPA property, along with any subsurface soil with PID screening results greater than 20 ppb. DEC requested clarification, including concurrence from the owner of the NAPA property, in a letter dated July 24th. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 8/8/2018 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
TPECI followed up with a response to DEC's comments about the East Lot screening plan on July 27th, which was approved by DEC on August 8th. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 1/4/2019 |
Update or Other Action |
Contacted consultant to check on PFAS sample results. Consultant will contact Genuine Parts for permission to provide update. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 1/10/2019 |
Meeting or Teleconference Held |
Teleconference held with Bob Lewis, Genuine Parts Company, and Susan Vogt, Nortech to discuss preliminary groundwater sampling results for PFAS. Due to the concentrations observed in groundwater, DEC is requesting that a well search be completed, and any wells identified in an area that could be affected be sampled. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 1/15/2019 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
Nortech submitted a scope of work for completing a door-to-door well search, sampling any wells identified for PFAS, and resampling monitoring wells. The well search will begin the week of January 28th, and well testing is planned for the week of February 11th. Well testing will be completed in accordance with DEC's Technical Memorandum for PFAS in water. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 4/29/2019 |
Update or Other Action |
Nortech copied DEC on letters sent to 7 property owners on April 22 whose drinking water wells were tested for PFAS compounds. No wells contained PFOA and PFOS above the EPA advisory level of 70 parts per trillion. Some PFOS was present in a few wells and PFHxS was also observed in the area. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 5/20/2019 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
DEC reviewed groundwater monitoring report submitted by Nortech and dated May 15, 2019. Groundwater samples were collected from 4 monitoring wells in October 2018 and February 2019. The samples were tested for VOCs, DRO, and PFAS. No VOCs or DRO were detected; however, 14 PFAS were detected with the highest concentrations consisting of PFOS. The sum of PFOA and PFOS were present at concentrations up to 25.9 ug/L in October, and 43.1 ug/L in February, exceeding the DEC action level of 0.070 ug/L. Preliminary PFAS results were submitted in October, at which time DEC requested a drinking water well search and sampling of wells that may be impacted. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 5/28/2019 |
Update or Other Action |
DEC copied on another letter to a well owner on Standard Avenue that was sent on May 28. PFOA + PFOS was not present in this drinking water well above the 70 ppt action level. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 6/25/2019 |
Update or Other Action |
DEC sent letters to 4 property owners that have not responded or agreed to requests to sample drinking water wells on their property. Two of the properties are located north of Van Horn Road and two are located west of Schacht Street. The letters requested cooperation with the well search and drinking water sampling effort. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 9/23/2019 |
Update or Other Action |
Nortech submitted results for another drinking water well sampled off Van Horn Road. The results were PFOA + PFOS of 0.00287 ug/L, below the EPA's Lifetime Health Advisory level of 0.07 ug/L. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 10/10/2019 |
Update or Other Action |
Contacted RP regarding report of PFAS compounds in groundwater entering a leaky manhole just east of the site. Provided contact information for Golden Heart Utilities. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 10/28/2019 |
Offsite Soil or Groundwater Disposal Approved |
DEC approved transport of 45 gallons of purge water to NRC's Viking Facility in Anchorage. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 11/1/2019 |
Update or Other Action |
DEC sent a letter to General Parts Company requesting additional characterization of groundwater impacts with PFAS. Additional groundwater monitoring wells are necessary to evaluate the vertical and horizontal extent of the contamination. DEC is also expecting the report describing the drinking water well sample results. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 2/3/2020 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
DEC reviewed the Vapor Extracton System Work Plan, dated 12/2/2019, and submitted by Nortech. For the next year, the plan is to install probes beneath the foundation, monitor pressure differentials four times with fans on and off, and collect three subslab soil gas samples. The Vapor Extraction System will be monitored once a month with a PID. Monitoring is expected to continue for at least two additional years. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 2/5/2020 |
Update or Other Action |
DEC sent letter requesting additional information and clarification of the VES workplan. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 3/10/2020 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
DEC received a 2/17/20 workplan for shallow groundwater sampling from Nortech to further characterize PFAS in groundwater. The plan proposed installation of 17 temporary wells on and downgradient of Tract A. DEC reviewed the plan and provided comments. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 4/14/2020 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
Nortech submitted a revised Vapor Extraction System Workplan, dated 4/14/20, with responses to ADEC's 2/5/20 letter. Emailed consultant with questions about the plan to use passive WMS samplers to collect subslab soil gas samples. The plan indicates rubber stoppers will be used in holes drilled through the slab, and no leak detection procedures will be completed. Following discussion regarding need for duplicate samples and laboratory guidance for collecting passive samples through a slab, the workplan was approved. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 5/29/2020 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
DEC reviewed and approved a revised work plan for characterizing PFAS contamination in groundwater. The plan is dated 5/6/2020. The plan was revised to include sampling shallow soil (12 inches deep) in ditches where the firefighting water pooled in the initial response. To characterize the groundwater, temporary monitoring points will be installed around all sides of the property and downgradient beyond the property boundaries. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 6/2/2020 |
Update or Other Action |
ADEC sent approval letter for VES and PFAS characterization workplans, dated 5/22/2020 and 5/6/2020. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 6/25/2020 |
Update or Other Action |
Nortech provided an updated set of groundwater sampling procedures for PFAS contamination. Site characterization work is planned for June 29 thorugh July 1. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 4/28/2021 |
Update or Other Action |
Report for 2018 through 2020 site work submitted. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 5/20/2021 |
Meeting or Teleconference Held |
DEC met with Ramboll to discuss the characterization report submitted for PFAS investigations in drinking water, and in temporary well points installed on and off site. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 6/15/2021 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
Site Characterization Report submitted by the consultant, Ramboll, that documents the 2019 and 2020 characterization of PFAS contamination associated with the use of firefighting foam during the fire. In 2019, a drinking water well search extended over 117 properties, 19 wells were found, and 12 were sampled. Seven wells contained PFAS, but only one unused well contained PFOA+PFOS above the EPA Health Advisory Level of 0.070 ug/L. Based on the types of PFAS present, Ramboll believes the PFAS present in the drinking water wells is from a different source. In 2020, soil samples were collected from 10 locations from the surrounding ditches on the NAPA property. The soil contained low levels of PFOS and PFHxS. Four soil samples exceeded the soil cleanup level for migration to groundwater. Twenty temporary well points were installed on the NAPA and downgradient properties to the north and northwest. PFOA + PFOS exceeded the Health Advisory Level at TSP-16, TSP-17, and TSP-18, and exceeded DEC’s groundwater cleanup level at TSP-16 with a PFOS concentrations of 1.37 ug/L. Ramboll concluded the signatures of the PFAS constituents detected in offsite samples do not indicate origination from a single source and further, do not suggest a common source originating from the NAPA site. Variability in the distribution of PFSAs and PFCAs with distance from the site, the presence of PFAS in upstream sewer lines, and recognized low-level PFAS contamination in numerous locations in Fairbanks provide evidence that multiple sources of PFAS in groundwater may exist in the site vicinity. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 6/21/2021 |
Update or Other Action |
DEC sent a letter approving the environmental investigation summary report referenced in the action dated 6/15/21. DEC requested additional investigation east of the NAPA facility, long-term monitoring with appropriately place monitoring wells, and discussed the need to decommission the unused well on a downgradient property. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 9/24/2021 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
Work plan was submitted to install additional soil borings and monitoring wells in order to expand the site characterization. The plan was resubmitted on 12/2 with revisions to reposition borings due to the addition on the south end of the building that was constructed after the release. DEC approved the plan on 12/9. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 7/22/2022 |
Site Visit |
DEC went to site to observe site characterization work underway. The consultant, Ramboll, and the driller, Geotech, were installing nested wells on site. Soil borings were completed prior to today. A couple of wells are planned in the right-of-way, but consultant is waiting for permits. Consultant plans to start sampling groundwater over the weekend and will be finishing up project work next week. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 8/8/2022 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
Ramboll submitted an Inspection and Monitoring report submitted for the vapor extraction system. Three subslab sampling points were installed in August 2020. Passive air samples were collected in September from the subslab points, indoor air, and outdoor air. PCE was present in subslab soil gas but did not exceed the DEC's commercial target level. PCE was in indoor air above DEC's commercial target level in but did not exceed OSHA worker protection levels. Screening was also completed for the vapor extraction system between 2020 and 2022. When compared to previous readings, screening with a ppbRAE shows that vapors have been steadily decreasing in the vapor extraction system exhaust. Although PCE was observed in indoor air, Ramboll considers the PCE to be associated with chemical storage in the building. This conclusion is based on the higher contaminant levels genearlly observed in indoor air than in the subslab soil gas, and pressure differential readings that demonstrate the vapor extraction system should be effectively drawing vapors out from under the slab. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 2/14/2023 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
January 2023 Additional Site Investigation Report submitted by Ramboll. Investigation focused on soil and groundwater sampling around the NAPA building in order to evaluate PFAS releases during the firefighting efforts. The work included installing 11 soil borings finished as 5 paired shallow and deep monitoring wells and one deep monitoring well. PFOS exceeded DEC cleanup levels on all sides of the building at various depths. The highest concentrations were near the southeast corner of the building where firefighting activities may have been targeted. The highest PFOS concentration in soil was 664 ug/kg at 3-4 ft bgs in RB-02. PFOA also exceeded cleanup levels at one location, RB-03, along the south side of the building. PFOS and PFOA exceeded DEC's human health cleanup levels for groundwater at several locations with the highest concentrations at the downgradient, northwest corner of the building (MW-2). The highest concentrations were 0.621 ug/L PFOA and 51.2 ug/L PFOS. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 4/24/2023 |
Update or Other Action |
DEC sent a letter to Genuine Parts Company approving the August 2022 VES report and the January 2023 PFAS investigation report. DEC requested additional sampling indoors and in subslab soil gas to confirm the PCE observed in indoor air is not associated with vapor intrusion and noted that additional groundwater delineation and investigation of the east lot are needed for PFAS. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 4/3/2024 |
Offsite Soil or Groundwater Disposal Approved |
Approved transport of 12 drums of VOC and PFAS contaminated water and soil. Soil will be thermally remediated at US Ecology Moose Creek, and water will be solidified at US Ecology Idaho. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 9/19/2024 |
Update or Other Action |
DEC reviewed the Off-site Monitoring Well Installation and Groundwater Sampling Report, submitted by Ramboll and dated August 2024. Two wells were installed northwest of the site, one across Van Horn Road (MW-11) and one at the road entrance to Club Soda, the property to the west (MW-12). Groundwater exceeds the drinking water advisory level in MW-12. The other shallow and deep site wells were also sampled. The highest concentrations continue to be in MW-2, with PFOS at 66.7 ug/L and PFOA at 0.464 ug/L. PFOS was also found about DEC cleanup levels on the upgradient corner of the property in the shallow well MW-7A. The source of the contamination in this well is not known but could be related to the firefighting activities during the initial release, which caused PFAS contaminated water to pool in ditches surround the property. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 9/19/2024 |
Update or Other Action |
DEC reviewed the Summary of Vapor Extraction System Monitoring Activities, submitted by Ramboll and dated 9/6/24. |
Janice Wiegers |
| 11/1/2024 |
Update or Other Action |
Letters sent to responsible party regarding the VES monitoring and groundwater monitoring reports submitted in August. |
Janice Wiegers |
