| Action Date |
Action |
Description |
DEC Staff |
| 10/11/2011 |
Meeting or Teleconference Held |
Triad meeting was held. A figure was discussed showing the surface debris locations and the possible boundary for a PCB spill area that was pointed out by Dick Evans from the Galena
community after the June 22, 2011, RAB meeting.
Air Force agreed to two additional hand auger sample locations to address the potential PCB site. |
Dennis Shepard |
| 10/31/2011 |
Update or Other Action |
Samples collected in surface soils during site inspection efforts confirmed Poly Chlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) above cleanup levels. One sample returned a result of 22.5 mg/kg. The site was converted to a CERCLA Remedial investigation based on the confirmed presence of PCBs. |
Dennis Shepard |
| 5/4/2012 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
A Draft Remedial Investigation report was received. |
Dennis Shepard |
| 9/7/2012 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
DEC provided review comments for the Draft Remedial Investigation report. |
Dennis Shepard |
| 2/7/2013 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
A Draft Final Remedial Investigation report was received. |
Dennis Shepard |
| 3/6/2013 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
Review comments were provided for the Draft Final Remedial Investigation report. |
Dennis Shepard |
| 4/10/2013 |
Site Added to Database |
A new site has been added to the database |
Mitzi Read |
| 9/13/2013 |
Site Visit |
A Site visit was completed.
Site DSWD was visited to observe trenching at the PCB/potential tramsformer disposal site. Large amounts of metal debris was observed in the trench locations. Debris included: old electrical components and wiring, old engine and transmission parts, rusted drums, metal cable, and piping. A layer of blueish sludge was encountered from approximately 6 - 8 feet below ground surface with Tar chunks mingled throughout. Samples were collected of the worst looking soil/sludge material. The water table was encountered at approximately 8 feet below ground surface.
After the DEC site visit, a second trench from the DSWD location encountered a full drum of presumed waste oil which was punctured during the excavation effort. The excavation was stopped and the drum and contents as well as impacted soil was containerized. A Spill report was made to DEC spill response. The oil and impacted soil were sampled and results are pending. |
Dennis Shepard |
| 10/4/2013 |
Exposure Tracking Model Ranking |
Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 79433 name: PCB Area |
Dennis Shepard |
| 1/14/2014 |
CERCLA RI Plan Approved |
The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) received a Draft 2013 Supplemental Remedial Investigation (RI) and Site Characterization (SC) Sampling Plan on May 24, 2013. The sampling plan presents step out sample locations and analytical protocols for supplemental remedial investigation at six Sites (B400, OWS1833, DSWD, SS006/SS019, and FT001). DEC provided review comments for the draft sampling plan on July 3, 2013. A response to comments (RTC) and a Draft Final version of the plan was submitted on July 25, 2013. DEC provided comments for the Draft Final on July 19, 2013. A comment resolution teleconference meeting was held on July 19, 2013 to resolve the final issues for the sampling plan. All issues were resolved in the meeting and DEC approval was given to finalize the plan. Final version of the sampling plan was received on December 16, 2013 and approval of the work plan was given on January 14, 2014. |
Dennis Shepard |
| 4/15/2014 |
Meeting or Teleconference Held |
A Technical Project Team meeting was held to meet the Air Force newly selected Performance Based Remediation Contractor for Galena. The 6.5 year remediation contract was awarded to Parsons Governmental Services (Parsons). The contract includes completing the risk assessments, remediation feasibility studies, proposed plans and record of decision for remedial investigations at 10 Sites (FT001, SS006, SS013, SS015, SS019, SS018/AOC023, SS022/B400, DP023/DSWD, OW024/OWS1833, and SS025). |
Dennis Shepard |
| 7/29/2014 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
DEC approved a 2014 Preliminary Design Investigation Sample Plan at Site DP023 ((DSWD) Disposal Area West of Dike), Former Galena Forward Operating Location (FOL), Alaska. The Sampling Plan presents the investigation approach, sample locations and analytical protocols for a Preliminary Design Investigation at the Site. |
Dennis Shepard |
| 2/25/2015 |
Risk Assessment Report Approved |
DEC approved a Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment for the site. The report concluded that there are unacceptable carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks to current and future occupational workers and near and long term future residents associated with exposure to contaminants in surface soil via ingestion, dermal contact, and inhalation.
The report concluded that there are unacceptable ecologic risks to Terrestrial plants, terrestrial invertebrates and vertebrate receptors for the contaminants in soils. Hazard Quotients greater than 1, indicating that adverse effects may occur from assumed exposures to: metals (lead, selenium, vanadium), high and low molecular weight PAHs, and petroleum hydrocarbons (GRO, DRO, and RRO).
A time critical removal action is proposed to begin at the Site in 2015. |
Dennis Shepard |
| 6/16/2015 |
Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other |
DEC approved the Technical Memorandum, 2014 Preliminary Design Investigation Report for Site DP023 (Disposal Site West of Dike) (Parsons), Former Galena Forward Operating Location (FOL), Alaska. The objectives of the 2014 PDI were to: 1) Better define the lateral and vertical extents of debris and contamination within the geophysical anomaly adjacent to West Perimeter Road, and 2) Collect sufficient data to design a removal action proposed for 2015, including the area, depth, and approximate volume of debris and soil requiring removal. |
Dennis Shepard |
| 8/11/2015 |
CERCLA Removal Action Plan |
DEC approved the Time Critical Removal Action (TCRA Work Plan) for Disposal Site West of Dike (Site DP023) August 2015, Former Galena Forward Operating Location (FOL), Alaska. This TCRA is being undertaken in order to mitigate the risks associated with drums containing hazardous substances, PCB transformers and PCB contaminated soil identified at the DP023 site. The TCRA will be conducted by strategically excavating the previously identified geophysical anomaly and the areas where buried drums were encountered; including where PCB concentrations were greatest during previous site investigations. |
Dennis Shepard |
| 10/26/2016 |
Site Visit |
A site visit was conducted and the temporary cap, signage and silt fences were verified in good condition by the DEC Project Manager. |
Dennis Shepard |
| 10/26/2016 |
Meeting or Teleconference Held |
A restoration Advisory board meeting was held in Galena Alaska to discuss the general and specific status of site investigations and cleanup at Galena. |
Dennis Shepard |
| 8/8/2018 |
Site Visit |
DEC conducted a site visit at the Former Forward Operating Location in Galena, AK on August 8-9, 2018. A photo log is available in DEC's electronic file. |
Jamie McKellar |
| 10/29/2018 |
Site Visit |
On October 23, 2018, DEC participated in the Technical Project Team (TPT) meeting with representatives from USAF and ADOT&PF. A site visit with inspections of each site was conducted the following day (10/24/2018) in Galena, as well as a regional advisory board (RAB) meeting with members of the community and other interested parties. |
Jamie McKellar |
| 4/5/2019 |
Site Visit |
On April 2, 2019, DEC staff participated in a Technical Project Team meeting with representatives from USAF, Parsons, CH2M, and ADOT. The TPT meeting was held at the Fairbanks DEC office. On April 3-4, 2019, DEC staff traveled to Galena to participate in meetings with the City Mayor & RAB chair to discuss community concerns about site cleanup; a Proposed Plan meeting for Site DP023, and a community regional advisory board (RAB) meeting to discuss fieldwork completed during the 2018 field season and upcoming 2019 fieldwork. Site visits were also conducted. |
Jamie McKellar |
| 10/23/2019 |
Meeting or Teleconference Held |
On October 22, 2019, DEC participated in the Technical Project Team (TPT) meeting with representatives from USAF and ADOT&PF. A site visit was conducted the following day (10/23/2019) in Galena, as well as a regional advisory board (RAB) meeting with members of the community and other interested parties. |
Jamie McKellar |
| 2/4/2020 |
Update or Other Action |
***All activities associated with Site DP023 are tracked under File No. 860.38.045 and Hazard ID 25907.*** |
Jamie McKellar |
