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Site Report: Karluk School USTs 1-4

Site Name: Karluk School USTs 1-4
Address: Main Street, Karluk, AK 99608
File Number: 2564.26.001
Hazard ID: 26202
Status: Active
Staff: Kris Dent, 9072623411 kris.dent@alaska.gov
Latitude: 57.562592
Longitude: -154.436551
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

Four regulated underground storage tanks (USTs #1-4) were decommissioned in-place on August 14-16, 2013 at Karluk School on Kodiak Island. All four steel, single-walled USTs (two 12,000-gallon & two 500-gallon) stored heating oil for the school and were installed in 1993. During winter of 2012, a fuel transfer between two USTs (#1 and #3) occurred and 100 gallons were unnaccounted for. Prior to decommissioning, fuel in the four USTs was transferred to the new aboveground storage tank (AST). Soil was field-screened and collected for laboratory analysis during decommissioning in August 2013. Gasoline range organics (GRO), diesel range organics (DRO), and benzene were confirmed in subsurface soil above DEC cleanup levels. Project site is upgradient and approximately 0.15 miles South of the Karluk River.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
2/10/2014 Site Added to Database A new site has been added to the database Mitzi Read
2/11/2014 Leaking Underground Storage Tank Release Confirmed - Petroleum LUST site created in CSP database for source area USTs #1-4 - Two 12,000-Gal & Two 500-Gal Diesel Tanks, 79601 Mitzi Read
2/11/2014 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 79601 name: USTs #1-4 - Two 12,000-Gal & Two 500-Gal Diesel Tanks Mitzi Read
2/18/2014 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter Bill Janes
2/25/2014 Update or Other Action Requested a Release Investigation work plan from responsible party (RP) via email. Amy Rodman
4/2/2014 Update or Other Action RP stated via phone that they are working with consultant, but nothing was in-place. Amy Rodman
2/18/2015 Update or Other Action Email from RP re: status of choosing land for stockpiled contaminated soil. Requested to stockpile the soil on school site. Replied via email to have Qualified Person submit work plan detailing stockpiling plan. Amy Rodman
9/30/2015 Leaking Underground Storage Tank Cleanup Initiated - Petroleum Administrative action addition for grant reporting purposes. Evonne Reese
10/11/2016 Update or Other Action Request for Release Investigation Work Plan sent on this date. Work plan due by December 9, 2016. Lisa Griswold
1/18/2017 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Karluk Site Characterization Work Plan reviewed and approved on this date. The revised work plan details the screening and sampling to delineate the vertical and horizontal extent of contamination by drilling 8-10 boreholes utilizing a minute man drill rig. The rig will be fitted with a split spoon and used to drill to approximately 20 feet bgs. Samples are to be taken at the highest PID reading, as well as at a deeper depth in order to delineate the vertical extent of contamination. The samples are going to be tested for Gasoline Range Organics, Diesel Range Organics, Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylenes, with 10% of samples also being submitted for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon analysis. ADEC approves of the work plan but provides the following comments: Under section 3.1 the work plan states that rocks will be removed via a sieve from samples. As agitation from sieving could potentially influence volatile readings, rocks should be removed with a spoon while gathering the sample; According to ADEC field sampling guidance, de-ionized water is to be used for decontaminating equipment. The work plan has called for not using de-ionized water both in decontaminating equipment or equipment blanks due to its operational burden. It should be noted that not utilizing de-ionized water for decontamination does have the potential to bias the sample results and not utilizing equipment blanks means any bias would not be documented. Lisa Griswold
5/12/2017 Update or Other Action Sent letter to RP notifying of site management transfer and to send the site characterization report to Rodman. Lisa Griswold
5/12/2017 Update or Other Action Site transferred to Rodman Lisa Griswold
10/11/2017 Site Characterization Report Approved September 2017 site characterization report approved on October 11, 2017. Fieldwork was conducted on August 6 through 8, 2017 and generally consisted of advancing ten soil borings and collection samples for field-screening and laboratory analysis. Petroleum-contaminated soil remains above applicable cleanup levels between 5 and 15 feet below ground surface, and within 30 horizontal feet of the Karluk School. Work plan deadline extended one month to December 15, 2017. Amy Rodman
2/23/2018 Update or Other Action Contaminated soil removal plan approved. Field activities include field-screening, soil excavation, backfilling with clean fill, and landfarming of excavated soil. Landfarming (rototilling, nutrient application) is estimated to take three years. Amy Rodman
12/26/2018 Site Characterization Report Approved ADEC has reviewed the report titled, “2018 End-of-Season Karluk Landfarm Report (File # 2564.26.001)”for the Karluk School USTs 1-4 site in Karluk, Alaska, dated December 4, 2018. The Report was submitted via email on December 4, 2018 by Travis/Peterson Environmental Consulting, Inc. Fieldwork was conducted on August 10, 2018 and generally consisted of collecting soil samples for field-screening and laboratory analysis purposes, incorporating fertilizer into the soil following confirmation sample collection, and enclosing the soil with a high-visibility fence and signage. The objective of this field work was to remediate contaminated soil excavated from the site’s decommissioned underground storage tanks. Amy Rodman
11/1/2019 Site Characterization Report Approved ADEC has reviewed and approved the report titled, “2019 End-of-Season Karluk Landfarm Report (File # 2564.26.001)” for the Karluk School USTs 1-4 site in Karluk, Alaska, dated October 29, 2019. The Report was submitted via email on October 29, 2019 by Travis/Peterson Environmental Consulting, Inc (TPECI). Fieldwork was conducted on September 19, 2019 and generally consisted of collecting soil samples for field-screening and laboratory analysis. Another round of soil characterization is expected in 2020. Amy Rodman
11/13/2019 Update or Other Action Picture received from RP & consultant, confirming that landfarmed soil has fenced perimeter. Amy Rodman
11/2/2020 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other "2020 Landfarm end-of-season report for Karluk School USTs 1-4" received and under review. Comments on report issued to RP on 12/31/2020. Julie Fix
11/2/2020 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other "2020 Landfarm end-of-season report for Karluk School USTs 1-4" received and under review. Comments on report issued to RP on 12/31/2020. Final report approval issued on 4/20/2021. The report discusses fieldwork conducted on 9/28/2020. Fieldwork consisted of field screening and the collection of five (plus one duplicate) laboratory samples from the landfarm. The results of the laboratory samples indicate that concentrations of diesel range organics (DRO) at the landfarm are decreasing. The report proposes to repurpose the landfarmed material at the Class III landfill in Karluk. ADEC CSP has no objection to this plan. The approval letter also discusses the Solid Waste Program (SWP) requirements for polluted soil disposal in a Class III landfill (the landfarm will need two RRO samples taken as RRO has not been sampled for at this site; the most recent GRO and DRO results can be used in the request to the SWP). Julie Fix
8/2/2021 Offsite Soil or Groundwater Disposal Approved Solid Waste Program approval letter for the disposal of 15 cubic yards of low level contaminated soil was received on this date. The soil will be disposed of at the Karluk Landfill (Class III Landfill). CSP soil transport form sent to the RP. Julie Fix
8/16/2021 Update or Other Action Photo documentation of landfarm after material was disposed of at the Karluk Landfill received from RP. Julie Fix
1/13/2022 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Final Corrective Action Report received on this date. Julie Fix
10/20/2022 Meeting or Teleconference Held Teleconference with RP and ADEC to discuss path forward for site. Julie Fix

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments

Control Type

Type Details

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Description Details

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