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Site Report: 1626 27th Avenue Apartments

Site Name: 1626 27th Avenue Apartments
Address: 1626 27th Avenue, Fairbanks, AK 99701
File Number: 102.38.195
Hazard ID: 26626
Status: Active
Staff: * Currently Not Assigned, 9072693057 bill.oconnell@alaska.gov
Latitude: 64.822671
Longitude: -147.743377
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

In July 2016 DEC received a report of petroleum odors inside the apartment complex (12-plex) at 1626 27th Avenue. Subsequent investigation determined that a previously unreported release (estimated to be from June 2009) from a 1,500-gallon underground heating oil tank had reached the groundwater table. Conditions in the summer of 2016 led to a regionally elevated groundwater table increasing vapor intrusion to indoor air from petroleum-contaminated groundwater at the site. The leaking underground heating oil tank was removed and replaced with an above-ground tank. Indoor air sample results documented levels of benzene, ethylbenzene, total xylenes, 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, and naphthalene above the DEC Indoor Air Target Levels. Additionally, gasoline range organics, diesel range organics (DRO), benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, xylenes, naphthalene, 1-methylnaphthalene, and 2-methylnaphthalene were confirmed in soil, and DRO and benzene were confirmed in groundwater above DEC cleanup levels. Air filtration units were placed throughout the building, an oil skimmer was deployed into a sump to remove fuel from the groundwater, and a sub-slab depressurization system is planned to be installed to remove petroleum vapors.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
8/8/2016 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter Potentially Responsible Party / State Interest Letter sent to landowner by PPR staff Paul Lhotka. Mitzi Read
10/19/2016 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Work plan received for mitigation efforts to remove harmful vapors to the indoor air environment near tenants. Additional air filtration units, beyond the one loaned by DEC, were purchased to place in the building. A skimmer was purchased to remove free product from the groundwater near the apartment building. A sub-slab depressurization system has been proposed to retrofit the apartment's slab to direct harmful fuel oil vapors from the indoor air environment. Laura Jacobs
10/20/2016 Site Characterization Report Approved Received Site Characterization Report from consultant for RP for sample efforts in early September. Benzene, total xylenes, ethylbenzene, and naphthalene all above DEC indoor air target levels. Soil sample results documented DRO, GRO, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, total xylenes all above ADEC Cleanup Levels (Table B2. Method Two, Migration to Groundwater). A sample of groundwater from an existing sump resulted in elevated levels of DRO, and benzene, with the presence of free product noted in the sump. Laura Jacobs
10/28/2016 Spill Transferred from Prevention Preparedness and Response Program Spill transferred by PPR staff Mike Garrett. Spill no. 09309915204; spill date = 6/1/09 (estimated); substance = diesel; quantity = unknown; source = 1,500-gallon underground heating oil tank; PPR file no. 102.02.155. Mitzi Read
11/2/2016 Site Added to Database A new site has been added to the database Mitzi Read
11/2/2016 Update or Other Action Received a health consultation letter from the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, Environmental Public Health Program (EPHP) regarding the potential exposure concerns present in the indoor air environment for tenants. EPHP compared the measured concentration of each detected compound with a health standard. Each of the three apartments where air samples were collected, had multiple contaminants that were measured at levels above their health based standard for chronic exposure, or in the case of one contaminant, the level exceeded the non-cancer risk value for acute exposure. Fact sheets with this information were given to the RP to distribute to tenants. Laura Jacobs
12/7/2016 Update or Other Action RP's consultant called and left a message that he contacted the RP for an update. The RP is thinking that it will be a couple more months before retrofit is completed and the building will be ready to sample again. He has three air purification systems running throughout the building while he is working to install the sub-slab depressurization system. Laura Jacobs
3/1/2017 Update or Other Action A letter requesting an update on site status was sent by DEC to the RP. Laura Jacobs
3/7/2017 Update or Other Action Phone call with RP regarding March 31 deadline for a work plan to conduct air sampling. The sub-slab depressurization system is still under construction. Several fans being used to vent vapors from the basement to outside in the mean time. RP plans to send a description of a work plan by the end of the month. Laura Jacobs
3/13/2017 Update or Other Action Met with RP to discuss progress with mitigation efforts and to plan how to gather necessary air quality information in the near future even without the subslab depressurization unit being completed. Laura Jacobs
3/21/2017 Update or Other Action Site visit with RP and another staff member. DEC took field measurements of air in apartments 3A and 3B, slightly above ground floor apartments. DEC also measured in the hallways, entry way and just outside the building. Levels measured are approximate, but were lower than when site was discovered. Sub-slab depressurization system is under construction. Several air purification units in use in the hallways, and exhaust occurring in the basement apartments. Laura Jacobs
3/31/2017 Update or Other Action Letter sent to RP explaining the need for immediate assessment of indoor air quality for tenants with response deadline of April 5th, work plan by April 17th. Laura Jacobs
6/21/2017 Enforcement Action DEC sent a Notice of Violation to RP for failure to conduct site characterization and cleanup. Deadlines include: July 5 submit an indoor air monitoring plan,;July 14 submit documentation of construction details and operating and monitoring plans for sub-slab depressurization system;and August 15 submit a site characterization work plan to determine the horizontal and vertical extent of soil and groundwater contamination with field work conducted by October 1. Laura Jacobs
7/6/2017 Update or Other Action DEC received a revised work plan from RPs consultant for indoor air sample event. Laura Jacobs
9/6/2017 Site Visit DEC staff made a visit to site to understand how construction of sub-slab depressurization system was going, and to field screen air quality within the apartment building. Construction was still underway, the product recovery well was not resulting in much free product, and levels of volatile contaminants were not extremely elevated within the hallway and downstairs area. Laura Jacobs
9/22/2017 Update or Other Action DEC sent a letter to RP outlining steps towards completing mitigation, and site characterization. Laura Jacobs
12/28/2017 Update or Other Action DEC staff were informed that sample collection has occurred and results should be returned within 10 days. Laura Jacobs
3/30/2018 Enforcement Action DEC issued a second NOV, Notice of Continued Violation, for failure to conduct site characterization and cleanup. Deadlines include: submit laboratory results from December 2017 indoor air sampling event by April 2; conduct indoor air sampling in each of the occupied apartments by April 6; operate interim mitigation system continuously until the sub-slab depressurization system (SSDS)is activated; and complete the installation of the SSDS and activate by April 30, 2018. Necessary long-term site characterization and cleanup must be completed. Laura Jacobs
4/2/2018 Update or Other Action DEC received sample results from an air sample collected in December 2017, and a Corrective Action Work Plan dated June 26, 2017. One air sample taken within one apartment (3B)was measured at 3.2 ug/m3, below the ADEC indoor air target level of 3.6 ug/m3, while the sample duplicate was just above at 3.7 ug/m3. Laura Jacobs
8/17/2018 Enforcement Action ADEC staff sent letter requesting the ownner conduct indoor air sample event at four locations and one air sample outside. Laura Jacobs
11/27/2018 Update or Other Action ADEC staff received an email with reported indoor air sample results. Five samples were collected from the basement and second floor apartments. All were below screening levels for benzene in residential indoor air. One sample was above cleanup levels for Naphthalene, but was attributed to fresh oil based paint applied to the floor less than one week prior to the sample event. Laura Jacobs
4/3/2020 Update or Other Action ADEC staff sent the RP a letter requesting information regarding the completion of the sub-slab depressurization system, and whether product recovery was continuing from the sumps around the building. Laura Jacobs
4/6/2020 Update or Other Action ADEC was contacted by the landowner who called to say that he does not plan to conduct any further work. Laura Jacobs

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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