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Site Report: Caton Island Sitewide Lead

Site Name: Caton Island Sitewide Lead
Address: NW Portion of Caton Island; ~45 Miles SSW of King Cove; ~58 Miles SSE of Cold Bay, King Cove, AK 99612
File Number: 2568.38.004
Hazard ID: 26781
Status: Active
Staff: Jenny Gates, 9072628203 jenny.gates@alaska.gov
Latitude: 54.408302
Longitude: -162.480072
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

A 66.9 acre portion of Caton Island was withdrawn from the Aleutian Island National Wildlife Refuge by the United Sites Navy (Navy) in 1942. The Navy established a small air navigation radar facility on the northwestern corner of Caton in January 1943. This facility was abandoned in December 1945 and relinquished to the Department of Interior as part of the Aleutian Island Wildlife Refuge in October 1951. Portions of the island were leased from the Department of the Interior twice for animal grazing operations, during 1939 to 1941 and 1969 to 1973. In December 1980, Caton Island was designated as a Wilderness Area within the Aleutian Island Unit of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge (AMNWR), which is managed by the United Sites Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The former Department of Defense (DoD) facilities at Caton Island has been investigated under the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS) program during 1977, 1979, 1993, 1998, and 2011. A source removal action was conducted by the FUDS program in 2011. The 2011 investigation report indicated that wide-spread lead contamination in soil was found at several site features, generally associated with collapsed building debris. The FUDS Program concluded that lead contamination remaining in the soil appears to be attributed to the peeling/flaking of lead-based paint from the dilapidated and collapsed buildings and features. It appeared that the contamination was further spread by the wind conditions at the site. Additional site assessment and possibly cleanup are required. Hazard ID 2616 was used to track FUDS related site cleanup and was closed on May 18, 2022. FUDS administratively closed this site in their records in June 2019 and the FAA assumed the remaining cleanup. This Hazard ID, 26781, will document the remaining lead contamination which will be addressed by the FAA. The site is comprised of four main areas of concern: beach area, antenna field, power pole corridor, and landfill. Several smaller areas of concern have been established within each of these main areas. On March 30, 2022, DEC approved an ACL for lead of 127 mg/kg for the Caton Island site.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
10/3/2017 Site Added to Database A new site has been added to the database Mitzi Read
10/9/2017 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter The ADEC Contaminated Sites Program sent a State of Alaska Notification of Hazardous Substance Liability Letter to the USACE, Navy, and US Fish and Wildlife Service. Jessica Morris
12/17/2018 Meeting or Teleconference Held The ADEC Contaminated Sites Program participated in a project scoping meeting with the FAA, USFWS, and Brice Environmental Services Corporation. During the meeting, the team agreed to an approach for calculating risk-based soil cleanup levels at Caton Island that will be protective for ecological receptors. FAA will present a work plan for a removal action with these proposed cleanup level calculations included. A work plan should be ready for ADEC and USFWS review during spring of 2019. Jessica Morris
5/22/2019 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other On 5/22/2019, A Draft Demolition, Remedial Action (RA), and Remedial Investigation (RI) Work Plan (WP) was submitted for the Former Radio Range Facility at Caton Island on behalf of FAA. Demolition and RA work was proposed for 7 sites within 3 areas of concern (AOC) including the Beach Area (BA), the Power Pole Corridor (PPC), and the Antennae Field (AF) to address petroleum contamination at PPC-08 site and lead contamination at all areas. A RI was proposed for a new AOC; a suspected landfill (LF) area to the north of the island. Supplemental information, comments, and WP revisions were supplied between ADEC and FAA/Consultant from 6/19/2019 to 7/11/2019. A Final WP was submitted on 7/16/2019. Jamie Grant
7/19/2019 Site Characterization Workplan Approved Final Demolition, Remedial Action (RA), and Remedial Investigation (RI) Work Plan (WP) for the Former Radio Range Facility at Caton Island was approved. Several sites within the following 4 areas of concern (AOC) are addressed in the WP: Beach Area (BA), Power Pole Corridor (PPC), Antennae Field (AF), and Landfill (LF). The WP RA's include: demolition/removal of selected existing structures and excavation/removal of lead contamination at 8 sites (BA-06, BA-07, AF-06, PPC-01, PPC-04, PPC-07, PPC-08, and LF-01); excavation and removal of petroleum contamination at PPC-08; and analytical sampling (ISM) to confirm removal of COCs at all at all AOCs. The WP RI's include: one monitoring well, 10+ soil borings, test pits and analytical sampling (discrete/grab) for LF-01; additional analytical samples (discrete/grab) collected along any section of a contaminant plume that has not been horizontally defined (specifically PPC-08 and BA-07); a minimum of 4 samples collected from 2 borings at the PPC/AF to supplement TOC data for ACL calculations at these AOCs; a minimum of 8 samples collected from 4 borings at the LF to provide TOC data for ACL calculations; additional background metals sampling around LF AOC. Jamie Grant
3/2/2021 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other January 12, 2021, ADEC received a Final Demolition, Remedial Action (RA), and Remedial Investigation (RI) Report which details activities performed at the former Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Radio Range Facility on Caton Island, Alaska, between June and August 2019. The project included removal of all infrastructure and debris associated with the former Radio Range Facility. In addition, 1,128 cubic yards of contaminated soils were excavated and transported offsite for disposal from nine areas of concern (AOCs): BA-06 Boat House, BA-07 Generator Shed, BA-08 Work Shack, AF-06 Electronics Building, PPC-01 Radio Range Building, PPC-04 Shop and Quarters Buildings, PPC-07 Debris Area, PPC-08 Generator Building, and the initially identified area at LF-01. Contaminants of concern for these AOCs were previously identified as: lead, diesel range organics (DRO), and residual range organics (RRO). Following excavation, soils from each AOC were sampled using an incremental sampling method (ISM) and analyzed to confirm that mean contaminant concentrations were below approved cleanup levels within the 95% upper confidence limit (UCL) per 18 AAC 75.380(c)(1). Finally, the northern area of the suspected landfill was also investigated for potential contamination, and a background metals study was conducted. ADEC has reviewed and approved the report. Jamie Grant
3/8/2021 Meeting or Teleconference Held Meeting with FAA to discuss AOCs proposed for closure and scope of future work. Jamie Grant
12/22/2021 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 80142 name: Caton Island Sitewide Lead Jamie Grant
3/30/2022 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Approval letter for lead ACL of 127 mg/kg issued and sent to FAA and USFWS. Shonda Oderkirk
11/3/2022 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Draft work plan received. 11/25/2022: Comments sent. 1/17/2023 RTC received. 1/25/2023 DEC sent final responses and requested final copy of work plan. 3/16/2023 Approval for final work plan sent. Shonda Oderkirk
12/9/2022 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 81272 name: AF-06 Shonda Oderkirk
12/12/2022 Update or Other Action No further action letter issued for AF-06. Shonda Oderkirk
12/22/2022 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 81280 name: LF-01 Shonda Oderkirk
12/22/2022 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 81281 name: PPC-01 Radio Range Building Shonda Oderkirk
12/22/2022 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 81282 name: PPC-02 Shonda Oderkirk
12/22/2022 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 81283 name: PPC-04- Collapsed Barracks/Shop Building Shonda Oderkirk
12/22/2022 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 81284 name: PPC-05 - Sunken well house Shonda Oderkirk
12/28/2022 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 81285 name: PPC-07 - Debris area Shonda Oderkirk
12/28/2022 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 81286 name: PPC-08- Generator Building Shonda Oderkirk
7/1/2024 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Contaminated Media Transport and Treatment or Disposal Form received 07.01.2024. Approval sent 07.02.2024. Jenny Gates
10/31/2024 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Draft 2024 Caton Island Range Remedial Action and Remedial Investigation Report was received 10.31.2024; ADEC comments sent to FAA on 11.26.2024; RP comments received on 03.27.2025; ADRC comments sent on 04.03.2025. Jenny Gates
4/3/2025 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other DEC approved the Final Caton Island Range Remedial Action and Remedial Investigation Report, dated March 2025. Livia Bracker

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments

Control Type

Type Details

Requirements

Description Details
Hazard ID Site Name File Number
2616 Caton Island 2568.38.004

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State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation

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