| Action Date |
Action |
Description |
DEC Staff |
| 10/16/1980 |
Update or Other Action |
Preliminary Assessment (PA) contractor Ecology & Environment report dated Oct. 16, 1980 in file documents observations and conversations with RP during a July 30, 1980 site visit. The report notes that wastewater is disposed of through a floor drain that empties into a low area behind the tannery, with the effluent periodically covered with sand. The report states that "Facility is a leather tanning operation which used chromic sulfates and pentachlophenate salts in the tanning process. These liquid wastes are discharged directly to the ground without treatment. Two aquifers were scored. Aquifer A is a shallow aquifer 25-65 feet below the surface. Aquifer B is a confined aquifer at a depth of 100 feet. Aquifer B provides the city's water supply." The report notes that for Aquifer A "unspecified number of private wells which are believed to occur within 2,000 feet." Nonetheless the report concludes that “even if the shallow ground-water table is contaminated, the changes of it contaminating the usable aquifer(over 100' below ground surface) is minimal." |
Former Staff |
| 7/13/1984 |
Update or Other Action |
EPA contractor TetraTech, Inc. report in file "Potential Hazardous Waste Site Preliminary Assessment". The assessment states that the RP lives on the 1-1/2 acre property, has a 100 foot deep drinking water well, and has operated a tannery there for 25 years. The report includes documentation of a 7/30/80 inspection by EPA Contractor Ecology & Environment, Inc., during which it was observed that the (RP) "dumps his hide soaking and washing vats into a pit which drains into the ground behind his tannery. There is a high potential for shallow aquifer contamination, soil contamination, and direct contact." E&E also noted that a water table aquifer is present 20 feet below the ground surface, separated by a confining layer of clay from from the deeper artesian aquifer at approximately 100 feet. According to (RP) the only waste generated by the tannery is wastewater. This wastewater is comprised of water, lime, biodegradable detergents, trace quantities of unspecified heavy metals, cyanide, pentachlorophenol, and organic solvents (described in the March 1986 report as "Chevron Solvent 325"). Aluminum and chromic sulfate and aniline (aminobenzene) are also in use at the site and are probably present in waste discharges. The assessment concludes that "There is evidence that Frontier Tanning is disposing of uncontrolled hazardous wastes into the environment and that over a period of 25 years of operation, this chronic discharge may be resulting in significant subsurface contamination. The assessment recommendations include: 1) sample waste water, 2) sample leachfield behind facility or areas of suspected spills, 3) check chemicals in chemical storage area, and 4) install a shallow aquifer monitoring well. |
Former Staff |
| 1/15/1985 |
Update or Other Action |
Compliance letter re non-domestic wastewater permit notifying owner of requirement for wastewater discharge permit, and noting that DEC is of the opinion that an on-site holding tank could serve the facility with the contents to be periodically conveyed to a designated Anchorage Wastewater Utility disposal site. (Installation of a holding tank had not been done by Oct. 1985 inspection reported in 3/1986 report). |
Former Staff |
| 1/24/1985 |
Notice of Violation |
In violation of 18 AAC 72.210, disposal of non-domestic wastewater onto lands of Alaska without a permit. RP asked to cease discharge of non-domestic wastewater, i.e. tanning and furdressing wastewater and submit a wastewater permit application per 18 AAC 72.260 (c) by 5/15/85. Date subject to change based on local water well chemical analysis. |
Jim Hayden |
| 5/23/1985 |
Update or Other Action |
Letter to ADEC from neighbor Shilke requesting drinking water well sampling results for sampling event approximately 2 months previously (sampling took place on 4/4/1985). |
Former Staff |
| 5/25/1985 |
Update or Other Action |
Letter from RP requesting extension of time until August 1, 1985 to install a holding tank. |
Former Staff |
| 12/19/1985 |
Update or Other Action |
Letter from DEC's Jim Hayden to property owner clarifying "the prohibition of all surface wastewater discharge on your property", requesting "tannery wastewater plans for your 1986 operations as soon as possible so that operational delays may be averted" and "In effect, all surface discharge of wastewater is prohibited until further notice". |
Former Staff |
| 2/14/1986 |
Update or Other Action |
Memorandum in file from DGGS Hydrologist Charles Sloan to ADEC's Carl Reller states among other things that the "high artesian heads in the confined aquifer would make its pollution from surface sources in the area highly unlikely if not impossible." |
Former Staff |
| 3/30/1986 |
Preliminary Assessment Approved |
Report by Tryck, Nyman and Hayes (TNH) “"Suspected Uncontrolled Hazardous Waste Site Inspections, State of Alaska, Frontier Tanning site - AKDO9276619, prepared for the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation March 1986") reported the following: TNH performed site inspections on 10/22/1985 and 10/24/1985. Business in operation for 27 yrs, since 1958; unpermitted. Wastewater from the tanning and fur dressing processes has been and continues to be discharged directly to the ground behind the building. Many chemicals are used including chromic sulfate, pentachlorophenate, aluminum sulfate and formic acid. Sampling program designed to determine migration of wastes included sampling X nearby drinking water wells, one of which had pentachlorophenol at (X). Gravel pit across the street indicates high permeability substrate. Number and depth of wells in area not determined. Hides dried in solvent Chevron Solvent 325, reported as a mixture of C8-C12 naphthalenes and 1% aromatics. Periodically fluids from process discharged through a floor drain to the ground outside the tannery building. “Up to 300 gallons per month are emptied on the ground and flow down an open ditch for about 40 feet to a soil absorption area behind the facility. (RP) occasionally tills the area to improve percolation. He also periodically covers the area with clean sand.” The closest downgradient drinking water well had a result of 9 ppb pentachlorophenol. Wells further away had elevated levels of chloride and sulfate. |
Former Staff |
| 4/16/1986 |
Update or Other Action |
Memorandum to Bill Lamoreaux, ADEC, requests that he "review and recommend appropriate action which can be taken by DEC to assure that all discharge of non-domestic waste water cease, and that access to the contaminated areas is restricted." The document to be reviewed was the CERCLA site investigation report on Frontier Tanning, AKDO9276619, which had not been publicly released yet. |
Former Staff |
| 1/22/1987 |
Update or Other Action |
ADEC received sampling results for 3 drinking water wells (the Frontier Tanning supply well, the Schilke well and the Knott well). Samples were collected from the cold water tap after water was run for a minimum of 3 to 5 minutes and were analyzed for 1) chromium and aluminum, 2) pentacholorophenol, and 3) sulfates and chlorides. Water samples were collected 12/04/86. Results were not above cleanup levels. |
Former Staff |
| 2/3/1987 |
Update or Other Action |
Memorandum from Carl Reller, DEC HW, to file includes the following summary and recommendations: In excess of 100,000 gallons of waste from a tanning process using
chromium and pentachlorophenol was discharged to surface soils. Because an estimated 6,900 people live within one mile of the site, the waste by its chemical nature is both toxic and persistent, the waste was deposited directly on the surface, and the site is open
to the public, a signficant potential threat to public health exists through the route of direct exposure (Direct Contact Score of 50). Two recommendations are made: 1) A note be attached to the property deed indicating the site has been used for wastewater disposal. 2) At least one of the following be done: a) The waste be contained by covering with at least two feet of clean fill. This action will lower the Direct Contact Score to O. b) A fence be constructed around the disposal area with a locked gate to prevent access to the public. This action will also lower the score to 0. The above actions are recommended to be administered through the regional office with assistance from CERCLA personnel.
|
Former Staff |
| 2/12/1987 |
Update or Other Action |
Date of letter to RP from ADEC that included copy of CERCLA report, and that states in its entirety: "This office of the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) has received and is currently reviewing the final report for the site investigation conducted at the facility under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Enclosed is your copy of the final report for your review. As you are aware, additional water sampling was conducted at and adjacent to your facility last December, 1986. We have received the results of that sampling effort; a copy of those results are also included for your review. As we have completed our review of the site investigation final report and additional water analyses we will contact you to discuss our conclusions and any further recommendations or requirements for your facility." (letter signed by Bill Lamoreaux). |
Former Staff |
| 3/9/1987 |
Update or Other Action |
File memorandum with subject "CERCLA update" and summary of conclusions on various sites by Colleen Burgh, ADEC Environmental Field Officer. Section on subject site is as follows:
"Frontier Tanning AKD009276619. We are basically handling this site as a past illegal wastewater discharge. The site operator has ceased discharge until a permit is applied for and issued by DEC. Although one soil sample did have chromium levels above background, based on the amount of the increase and the overall sampling results we do not determine a remedial action is warranted. Some soil site work and soil cover on the surface of the site has been conducted, which is a recommendation of DEC's, and I am checking with the site owner for more details on that to see if it meets our recommendation."
|
Former Staff |
| 10/3/1990 |
Update or Other Action |
(Old R:Base Action Code = NFA - No Further Action Required (CERCLA)). U.S. EPA Superfund Program CERCLIS dated 10/03/90 lists site with NFA flag meaning that EPA has decided that they will take no further action. |
Former Staff |
| 1/1/1992 |
Site Added to Database |
Metals, Mitrol G-ST (sodium pentachlorophenate) |
Former Staff |
| 6/15/1995 |
Site Ranked Using the AHRM |
Initial ranking. Action code added because it wasn't when the site was originally ranked. |
Former Staff |
| 8/5/2002 |
Site Number Identifier Changed |
Changed Workplan from 01 to 09 to reflect metals contamination. |
Former Staff |
| 6/4/2008 |
Exposure Tracking Model Ranking |
Initial ranking with ETM completed. |
Eileen Olson |
| 11/18/2010 |
Exposure Tracking Model Ranking |
A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 71250 Discharge of chromium & pentachlorphenol. |
Eileen Olson |
| 3/7/2014 |
Update or Other Action |
I spoke with the responsible party (RP) on this day. He indicated that the tannery wastewater is currently stored in a plastic holding tank, which is emptied periodically. He indicated that the holding tank was installed a long time ago and was buried in the same location as the leach field (the area where wastewater was discharged directly to the ground). He stated that during the installation of the plastic holding tank, clean fill was mixed with the soil in the leach field. No soil was removed from the property during the installation. |
Joshua Barsis |
| 3/21/2014 |
Exposure Tracking Model Ranking |
A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 71250 Discharge of chromium & pentachlorphenol. |
Joshua Barsis |
| 4/2/2014 |
Meeting or Teleconference Held |
Held a meeting with the RP on this day. During the meeting we discussed further characterizing the site. It was decided that during the summer of 2014, some soil and water samples would be collected from the property for chromium and pentachlorophenol. |
Joshua Barsis |
| 5/22/2014 |
Site Visit |
Soil and groundwater samples were collected on this day. See file for more information. |
Joshua Barsis |
| 6/20/2014 |
Exposure Tracking Model Ranking |
A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 71250 Discharge of chromium & pentachlorphenol. |
Joshua Barsis |
| 6/27/2014 |
Cleanup Complete Determination Issued |
Site closed on this day. |
Joshua Barsis |
