Skip to content Skip to content

Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation

You are here: DEC / SPAR / CSP / SPAR Online Services / Contaminated Sites Search / Site Report

Site Report: Fritz Creek General Store AST Fuel Line

Site Name: Fritz Creek General Store AST Fuel Line
Address: 38782 Mushroom Street; 55770 (Mile 8.2) East End Road, Homer, AK 99603
File Number: 2314.38.041
Hazard ID: 27294
Status: Active
Staff: Dawn Wilburn, 9072628200 dawn.wilburn@alaska.gov
Latitude: 59.710460
Longitude: -151.339591
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 June 2018 DEC was notified of dead vegetation and sheen at the Fritz Creek General Store and Gas Station. During the initial site visit a weathered sheen was visible, and a 50 square foot patch of dead vegetation was observed. Field screen readings in shallow test pits revealed petroleum contamination, and further investigation determined that the underground fuel lines from the 10,000-gallon gasoline aboveground storage tank (AST) to the fuel dispenser had been leaking for an unknown length of time. In September, 2018 the fuel lines were replaced and initial characterization sampling was performed. Soil samples from beneath the AST confirmed the presence of gasoline range organics (GRO); volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including: 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene; n-propylbenzene; cumene; benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX); and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) including: 1-methylnapthalene, 2-methylnaphthalene, and naphthalene above DEC cleanup levels. Free product was also observed during the excavation. A surface water sample was collected from the drainage ditch and confirmed GRO and BTEX were present above DEC cleanup levels. Sample results from additional characterization done in August, 2020 indicated that the two stockpiles on site no longer contain contaminated soil above DEC cleanup levels. Benzene was also confirmed in shallow ground water above the DEC cleanup level. The work done in August 2020 did not include further investigation around the AST or dispenser areas. Contaminant levels in soil in those areas remain in place at the levels identified in 2018. Contamination in the drainage ditch was confirmed to extend offsite, 20 feet west of the Mushroom Street culvert, which is beyond the western property boundary.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
6/25/2018 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter Potentially Responsible Party / State Interest Letter sent to Fritz Creek General Store by PPRP staff Alyssa Murphy. Mitzi Read
12/14/2020 Spill Transferred from Prevention Preparedness and Response Program Spill transferred by PPRP staff Alyssa Murphy. Spill no. 18239917601; spill date = 6/25/2018; substance = gasoline; quantity = unknown; source = underground fuel lines from 10,000-gallon gasoline AST to fuel dispensers. Mitzi Read
12/16/2020 Site Added to Database A new site has been added to the database Mitzi Read
12/17/2020 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 80696 name: Gasoline from 10,000-Gallon AST Fuel Line Mitzi Read
12/24/2020 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter Sent RP Fritz Creek General Store(Sean Maryott) a Potentially Responsible Party Letter. Jessica Hall
12/24/2020 Workplan Requested Sent RP Fritz Creek General Store(Sean Maryott) a Work Plan Request Letter. Jessica Hall
1/21/2021 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Reviewed and sent comments on the Site Characterization Report Fritz Creek General Store and Gas Station Homer, Alaska, dated November, 2020. Final report requested and due February 28, 2021. Jessica Hall
2/4/2021 Update or Other Action Contaminated soils do not extend east of soil boring B5 or south of soil boring B4. EMI recommends additional soil borings north of locations A10 and A14 to confirm the northern extent of contamination identified in surface test pits advanced in 2018. EMI also recommends additional soil borings west of TP02 and near soil boring B3 to confirm the western extent of contamination. Jessica Hall
2/9/2021 Site Characterization Workplan Approved Sent RP approval letter for the revised Site Characterization Report Fritz Creek General Store and Gas Station Homer, Alaska, dated February, 2021. Contaminated soil in the ditch is limited to the end of the ditch east of the AST and sample location D5, 20 feet downstream (west) of the culvert under Mushroom Street. The aquifer at 5 feet bgs observed in the 2018 sump excavation and test pits was not observed in soil borings collected for this investigation, so the planned monitoring wells were not installed. Instead, groundwater in contact with contaminated soil was observed in soil boring B7 at 10 feet bgs, and monitoring well MW1 was installed. Groundwater from MW1 was contaminated with benzene above its groundwater cleanup level. The affected aquifer was also observed in borings B2, B3, and B6, but not in borings B1, B4, or B5. Contaminated soils do not extend east of soil boring B5 or south of soil boring B4. EMI recommends additional soil borings north of locations A10 and A14 to confirm the northern extent of contamination identified in surface test pits advanced in 2018. Screening results in boring B1 and nearby sump excavation during the 2018 investigations, evidence of high levels of contamination in both. Analytical results in boring B4 had lower screening results (4.8-29.1 ppmv) than in those sidewalls (6.5-156 ppmv), and had analytical detections of VOC below MTG cleanup level, while analytical samples from those sidewalls had VOC concentrations above MTG cleanup levels. Subsurface soils were not investigated in the area of borings B6 and B7, only surface test pits, during the 2018 investigation. The location of boring B6, no analytical detections above MTG cleanup levels, was outside the area of distressed vegetation observed in 2018, while B7, benzene detected above its MTG cleanup level was also close to the location of very high screening results in 2018 (e.g. A6, 872 ppmv). The two stockpiles on site no longer contain contaminated soil above MTG cleanup levels. The cell for stockpile SP2 should be maintained to contain the purge water and soil cuttings from this investigation until they can be disposed of. Areas around the AST and dispenser where contaminant concentrations above MTG or human health cleanup levels were identified in 2018 are still considered to still be in place at those concentrations. This investigation focused on delineating the extent of contamination above MTG cleanup levels; soils above HH cleanup levels remain around the AST and dispenser. Options to contain or treat accessible impacted soil should be explored to prevent further migration to groundwater or human exposure. Further delineation of soils above human health cleanup levels within the area above MTG cleanup levels would be useful for refining the scope of cleanup and mitigation work. EMI recommends installation of additional monitoring wells to delineate the extent of groundwater contamination, landspreading the soils on site, within the footprint of contaminated soils that remain in place on site, and additional soil borings west of TP02 and near soil boring B3 to confirm the western extent of contamination. Jessica Hall
6/10/2021 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Sent RP comments on the Site Investigation Work Plan, dated June 2. Requested updated work plan be submitted for ADEC approval. Jessica Hall
6/26/2021 Site Characterization Workplan Approved ADEC sent the RP an approval for Site Investigation Work Plan Rev. 1, dated June 23, 2021. EMI plans to advance soil borings, install monitoring wells, sample groundwater and surface water, and provide a report summarizing the findings of the site investigation field activities. Jessica Hall
3/22/2022 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC sent comments to the RP for the “Site Investigation Report”, dated March 2022. ADEC requested an updated report be submitted for review. Jessica Hall
4/6/2022 Site Characterization Report Approved ADEC sent approval letter to the RP for the “Site Investigation Report”, dated March 2022. Jessica Hall
6/29/2022 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC sent the RP comments on the “Site Investigation and Quarterly Monitoring Work Plan”, dated June 3, 2022. ADEC requested and update work plan be submitted for review. Jessica Hall
8/4/2022 Site Characterization Workplan Approved ADEC sent approval to Sealevel, Inc. “Site Investigation and Quarterly Monitoring Work Plan”, dated July 20, 2022. General activities in the work plan include four quarterly monitoring events at the site. The first event will include the installation of hand-advanced drive-point monitoring wells, sampling of groundwater and surface water. Subsequent quarterly monitoring events will focus on collecting additional data from the site’s monitoring wells and surface water monitoring point. Each quarterly monitoring event will be analyzed for GRO by method AK 101, petroleum-list VOC by method 8260, and PAH by method 8270 SIMS (ten percent of the samples). The surface water sample and duplicate from each quarterly event will be analyzed for GRO by method AK 101, total aromatic hydrocarbons (TAH) by method 624, and total aqueous hydrocarbons (TAqH) by method 625. The site owners will be interviewed and the vapor intrusion pathway assessed at the building to include completed of Part I of the Building Inventory and Indoor Air Sampling Questionnaire. No laboratory samples will be collected of indoor air; data from the questionnaire will be used to determine if future sampling is necessary. Jessica Hall
3/16/2023 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Comments sent. Groundwater samples were collected from MW1, MW4, and MW6. Sheen was observed in MW5 and MW2 was frost-jacked. MW2 and MW5 were not sampled. Five temporary drive points were installed for sampling and surface water was sampled from the drainage ditch. Groundwater samples were analyzed for GRO and Petro-VOC. MW4 was also analyzed for PAH. Surface water was sampled for TAH and TAqH. Every groundwater sample, except DP3 exceeded cleanup levels for one or more contaminants. A maximum benzene concentration of 10.3 mg/L was detected in MW6. The surface water sample collected from the drainage ditch did not exceed water quality standars for TAH and TAqH. Further delineation is needed. Lisa Krebs-Barsis
5/4/2023 Site Characterization Report Approved ADEC sent approval to RP for report “Site Investigation and Quarterly Monitoring Report Rev 1”, dated April 5, 2023. A new workplan was also requested. In August 2022 five temporary groundwater monitoring wells (DP1-DP5) were installed at the northern extent of the site and sampled. All of the new wells except DP2 contained levels of benzene above HH cleanup levels. Permanent monitoring wells MW1, MW4, and MW6 also exceeded HH levels for benzene. Additionally, MW6 and MW4 both contained GRO, 1,2,4-trimethybenzene, 1,3,5- trimethylbenzene, ethylbenzene, naphthalene (MW4 only), toluene, and xylenes above the cleanup levels. Dawn Wilburn
6/19/2023 Site Characterization Report Approved Sent RP approval for 2022 November Quarterly Monitoring report. Groundwater samples were collected from monitoring wells MW1 and MW2, and drive point well DP5. MW1 and DP5 contained benzene concentrations above cleanup levels (10.1 micrograms/L and 106 micrograms/L respectively). All other analytes were below cleanup levels. Dawn Wilburn
6/19/2023 Site Characterization Report Approved Sent RP approval for 2023 March Quarterly Monitoring report. Monitoring wells MW1, MW2, and MW6 were sampled. Monitoring wells MW4 and MW5 were not sampled due to ice The analytical sample collected from monitoring well MW1 and its duplicate had benzene detected (23.4 µg/L) above cleanup levels. The analytical sample from MW2 had no analytes detected. The analytical sample from MW6 contained GRO (111 mg/L), 1,2,4-trimetylbenzene (387 µg/L), benzene (12,900 µg/L), ethylbenzene (1,800 µg/L), toluene (35,600 µg/L), and total xylenes (11,200 µg/L) above their respective cleanup levels. Dawn Wilburn
10/10/2023 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Sent RP comments on draft 2023 May Groundwater Monitoring Report dated August 17, 2023 and requested revised report. Dawn Wilburn
3/28/2024 Workplan Requested Sent RP a work plan request letter for further site characterization work. Groundwater and soil contamination has not been fully delineated. During the last groundwater monitoring event (May 2023), results for all of the sampled wells contained benzene above DEC Groundwater Human Health Cleanup levels. Gasoline range organics, 1,2,4-trimenthylbenzene, 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene, ethylbenzene, naphthalene, toluene, and xylenes were also detected above cleanup levels in at least one sample. Soil was last sampled in 2024 and benzene was the only contaminant above DEC Migration to Groundwater cleanup levels. Soil contamination was not delineated to the north. Dawn Wilburn
6/3/2024 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 80696 Gasoline from 10,000-Gallon AST Fuel Line. Dawn Wilburn
8/27/2024 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Reviewed the "Work Plan for the Additional Site Characterization Activities -Fritz Creek General Store," dated August 19, 2024. Sent comments and requested revised work plan be submitted. Dawn Wilburn
10/2/2024 Site Characterization Workplan Approved Sent responsible party approval for the revised Work Plan for Additional Site Characterization dated September 26, 2024. This work plan proposes to install additional groundwater monitoring wells, collect soil samples from borings and conduct additional groundwater monitoring. Dawn Wilburn

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments

Control Type

Type Details

Requirements

Description Details
Hazard ID Site Name File Number
22989 Fritz Creek General Store - Homer 2314.26.008

Missing Location Data

Because the GIS location data for this site has not been entered, we cannot direct you to its position on the map. Click "Continue" to proceed to the Contaminated Sites Web Map or "Close" to return to the site report.
Continue     Close

Public Notices  •  Regulations  •  Statutes
Press Releases  •  Contact

 

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