Problems/Comments

In May 1997 during the excavation of gasoline contaminated soil associated the a gasoline underground storage tank contamination in the soil and groundwater was found associated with an abandoned waste water log crib and an abandoned floor drain log crib both which were located north of the service station building. The floor drain log crib was found full of used oil that extended into the groundwater at 10 feet below ground surface at the site. The used oil product and most of the contaminated soil was removed and treated. An estimated 10 cubic yards of contaminated soil was left near the building foundation that had up to 1,270 mg/kg DRO and 0.107 mg/kg benzene, and 2.0 mg/l RRO contamination was identified in the groundwater near that area. Based on the soil and groundwater samples collected at that time, it appeared that contamination only remained in this area and did not extend off property. Later sampling conducted at the down gradient properties to west (2004) and north (2014) identified soil and groundwater contamination that appears to be extending on to their properties from this site. As part of an underground storage tank release investigation (see file 2100.26.122) for this property monitoring wells were installed and sampled between 1991 and 1997. The monitoring wells documented groundwater contamination and several inches of floating petroleum product on the groundwater at the site. Groundwater flow direction ranged from west by northwest to north by northwest, with the predominant flow direction begin to the northwest. Depth to groundwater on the service station property was generally 6 to 10 feet below ground surface. In 2001 DEC issued a "No Further Remedial Action Planned" (now called a Cleanup Complete with Institutional Controls) letter and a deed notice was placed on the property for the remaining soil and groundwater contamination. The deed notice state that when the remaining contaminated soil becomes accessible, for example if the service station building is removed, or if other information becomes available which indicates that the site may pose an unacceptable risk to human heath, safety, welfare or the environment, the DEC is to be notified by the land owner and/or operator and further site characterization and cleanup may be required. Also any groundwater pumping or dewatering or transport or disposal of potentially contaminated soil requires notification and approval by DEC. On November 6-15, 2006 Laurel One, LLC had the remaining 20,000 gallon underground storage tank, its associated piping, and five dispenser islands removed and assessed. Two cubic yards of visibly fuel stained soil was identified at the east fuel island. The soil samples collected from the excavated soil had up to 0.0483 mg/kg benzene. Those soils were subsequently treated on-site in a small lined cell. A confirmation soil sample collected at 5.5 to 6 feet below ground surface from the tank excavation had 0.0267 mg/kg benzene on the east sidewall which exceeds migration to groundwater cleanup level of 0.025 mg/kg. On September 11, 2007 DEC notified Mark Kulstad the representative for the current property owner (Laurel One, LLC) and their consultant (Thor Kallestad of Altas Consulting) that they should be aware under the terms of the Notice of Environmental Cleanup for this site that there is further characterization and cleanup required for the estimated 10 cubic yards of contaminated soil located to the north and northwest of the former gas station building that has been removed in preparation for the construction of a new building on the property. DEC noted that with the current construction activities on the property this is the time to conduct the required site work. DEC also noted that benzene groundwater contamination with a sheen and hydrocarbon odor has been identified in the up gradient former monitoring wells at the adjacent Tudor Car Wash site (which is down gradient of the Courtney's site). This is documented in the Tudor Car Wash file (2100.26.162) and noted in the ADEC electronic database for the Courtney's site in 2004. DEC noted that they are requesting a work plan to address the on property contamination and the identified off property contamination from this site including the installation of monitoring wells. The consultant noted that they were aware of the contamination at the site and that he would follow up on the soil and groundwater contamination investigation and cleanup when he returns to Alaska. In October 2014 contaminated soil and groundwater was encountered at 8 feet below ground surface just north of the northwest corner of the former Courtney’s gas station property at 2715 East Tudor Road during the excavation for a waterline. At 8 feet below ground surface they encountered petroleum contaminated soil with a petroleum stain and odor at the soil/water interface. The groundwater has a petroleum sheen and up to 47.1 ug/l benzene, 3.52 mg/l GRO, 4.87 mg/l DRO, and 5.45 mg/l RRO in the excavation water samples collected. These groundwater sample results are considered biased low due to them being collected from an open excavation, and bubbles and not sufficient volume in some of the VOA vials. The current property owner of the 2715 East Tudor Road property has been contacted regarding their liability for the contaminated soil and groundwater. The DEC letter requested that they submit by December 1, 2014 a work plan, including a schedule for conducting the work, for conducting soil and groundwater sampling to define the nature and extent of this and any other contamination for your site. Due to the contamination found the status for the Courtney’s Tudor Service site located at 2715 E Tudor Road in Anchorage (File No: 2100.38.019) is being changed from Cleanup Complete – Institutional Controls to Active. Between October 10, 2014 and October 31, 2014 six soil samples were collected from the waterline excavation sidewalls. Up to 66.9 mg/kg RRO, non-detect (<22.4 mg/kg) DRO, 3.86 mg/kg GRO, 0.00703 mg/kg benzene, non-detect PCBs and VOCs, naturally occurring concentrations for metals, and PAHs below method 2 cleanup levels. Higher soil concentrations may exist since the area where groundwater with visible sheens and petroleum odors (near Folker Road) did not have soil samples. On November 24, 2014 soil samples were collected from the potentially contaminated soil that was excavated as part of the waterline installation on the property to the north of the Subway (former Courtney's Service Station) property. Up to 3,170 mg/kg RRO, 568 mg/kg DRO, non-detect (<1.1 mg/kg) GRO, non-detect (<0.00552 mg/kg) benzene, non-detect for VOCs and PCBs, naturally occurring concentrations for metals, and below method 2 cleanup levels for PAHs in the stockpile samples collected. On June 16-17, 2016 three off-property soil borings (to the north, northwest, and west) were sampled and completed as monitoring wells. Benzene exceeded migration to groundwater soil cleanup levels in all three soil borings and for ethylbenzene in soil boring RSE-2. On June 23, 2016 groundwater samples were collected from the three off-property monitoring wells installed earlier in June 2016. The groundwater samples had up to 2.97 ug/l benzene, 0.296 mg/l GRO, 0.704 mg/l DRO, 1.21 mg/l RRO. RSE-2 (to the northwest) exceeded groundwater cleanup levels for RRO. On January 19, 2018 the three monitoring wells (RSE-1, RSE-2, and RSE-3) that were installed in 2016 were decommissioned in accordance with the approved work plan. On September 14, 2018 ADEC issued a letter changing the site status from Active Contaminated Site back to Cleanup Complete with Institutional Controls (IC) status.

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