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Site Report: Cold Bay Fort Randall-E-West Runway

Site Name: Cold Bay Fort Randall-E-West Runway
Address: Cold Bay Airport, East-West Runway, Cold Bay, AK 99571
File Number: 2538.38.019
Hazard ID: 2863
Status: Active
Staff: Brian Watts, 9072694702 brian.watts@alaska.gov
Latitude: 55.203804
Longitude: -162.722422
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

The East-West Runway (EWR) includes approximately 100 acres that encompassed fuel pipelines, valve pits and storage tanks. The only apparent sources of contamination were aviation gas (AvGas) releases from underground storage tanks 1 and 2 (UST 1 and UST 2) and valve pit N. located at the northwest extent of the decommissioned AvGas pipeline. In 2006, remaining soil contamination around the valve pit N. were removed and contaminated soil excavated to 26 feet below ground surface where groundwater was encountered. UST 1 and UST 2 were also removed. Monitoring wells around EWR site were installed 2004, 2008 and 2013. The smear zone contamination has spread downgradient of the site and annual monitoring is occurring. Gasoline range organics (GRO) in the groundwater remain above the ADEC cleanup level. A drum burial area (DBA) formerly referred to as the asphalt seeps area (ASA) was located southwest of the Cold Bay runways. The drum trenches are known as the north drum trench and the south drum trench, respectively. A removal action was completed at the site from May through July 2014. Approximately 1,853 tons of asphalt, contaminated soil, drums, and debris were removed. Only de minimis residual soil contamination remains. Groundwater is not impacted. Therefore, source area ID 79884 – “Fort Randall Drum Burial Area”, has a “Cleanup Complete” with no ICs determination. File number 2538.38.019, Hazard ID 2863, will remain open until all source areas in the “Cold Bay Fort Randall-E-West Runway” site are closed.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
4/9/2002 Site Characterization Workplan Approved A supplemental workplan was submitted and approved to perform additional characterization to fill data gaps. Debra Caillouet
5/9/2002 Site Added to Database Avgas. Former Staff
11/19/2002 Site Characterization Report Approved Geophysical survey in the EWR area revealed a single remaining UST. The UST appears to be sound and is not leaking. Test pitting and soil sampling around the UST revealed it ha no impacted adjacent soils. Soil sampling in the valve pits along the pipeline revealed elevated levels of fuel contamination. Although largely intact, investigation of the pipeline revealed that it had previous been properly decommissioned; there, it was abandoned in place. Three minor locations with the EWR are contaminated above regualtory limits. Evaluation of remedial alternatives at the three locations and the remoinin UST should be performed under the FS. Debra Caillouet
3/17/2004 Update or Other Action A draft proposed plan was reviewed and significant comments returned to the USACE. In general DEC agrees with the proposed actions, but believes the level of detail and the readability of the proposed plan should be improved. Debra Caillouet
4/22/2004 Proposed Plan The Proposed Plan for Six Formerly Used Defense Sites at Fort Randall, Cold Bay, Alaska was approved by the Acting Section Manager, John Halverson. The public comment period is April 26 to May 21 2004. A public meeting will be held May 3 in Cold Bay. Debra Caillouet
5/3/2004 Meeting or Teleconference Held A public meeting was held in Cold Bay to present the Proposed Plan to the community. Debra Caillouet
8/23/2004 Update or Other Action File number changed from 2538.38.006 to 2538.38.019 Sarah Cunningham
8/29/2005 Record of Decision A letter concurring with the final Decision Document was signed by John Halverson and sent to the Corps Debra Caillouet
5/17/2006 Cleanup Plan Approved Staff reviewed and approved the Excavation and Thermal Treatment Work Plan for Beach Seep and Drum Disposal Area, the East West Runway and Stapp Creek Debra Caillouet
1/8/2007 Update or Other Action Staff prepared significant comment on the draft 2006 Environmental Cleanup report. Debra Caillouet
8/16/2007 Site Characterization Report Approved The Final 2006 Cold Bay Environmental Cleanup Report was reviewed and approved. The report documents the removal and treatment of contaminated soil at the last of the remaining vaults and valve pits and the removal of the last USTs from the site. Contamination was removed from UST 1 to the smear zone at 35' below ground surface. The smear zone appeared to continue to the area below UST 2. Soil borings and groundwater sampling are planned to determine the extent of the remaining smear zone contamination and to assist in developing an appropriate remedy. Debra Caillouet
10/11/2007 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Debra Caillouet
3/27/2008 Update or Other Action Staff prepared comment on the 07 Biannual Groundwater Monitoring report and requested additional site characterization for the release from USTs 1 and 2. Debra Caillouet
6/17/2008 Site Characterization Report Approved 2007 Cold Bay Groundwater Monitoring Report, Fort Randall Formerly Used Defense Site, Final June 2008 The report incorporates acceptable responses to comments previously supplied by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and is approved. Debra Caillouet
7/31/2008 Site Characterization Workplan Approved Staff approved the Cold Bay Fort Randall Well Installation, Work Plan Addendum, DDA and EWR. The work will delineate the contamination of soil and groundwater remaining from UST1 that was located at the EWR. Preliminary findings of the drilling indicate that the plume is not impacting the local elementary school directly downgradient of the former UST location. Debra Caillouet
9/4/2008 Site Characterization Report Approved The 2008 Cold Bay Drilling report characterizes the extent of the smear zone associated with the release from UST1. Gasoline range organics were present up to 3543 mg/kg. The plume does not extend to the nearest occupied properties. Groundwater monitoring wells were installed to monitor the attenuation of the contamination in the groundwater. Debra Caillouet
10/13/2008 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other The draft 2008 Groundwater Monitoring report was reviewed and minor comment sent to the USACE. Debra Caillouet
12/1/2008 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other The final 2008 Groundwater Monitoring report was accepted. Debra Caillouet
2/24/2010 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Comment was sent to the Corps on the draft 2009 Monitoring Report Debra Caillouet
2/24/2011 Update or Other Action The Declaration of Project Closure Decision for Formerly Used Defense Site CON/HTRW Project Fort Randall Cold Bay ACS Com Site, Cold Bay, Alaska, F10AK084501 was signed for the four sites under this project. Drum Disposal Area/Beach Seep, Stapp Creek, East-West Runway and the CWB, Collasped Wooden Building. Debra Caillouet
6/10/2011 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other 2010 Cold Bay Annual Report, Draft May 2011, Fort Randall Formerly Used Defense Site. Comments sent, the main concern is increasing contaminataion at the EWR. Debra Caillouet
8/30/2011 Site Visit Debra Caillouet
9/2/2011 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other 2009 Cold Bay Annual Report, Fort Randall Formerly Used Defense Site, Final August 2011 Debra Caillouet
4/25/2012 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other 2010 Cold Bay Annual Report, Fort Randall Formerly Used Defense Site, Final April 2012 Debra Caillouet
12/7/2012 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other 2011 Cold Bay Annual Report, Fort Randall Formerly Used Defense Site, Final December 2012 ADEC is concerned that the East-West Runway site appears to have increasing groundwater contamination and that wells are compromised. The report has recommendations that were to be discussed with stakeholders but this has not happened. I would like to have a meeting to discuss this site, preliminary 2012 results and planning for 2013 actions. Debra Caillouet
12/21/2012 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Sampling Guidelines Supplement to the HVE/SVE Operation and Maintenance Manual, Draft-Revision 2, December 2012 Debra Caillouet
7/17/2013 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other 2012 Cold Bay Annual Report, Fort Randall Formerly Used Defense Site, Cold Bay Alaska, Final July 2013 Debra Caillouet
9/30/2013 Site Characterization Workplan Approved 2013 Well Installation Work Plan, East-West Runway and Drum Burial Area, Fort Randall Formerly Used Defense Site, Cold Bay Alaska, Final September 2013 Debra Caillouet
11/10/2014 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other 2013 Cold Bay Annual Report, Fort Randall, Final November 2014 Debra Caillouet
11/10/2014 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Final 2013 Well Installation EWR & DBA Report, Fort Randall, November 2014 Debra Caillouet
11/13/2014 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Draft Cold Bay Drum Removal Action Report, Fort Randall, Drum Burial Area, November 2014. The report documents the removal and proper disposal of buried drums, debris, asphalt and tar from two burial trenches and the removal of surficial tar/asphalt. Debra Caillouet
3/26/2015 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Cold Bay Fort Randall HTRW Operations and Maintenance, 2014 Annual Report, Revision 0, March 2015 The report presents the results of annual groundwater sampling events at the East West Runway (EWR) and the Beach Seep Area. The results showed that free product and groundwater contamination by petroleum products is still present in both areas. ADEC suggests that the report for next year include a statistical analysis of the groundwater contaminant concentrations at the EWR and a determination if the contamination has reached a steady or declining trend. Debra Caillouet
7/21/2015 Update or Other Action 2014 Operations and Maintenance Report. In 2014, exceedances were found in wells MW02, MW06, MW07, and MW08. Lead exceedances were measured in all of these wells. DRO exceeded the cleanup level in MW02 and MW07. GRO exceeded the cleanup level in MW02, MW06, and MW08. Free product was present in wells MW03 and MW05. Recommendations include: • Continued annual groundwater sampling • Biannual measurements of free product and water levels • Removal of free product using absorbent filter socks in wells and periodic hand-bailing In addition, the groundwater COC list should be re-evaluated for future groundwater monitoring at the EWR site because DRO exceeded the cleanup level at two wells. Note that the groundwater plume does not extend to the school Debra Caillouet
8/31/2015 Update or Other Action This file has been partially archived at Alaska Archives Barcode 896973 Box 407 Susan Carberry
2/17/2016 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 79884 name: Fort Randall Drum Burial Area Monte Garroutte
2/24/2016 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other DEC approved the 2015 Well Decommissioning Report, Drum Burial Area, Fort Randall, Cold Bay, Alaska. Four monitoring wells were decommissioned during the 2015 field activities at the Drum Burial Area (DBA) site. The wells were approved for decommissioning after 2013 analytical results indicated that all site contaminants of concern were below DEC cleanup levels in the groundwater. Monte Garroutte
2/24/2016 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) approved the Declaration of Project Closure Decision and No Department of Defense Action Indicated Report, Formerly Used Defense Site CON/HTRW Project, Fort Randall Drum Burial Area (F10AK0845-03), Cold Bay, Alaska. These documents described the site history, the selected remedy and implementation, and remaining contamination in soil and groundwater. Following removal activities, diesel range organics were left in place in the soil at 15 feet below ground surface in the north trench above the migration to groundwater cleanup level, but below the human health ingestion and inhalation cleanup levels. Monitoring wells were installed in the four cardinal directions around the drum trenches to determine if groundwater had been impacted, and the contaminants of concern were not detected above cleanup levels in any of the wells. The four wells were decommissioned in 2015. DEC concurred that this document meets the requirements of 18 AAC 75.380 – Final Reporting Requirements and Site Closure. Therefore, the Declaration of Project Closure Decision and No Department of Defense Action Indicated Report, Formerly Used Defense Site CON/HTRW Project, Fort Randall Drum Burial Area (F10AK0845-03), Cold Bay, Alaska, is approved as a site closure document. The contaminated sites program database file number 2538.38.019, Hazard ID 2863 – “Cold Bay Fort Randall-E-West Runway”, source area ID 79884 – “Fort Randall Drum Burial Area”, will be updated to indicate this source area has a “Cleanup Complete” with no ICs determination. File number 2538.38.019, Hazard ID 2863, will remain open until all source areas in the “Cold Bay Fort Randall-E-West Runway” site are closed. Monte Garroutte
6/22/2016 Site Visit Performed a site visit at all Cold Bay FUDS sites and attended a public meeting to present upcoming work. Monte Garroutte
9/2/2016 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other DEC approved the 2015 Annual Report. This report included groundwater monitoring at the E-W Runway site. Additional monitoring was recommended. Monte Garroutte
8/23/2017 Site Visit On August 23-24, DEC performed a site visit at all the Cold Bay Fort Randall FUDS sites: Beach Seeps Area (BSA)/Drum Disposal Area (DDA), UST 1 (formerly referred to as E-West Runway) and Milepost 4 (MP4) and Milepost 5 (MP5) areas. While visiting the High-Vapor Extraction (HVE) system in the BSA/DDA, DEC was notified that the HVE system had been experiencing mechanical problems and had been offline since June 2017. The HVE system was restored on August 22, 2017 but went offline again on August 23, 2017. At the time of the site visit, the contractor was working to restore the HVE system. In addition to the site visits, DEC also attended a public meeting to discuss results from previous years work and go over upcoming work. Erica Blake
9/19/2017 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other DEC has approved the 'Final 2016 Cold Bay Annual Report' dated August 2017, for Cold Bay Fort Randall Beach Seeps and E-West Runway sites. The final report describes the 2016 operations and maintenance (O&M) for the high-vacuum extraction (HVE) and bioventing treatment systems. The operational readiness of the HVE system dropped between 2015 and 2016, primarily due to the failure of both vacuum pumps and excessive turnaround time for repairs. It was recommended the HVE system should operate under a pulsing strategy since a 4-month forced system shutdown was effective at removing higher quantities of product. The 2016 bioventing activities (soil-gas monitoring), indicated lower levels of microbial activity were occurring across the extent of the drum disposal area (DDA) in comparison to previous years. Monitoring well results show diesel range organics (DRO) above cleanup levels across the DDA/Beach Seeps area. Stain along the beach continues to be visible. The final document also includes monitoring well results from the E-West Runway site (UST 1). DRO, gasoline range organics (GRO) and lead remain above cleanup levels. Erica Blake
10/10/2017 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other DEC provided a conditional approval on a work plan letter by the US Army Corp of Engineers that described upcoming fieldwork at the Beach Seeps/Drum Disposal Areas (BSA/DDA) and the UST 1 sites (formerly East-West Runway). Upcoming field activities are; groundwater sampling at all sites, measuring free product and water levels from the UST 1 monitoring wells, conduct soil gas monitoring from the soil gas probe locations and observe the beach seep stain. Upon completion of the annual sampling, broken components on the high-vapor extraction (HVE) system will be repaired and replaced so the system can be restored and remediation of the groundwater can continue. Erica Blake
2/20/2018 Meeting or Teleconference Held DEC met with USACE staff and contractors for a meeting regarding cleanup status at the Cold Bay-Fort Randall sites. Also discussed at the meeting were upcoming documents for DEC to review. Erica Blake
8/6/2018 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other DEC approved the 2017 Cold Bay Annual Report dated July 2018. The document describes 2017 operations and maintenance (O&M) at the Cold Bay high-vacuum extraction (HVE) and bioventing treatment systems and annual groundwater monitoring at the Drum Disposal Area (DDA)/Beach Seeps Area (BSA) and the Underground Storage Tank (UST) 1 site (formerly referred to as East-West Runway (EWR). Nine of the 27 monitoring wells at the DDA/BSA contained free product. Only two wells at the EWR site contained free product. DDA/BSA results indicate diesel range organics (DRO), residual range organics (RRO), benzene and total aromatic hydrocarbons (TAqH) remain above their respective cleanup levels. UST 1 results indicate DRO, gasoline range organics (GRO), ethylbenzene and lead to remain above their respective cleanup levels. Erica Blake
2/25/2019 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC approved the "FUDS 2019 Revised Cold Bay Operations and Maintenance Work Plan Addendum, Fort Randall, Cold Bay, Alaska". This revised work plan addendum (WPA) details general operations and maintenance (O&M) of onsite remediation systems, biannual and annual sampling, and general reporting for the Drum Disposal Area (DDA)/Beach Seep Area (BSA) and Underground Storage Tank (UST) 1 (formerly the East-West Runway [EWR] site) project sites at the Fort Randall Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS) (Property No. F10AK0845-02) in Cold Bay, Alaska (Figure 1-1). This revised 2019 WPA supplements the 2018 WPA (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers [USACE] 2018c). Darren Mulkey
4/23/2019 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC approved the "2018 Cold Bay Annual Report, Fort Randall, Cold Bay, Alaska". This report summarizes 2018 operations and maintenance (O&M) for the Cold Bay highvacuum extraction (HVE) and bioventing treatment systems, HVE system upgrades, and the annual groundwater monitoring results at the former Fort Randall site in Cold Bay, Alaska. The performance period of January through December 2018 was Year 20 of O&M for the HVE system and Year 11 of O&M for the bioventing treatment system. Darren Mulkey
3/31/2020 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) completed the first Periodic Review (PR) of the selected remedies for the Drum Disposal Area, Beach Seep Area, and the Underground Storage Tank-1 site (part of the former East-West Runway site) at the Fort Randall Formerly Used Defense Site in Cold Bay, Alaska. The purpose of this review is to ensure the remedies selected in the Decision Document (USACE 2005b) are performing effectively and continue to be protective of human health and the environment. Darren Mulkey
2/23/2023 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other DEC received a Findings and Determination of Eligibility (FDE) for the Cold Bay-Fort Randall (F10AK0845) Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS) on February 1, 2023. The document was reviewed, and DEC concurs with the findings described in the FDE. Erica Blake

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