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Site Report: Lonely AFS Dewline - Landfill LF007

Site Name: Lonely AFS Dewline - Landfill LF007
Address: Point Lonely, Nuiqsut, AK 99789
File Number: 320.38.004
Hazard ID: 2926
Status: Cleanup Complete
Staff: No Longer Assigned, 9074655229 dec.icunit@alaska.gov
Latitude: 70.913230
Longitude: -153.257654
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 Point Lonely SRRS was constructed in 1953 as an auxiliary Distant Early Warning Line Station and was active until 1989. In 1993, the Point Lonely installation was converted to an SRRS, which operated until 2005. It is situated approximately one-mile west of Pitt Point and occupies approximately 1,800 acres consisting of manmade gravel pads and undisturbed tundra. The nearest communities are Nuiqsut, located 75 miles southeast, and Barrow, located approximately 85 miles northwest. Prudhoe Bay/Deadhorse is located approximately 150 miles to the southeast. LF007 is an old un-permitted dump-site (landfill) that received waste from the Point Lonely SRRS between 1955 and 1976. It is located near the western edge of a saltwater lagoon and occupies an area of approximately 0.63 acres. It is bordered by undisturbed tundra to the north and south, a saltwater lagoon to the east, and a gravel pad to the west, with native tundra located approximately 150 feet further west. A majority of the solid waste and contaminated soil that was historically present within LF007 was removed during the execution of the Clean Sweep activities performed by the USAF in 2008 and 2009.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
9/2/1995 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = RI - Remedial Investigation). Action date used is the date of the Air Force Relative Risk Evaluation Worksheet, which indicates the site is in the RI phase. Former Staff
3/3/1997 Site Added to Database Site added by Shannon and Wilson. S&W
2/6/2003 Site Number Identifier Changed Changed the Region from 36 to 31 and Sequence Number from 10 to 06. Former Staff
9/5/2003 Site Number Identifier Changed Changed the Workplan from X9 to X1. Former Staff
9/17/2003 Update or Other Action Staff completed a site visit of Bullen Point and Point Lonely Distant Early Warning Sites in order to determine the condition of their dump sites and the erosion impacts. The dump sites at both places are on the lagoon-side of the facilities so are not experiencing the dramatic effects of erosion that have been seen at Oliktok or Barter Island. However, the face of the dumps are becoming exposed and there is debris in the adjacent surface water bodies. These sites will need to addressed during the Air Force’s Clean Sweep Operations. Another issue was identified at Point Lonely, though, that requires immediate attention. The ocean-side of the facility has lost over 150 feet of shoreline this summer. This has caused a pump house (deactivated) to collapse on to the beach. It appears there was a small fuel release when the building and pipes collapsed. PERP was on site and had the Air Force take samples to determine the extent. Additional actions will be taken upon receipt of the results. Ann Farris
6/1/2005 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Initial site ranking. Emily Youcha
6/1/2005 Site Characterization Workplan Approved Staff approved a remedial investigation/feasibility study workplan for the site. Work will be conducted in July/August 2005. Samples will be collected for DRO/RRO, GRO, BTEX,VOCs, PCBs, metals, and PAHs. Emily Youcha
7/25/2005 Update or Other Action Staff attended a site visit to Pt Lonely AFS on July 18 with BLM representatives. Debris from the landfill can be seen at the edge of the lagoon. Emily Youcha
7/29/2005 Meeting or Teleconference Held Contaminated Sites staff is working with the Air Force on creating a template for ecological and human health risk assessments covering six sites across the North Slope, including this site. The Air Force determined it needs to conduct base-line risk assessments at these sites prior to making cleanup decisions on them. Developing a template is an effort to make the process more efficient. Emily Youcha
12/8/2005 Meeting or Teleconference Held Staff attended the Restoration Advisory Board meeting in Barrow and provided a summary of the current activites at the site. Emily Youcha
3/21/2006 Update or Other Action Staff received a copy of the 2005 draft RI/FS. Staff participated in a meeting with the BLM and the Air Force on February 17 to discuss the status of Pt. Lonely and a potential transfer of the Air Force Buildings to the North Slope Borough. Emily Youcha
5/15/2006 Update or Other Action Staff reviewed the RI/FS for this site. PCBs were detected in 1 of 2 sediment samples. Selenium was detected in surface water at a concentration of 358 ug/L, above the screening criteria. It is unknown if the selenium is naturally occuring or anthropogenic. DRO was detected in landfill soils above Method One cleanup levels in 6 of 12 samples. RRO was detected above Method One cleanup levels in 4 of 12 samples. Stained gravels were seen in several test pits. The estimated size of the landfill is 27,000 square feet. The density and thickness of debris is variable. The average thickness is probably 3.5 ft. The estimated volume of the landfill is 3500 cu. yds, not including the cap. Erosion of the site is estimated to be lower than the average rates for Pt. Lonely due to the protective lagoon. Emily Youcha
5/26/2006 Update or Other Action Contaminated Sites staff recently obtained term contractor review of a draft Air Force North Slope Risk Assessment Work Plan (RAWP). Comments were received from the term contractor, and a comment review teleconference was held with the term contractor risk assessor on 5/10/06. The RAWP seeks to develop risk based cleanup levels based on exposure pathways for categories of sites (e.g., garage sites) at Air Force radar stations in the north slope region. The work plan is generally well written, but some of the key items that need clarification are how data gaps will be handled at individual sites; determination of background levels for organics and inorganics; how it will be determined whether a large water body is potentially affected by a site; and how toxicity will be determined for trichloroethylene. Emily Youcha
6/1/2006 Meeting or Teleconference Held Staff met with the Air Force to resolve comments on the 2005 RI/FS. It is thought that the cleanup of the landfill will result in decreased selenium concentrations in the adjacent lagoon. The thought is that the selenium may be natually occuring in the soil (although there is no background data), but the conditions in the landfill are anoxic resulting the the selenium going into solution. If the landfill is cleaned up, this will no longer occur. Long-term monitoring of the selenium after the landfill removal may be needed. Emily Youcha
7/11/2006 Meeting or Teleconference Held Staff performed a site visit to Pt. Lonely with the North Slope Risk Assessment team. Sites SS03 and SS02 are included as template sites, but nearly all sites at Pt Lonely were visited. The former location of the pumphouse was identified and has not yet eroded into the ocean. The coast continues to erode, particularly in the vicinity of the former Sewage Outfall site and little beach remains for vehicle or foot travel on the beach in that area. Emily Youcha
7/13/2006 Update or Other Action Contaminated Sites staff was informed by an Air Force contractor that Pacific Air Forces issued a policy regarding the cleanup of landfills. Apparently, only compliance funding (rather than the Defense Environmental Restoration Account) can be used for the cleanup of the landfills, even if hazardous substances are present in the landfill. Due to the lack of compliance funding, many landfills are not programmed for clean up until 2013 at the earliest, including the Point Lonely DEW Line landfill. However, the Air Force project manager for Oliktok believes compliance funds for removal of the Oliktok eroding landfill are secured and available for the 2007 performance-based contract cleanup. Emily Youcha
8/18/2006 Meeting or Teleconference Held Contaminated Sites staff met with the Air Force and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to discuss the upcoming cleanup at Point Lonely Air Force Station. This site is located in a right-of-way on BLM property and the Air Force has to meet several environmental requirements before relinquishing the property. The Air Force requested to re-open a permitted landfill at Point Lonely for one time use to deposit demolition debris and low-level petroleum-contaminated soil. BLM is hesitant to approve it because landfills built on BLM property are not consistent with their policy. Emily Youcha
7/11/2007 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Intitial Ranking Complete for Source Area: 73902 (Autogenerated Action)
10/25/2007 Meeting or Teleconference Held DEC staff attended Barrow Restoration Advisory Board meeting. Tamar Stephens
12/11/2007 Risk Assessment Report Approved ADEC received the Final Risk Evaluation Report – Alaska North Slope Radar Installation Sites on November 6, 2007. This report meets the requirements of the ADEC Contaminated Sites Program Risk Assessment Procedures Manual, adopted by reference in 18 AAC 75.340. An approval letter was sent to Dave Cook, Program Manager HQ PACAF/A7NR, on December 10, 2007 This project identified categories of sites that are common on remote Air Force installations in the North Slope region of Alaska and developed conceptual site models and human health and ecological risk based screening levels for four of these categories: garage sites, fuel storage sites, non-fuel storage sites, and transformer sites. The project developed templates for conducting human health and ecological risk evaluations for these categories and performed a risk evaluation as a test case for one example of each type of site. The final report contains guidance on applying the process to other North Slope region sites. It may be used on a site-specific basis as a tool to assist in assessing potential risks posed by North Slope Air Force installation sites. Tamar Stephens
12/13/2007 Public Notice Public meeting was held in Barrow to present Proposed Plan. Public comment period: 12/13/2007 - 1/11/2008. DEC contaminated sites staff attended. Tamar Stephens
7/10/2008 Meeting or Teleconference Held DEC staff attended Barrow Restoration Advisory Board meeting. Tamar Stephens
7/30/2008 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Staff reviewed and approved the Draft Quality Assurance Program Plan for 2008 Clean Sweep Activities (Cleanup Plan) for USAF Point Lonely SRRS. This work plan describes the cleanup activities that will be conducted at the Point Lonely SRRS during 2008. Activities specific to Landfill LF007 are excavation of buried material and contaminated soil from the site, with off-site disposal of soil that exceeds 18 AAC 75.341 Method 2 cleanup levels. Soil with petroleum contamination below Method 2 may be landspread at SS005. Inert debris is planned for disposal through an expansion of onsite landfill LF011. Tamar Stephens
8/5/2008 CERCLA ROD Approved Decision document signed. Decision document was signed by Colonel Brent Johnson, USAF, on 8/4/2008 and by DEC Environmental Program Manager John Halverson on 8/5/2008. Key elements of the selected remedy are excavation of buried material and contaminated soil; off-site disposal at treatment, storage, or dispoal facilities of soil that exceeds 18 AAC 75.341 Tables 2A and 2B Method 2 cleanup levels for the arctic zone; landspreading of petroleum contaminated soil below Method 2 cleanup levels; landfilling of inert debris in an expansion of Point Lonely landfill LF011. Tamar Stephens
8/5/2008 Cleanup Level(s) Approved Cleanup levels were approved with signing of the Decision Document on 8/29/2008. Cleanup levels are the Method One Arctic Zone cleanup levels from 18 AAC 75.341 Table A2 for DRO and RRO, and Method Two Arctic Zone Table B1 cleanup levels for PCBs or other compounds. Tamar Stephens
8/29/2008 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Staff reviewed and sent comments on the Draft Quality Assurance Program Plan (cleanup work plan) for 2009 Clean Sweep Activities at the U.S. Air Force Point Lonely Short Range Radar Station, Alaska. Tamar Stephens
10/13/2008 Meeting or Teleconference Held DEC staff attended Barrow Restoration Advisory Board meeting. Tamar Stephens
3/12/2009 Meeting or Teleconference Held DEC staff attended Barrow Restoration Advisory Board meeting. Tamar Stephens
7/17/2009 Cleanup Plan Approved Staff approved the Final Quality Assurance Program Plan (Cleanup Plan) for 2009 Clean Sweep Activities to continue cleanup started in 2008. Tamar Stephens
12/13/2009 Meeting or Teleconference Held DEC staff attended Barrow Restoration Advisory Board meeting. Tamar Stephens
3/17/2010 Meeting or Teleconference Held DEC staff attended Barrow Restoration Advisory Board meeting. Tamar Stephens
3/18/2010 Meeting or Teleconference Held DEC staff attended Barrow Restoration Advisory Board meeting. Tamar Stephens
4/21/2010 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Staff reviewed and sent comments on the Draft Cleanup Report for 2008-2009 Clean Sweep Activities, Point Lonely Short Range Radar Station, Alaska. This report describes cleanup actions that were performed during 2008 and 2009 at the Point Lonely Short Range Radar Station. Tamar Stephens
6/17/2010 Meeting or Teleconference Held DEC staff attended Barrow Restoration Advisory Board meeting. Tamar Stephens
7/29/2010 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Staff reviewed and sent comment on the draft Point Lonely Work Plan for 2010 Site Activities. The work plan describes activities to be conducted at Point Lonely during summer 2010. Tamar Stephens
8/23/2010 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Contaminated sites staff sent an approval letter for the final Work Plan for 2010 Site Activities (August 2010) for Point Lonely Short Range Radar Station on August 9, 2010. The work plan describes activities to be conducted at Point Lonely during August 2010: Soil sampling to delineate the remaining petroleum contaminated soil at the Drum Storage Area (SS002); Surface water sampling at the Old Landfill (LF007); Inspection of LF007 for surface erosion or exposed solid waste; Surface and active zone water sampling at the South Landfill (LF011/partial relocation of LF007); Surface water sampling at the Landspread Area (SS006) to verify water quality standards are not exceeded; Visual inspection of LF011 for subsidence, erosion, and revegetation; Identification and mapping of above-ground and below-ground fuel pipelines for removal and disposal under future clean sweep activities; Performing a topographic survey of approximately 23 acres on the south side of the runway, toward the eastern end, as a potential future landfill site; Perform a top-of-bluff survey as part of an ongoing effort to track coastal erosion at the facility; Inspecting contents of the hangar. Tamar Stephens
10/14/2010 Meeting or Teleconference Held DEC staff attended Barrow Restoration Advisory Board meeting. Tamar Stephens
3/17/2011 Meeting or Teleconference Held DEC project manager Tamar Stephens attended Barrow Restoration Advisory Board Meeting. Tamar Stephens
9/1/2011 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Staff reviewed and sent comments on the draft 2010 Supplemental Remedial Investigation and Pipeline Survey report for U.S. Air Force Point Lonely Short Range Radar Station (SRRS). Tamar Stephens
10/13/2011 Meeting or Teleconference Held DEC project manager Tamar Stephens attended Barrow Restoration Advisory Board Meeting. Tamar Stephens
11/14/2011 Update or Other Action ) Landfill contents were excavated during 2008 and 2009. 2) Soil was disposed as follows: • POL soil > Method 2 was disposed off site (30 yd) • PCB soil >5 mg/kg disposed off site (160 yd); • PCB soil between 1-5 mg/kg: 160 yd disposed off site and 1,605 yd currently stored in hangar • No POL soil landspread: 5,110 yd with debris disposed in LF011; 1,125 yd with debris currently stored in hangar. • Lead-contaminated soil currently stored in hangar (20 yd) 3) Inert wastes: 250 yd disposed in LF011; 50 yd currently stored in hangar. Soil stockpile area: approx. 200 yds scraped from surface, then sampled. Confirmation samples show it meets method 1 cleanup levels for POLs; <1 mg/kg PCBs. Still has small solid waste items in soil. Debra Caillouet
6/11/2014 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Draft Remedial Cleanup/Building Demolition and Debris Removal Work Plan, Point Lonely Short Range Radar Station, AK, June 2014 Debra Caillouet
3/2/2015 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Draft Construction Completion Report #2, 2014 Building Demolition, Point Lonely Short Range Radar Station, AK, February 2015 Debra Caillouet
3/10/2015 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Comment was sent on the Draft Construction Completion Report #1, LF007 (Old Dump Site No. 1), Point Lonely Short Range Radar Station, AK, February 2015. Debra Caillouet
4/14/2015 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Draft Final LF007 Point Lonely CCR #1 ADEC does not accept the characterization that was completed for LF007 for use in determining what portions exceed the Method 1 cleanup levels. There are two main concerns. The response to the comment on the interpretation of the silica gel cleanup does not include any narrative explaining why the chromatograms show the presence of naturally occurring organics. The guidance requires this to support any contention that biogenic interference has elevated the sample results and that based on this they are not above cleanup levels. The InterpretationofChromatograms.pdf” is just a set of the chromatograms. The SGS case narratives say either “unknown hydrocarbon” or “middle distillate”. There is no evidence that a person with experience reviewing biogenic material in chromatograms looked at these and made a determination. There has been no documentation that the MI samples were managed or prepared in accordance with the ADEC guidance. The 30 g aliquots were not collected by weight and there is no demonstration that any attempt to achieve uniformly sized aliquots. There is no demonstration that the samples were dried and sieved. One sample was reported at 27% solids which demonstrates that the samples were not dried. This rejection of the characterization data requires a revision to the work plan submitted for the 2015 season. Debra Caillouet
5/12/2015 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other In response to an emailed comment response a letter was sent that concluded: ADEC does not accept the characterization of LF007 as sufficient to determine locations where the cleanup levels have been met. The DUs that were confirmed to be above the cleanup levels can be managed as contaminated soil for the 2015 field work. All other DUs are either to be resampled appropriately or managed as contaminated soil. Debra Caillouet
7/24/2015 CERCLA Remedial Design/Remedial Action Plan Approved Final UFP-QAPP for Remedial Activities at Point Lonely Short Range Radar Station, AK, Revision 1 July 2015 Debra Caillouet
7/31/2015 Update or Other Action Transfer to Fairbanks Susan Carberry
8/4/2015 Update or Other Action Project management changed from Caillouet to Carnahan. John Carnahan
8/7/2015 Meeting or Teleconference Held Teleconference with BEM contracting and AF representatives to discuss site status and closure determination for LF007. Approval of closure sampling requirements summarized in email to AF RPM. John Carnahan
8/27/2015 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other The revised approach submitted on August 27, 2015 consisting of re-sampling the Pt. Lonely Modular Train using an ISM approach is approved. John Carnahan
10/7/2015 Meeting or Teleconference Held Review CA14-16 and CA16-18 JEPs. Complete State Performance Reporting. John Carnahan
4/8/2016 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Provide comments on Draft LF007 Remedial Action Completion and Site Closure Report for Old Dump Site No. 1. John Carnahan
9/14/2016 Cleanup Complete Determination Issued Cleanup Complete Determination with no IC requirement issued. John Carnahan
1/17/2017 Update or Other Action Stephen Krause replaces Lori Roy as the AF RPM for Barter, Bullen, Wainwright, Lisburne, Point Lonely, Oliktok, Lake Louise, Big Mtn and Duncan Canal. John Carnahan

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments
DRO < Method 2 Most Stringent Soil
PCBs - Total < Method 2 Most Stringent Soil
RRO < Method 2 Most Stringent Soil
Lead - Total < Method 2 Most Stringent Soil

Control Type

Type Details
No ICs Required

Requirements

Description Details
Advance approval required to transport soil or groundwater off-site.
Movement or use of contaminated material (including on site) in a manner that results in a violation of the water quality standards is prohibited (18 AAC 70)

No associated sites were found.

Missing Location Data

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