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Site Report: Saint Michael Former Airstrip

Site Name: Saint Michael Former Airstrip
Address: Old Airport Way, Saint Michael, AK 99659
File Number: 640.38.002
Hazard ID: 2939
Status: Informational
Staff: Dawn Wilburn, 9072628200 dawn.wilburn@alaska.gov
Latitude: 63.482500
Longitude: -162.030300
Horizontal Datum:

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

Contamination has been identified near the former airstrip with seeps occurring along one side of the airstrip, near the footpath to the school (within 100' to 150' from the school), and along the A/C store foundation. Contamination first documented in July 1997. The source of the latitude and longitude data is from the EG&G report. ADOT is identified as RP, but it is likely that contamination occurred long before land belonged to them. Work has been done and is ongoing in the area through the NALEMP program because of FUDS status of former Fort St. Michael. Brownfield tracking through cross-referenced file no. 640.57.001. Update 7/26/2023: This site is being retained for historical purposes. Sites have been extracted from this entry. See associated sites for more information.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
7/7/1999 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Initial ranking. Deborah Williams
11/18/1999 Site Added to Database DRO, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylene contamination. Deborah Williams
11/18/1999 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Site reranked. Williams reports that site is not near school. Site Access Value changed from 3 to 2. Surface water is > 1 mile away, so SW Exposure Index Value changed from 0.4 to 0. Williams questions validity of report with high concentration levels. Basically, the site is a tar pit from the turn of the century. Dennis Harwood
4/6/2000 Update or Other Action Received EPA report on Fort Saint Michael regarding tar pits dated February 2000. In that report samples were taken of the tar pits which resulted in the following: Tar pit 100 yards from shore - DRO 19,000 ppm, RRO 29,000 ppm, Phenanthrene 71,000 ppm. Tar pit near the old airstrip - DRO 27,000 ppm, RRO 38,000 ppm, Phenanthrene 63,000 ppm, Chrysene 34,000 ppm. Deborah Williams
1/2/2003 Update or Other Action Changed toxicity in ranking to 1 for tar instead of 2 for diesel. Sample results indicate high levels of DRO in the tar, but the contaminant is tar. Deborah Williams
11/26/2004 GIS Position Updated Updated position for site using All Topo Maps (NAD 27). Reference material was site map from report. Deborah Williams
9/18/2006 Brownfields Award Site ranked and approved for assessment through the DEC Brownfield Assessment process. Notification letter sent to applicant. Brownfield File No. 640.57.001 set up to track brownfield assessment work. FY 2007 EPA State and Tribal Response Program (STRP) funds $16,730 awarded to the Native Village of St. Michael for a Phase I ESA on the St. Michael former airstrip. NTP# 18-9028-15. Current status: Phase I research. Work is being conducted under Native American Lands Environmental Mitigation Program (NALEMP). John Carnahan
10/25/2006 Update or Other Action Changed project manager from Deborah Williams to Sonja Benson since the project will be a part of the brownfield assessment program. John Carnahan
12/12/2006 Meeting or Teleconference Held Stakeholder meeting with community and DEC term contractor who will do the Phase I ESA of former airstrip. Main areas of concern include the tar areas and a former dump. NALEMP has been active here and has done some preliminary drum removal and other work on parts of subject and adjacent properties. School construction on the old airstrip is planned for summer 2007. Sonja Benson
5/10/2007 GIS Position Updated Updated using DEC Web map - located on landing strip as per USGS topo map. John Carnahan
5/23/2007 Site Visit Site visit for Phase I ESA through DEC Brownfield Assessment program. Sonja Benson
6/25/2007 Update or Other Action Draft Phase I ESA received. Areas of concern documented included "tar pits" (see Hazard ID 27877) at southern boundary of airstrip and adjacent property, former dump at north end of airstrip, former barrel and battery dumpsite also at the north end, and a former drum disposal area. Site activities in 2006 by NALEMP included removal of empty barrels, but it is unknown whether all batteries and barrels were removed nor what surface or subsurface impacts may remain. The dumpsite has not been characterized, and the contractor provided recommendations for management of the tar stained areas. Sonja Benson
7/16/2007 Update or Other Action Final Phase I ESA report transmitted to environmental coordinator in St. Michael following comment resolution and final approval of report. Plan to follow up with community on further discussion of findings. Sonja Benson
5/11/2012 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter Sent today to the Village of Saint Michael, NALEMP Project Manager Debra Caillouet
6/3/2014 Site Characterization Workplan Approved The 2014 NALEMP work plan was approved. Investigation will cover the Bakery, Barrel and Battery Dump, US Shipyard and West Target Range Debra Caillouet
10/31/2014 Site Characterization Report Approved Native Village of St. Michael Native American Lands Environmental Mitigation Program Fiscal Year 2013 Cooperative Agreement 2014 Site Investigation Report The report characterizes lead contamination remaining at multiple sites within St. Michael. The report is approved by ADEC under 18 AAC 75.335, Site Characterization. Debra Caillouet
10/31/2014 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 79683 name: Lead Debra Caillouet
12/22/2015 Update or Other Action Letter sent requesting workplan by 2/15/2016 for additional characterization. Kara Kusche
2/19/2016 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Draft Lead-Contaminated Soil Removal Action Workplan received by ADEC. Workplan proposes to excavate and remove lead contaminated soil from the Bakery and former US Shipyard locations, collect soil samples, containerize and ship contaminated soil off-site, and prepare a Removal Action Completion Report. Kara Kusche
3/11/2016 Site Characterization Workplan Approved Letter sent from ADEC that approves the Draft Lead Contaminated Soil Removal Action Work Plan with several ADEC comments to be incorporated. A revised and final copy of the workplan is requested by 4/15/2016. Kara Kusche
5/3/2016 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC receives copy of Lead Contaminated Soil Removal Work Plan. Work plan did incorporate ADEC comments made on 3/11/2016. Kara Kusche
5/4/2017 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC issues comments on the March 2017 Draft Lead-Contaminated Soil Removal Action Report (received by ADEC 3/31/17). The US Shipyard Large Building, US Shipyard Small Building, and small area southwest of the Medium Building appear to be eligible for no further action. The Bakery and US Shipyard Medium Building/Drum Dump area are not eligible for closure at his time because lead does not meet the cleanup level of 400 mg/kg, and there is not a regulatory definition for a “deminimus” amount of lead contamination. A favorable 95% UCL calculation or additional soil removal will be required for site closure at the Bakery and US Shipyard. Kara Kusche
6/23/2017 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC receives final draft of "Lead Contaminated Soil removal Action Report." A 95% Upper Confidence Limit calculation was performed on the data from the US Shipyard medium building drum dump area, and the result was 212 mg/kg lead, below the ADEC cleanup level of 400 mg/kg. Kara Kusche
6/28/2017 Site Characterization Report Approved ADEC approves the "Lead Contaminated Soil removal Action Report." Kara Kusche
8/23/2018 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC issues comments on the "Lead and Tar-Contaminated Soil Removal Work Plan." This work plan is to remove all remaining lead contamination at the bakery, and remove tar contamination from Area 13. Kara Kusche
10/25/2018 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC receives responses from the consultant relating to ADEC comments on the work plan. ADEC reviews the responses and provides additional comments, with most responses accepted. Use of Method 2 cleanup levels is requested by ADEC. Kara Kusche
1/4/2019 Site Characterization Workplan Approved ADEC approves the "Native American Lands Environmental Mitigation Program (NALEMP) Fiscal Year 2018 Cooperative Agreement, Lead and Tar-Contaminated Soil Removal Work Plan, Saint Michael, Alaska" dated December 2018. Kara Kusche
8/31/2019 Offsite Soil or Groundwater Disposal Approved ADEC approves the transport an disposal of 230 yards of lead/tar contaminated soils to Columbia Ridge Landfill in Oregon. Soils originated form the Bakery and Tar Storage areas of concern. Kara Kusche
2/26/2020 Update or Other Action File # 640.57.001 consolidated into 640.38.002 on this date. Cascade Galasso-Irish
4/6/2020 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC reviews and comments on the "Draft Lead and Tar Contaminted Soil Removal Report" dated January 2020. Jessica Hall
7/7/2020 Site Characterization Report Approved Sent RP an Approval letter for the Final Lead-and Tar-Contaminated Soil Removal Report - Saint Michael Former Airstrip, dated April 2020 and received by The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation June 26, 2020. Workplan also requested from the RP. The Tar-Stained Area Milligrock Property, was field screened and sampled. The analytical results of the 24 confirmation samples indicated concentrations of DRO, RRO, and PAHs above the ADEC cleanup levels in all three sidewall samples and all but two of the samples collected from the excavation base. Jessica Hall
8/8/2023 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Sent RP comments on Work Plan for Soil Removal and Site Investigation at Tar Contaminated Area (Area 13) submitted on July 2023. Requested an updated report be submitted. Dawn Wilburn
12/13/2024 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other DEC reviewed the Draft Tar-Contaminated Site Removal Action Report. The report details removal actions completed by the Native Village of St. Michael under the Fiscal Year 2022 Native American Lands Environmental Mitigation Program (NALEMP) Cooperative Agreement (CA) with the Department of Defense (DoD). Forty cubic yards (cy) of soil were removed from a 355-square foot area. Residual tar remains in the area, and is recommended for removal with subsequent NALEMP funding. Tim Sharp

Contaminant Information

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State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation

P.O. Box 111800
Juneau, AK 99811-1800
Phone: 907-465-5066
Fax: 907-465-5245
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