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Site Report: BLM Legacy Well Umiat Test Well #7 (FUDS)

Site Name: BLM Legacy Well Umiat Test Well #7 (FUDS)
Address: ~0.75 Mile NE of Umiat, ~0.25 of East Runway End, Nuiqsut, AK 99789
File Number: 335.38.001
Hazard ID: 3091
Status: Active
Staff: Kelly Walker, 9074512166 kelly.walker@alaska.gov
Latitude: 69.373889
Longitude: -152.103333
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

Site consists of an approximately 40,000 foot area around Well 7, impacted by former well-drilling activities, but does not include the actual wellhead. Site has impacts resulting from exploratory oil well drilling activities conducted in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. Site is located in shallow surface water in a wetlands tundra area. Site investigations in 1997 and 1998 identified diesel and residual range organics and lead contamination in the soil/sediment. Umiat Test Well No. 7 is located about ¾ mile northeast of Umiat approximately ¼ mile from the east end of the runway. See Umiat Former Air Force Station, reckey 198931X902511, for actions prior to June 2004. Prior to this time, the entire Umiat facility was managed as one site. In June, 2004, the facility was broken out into separate sites for the Main Gravel Pad, Airstrip Complex, Landfill and Seasonal Slough, 11 former Navy Test Wells, and Umiat Lake.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
6/14/2004 Site Added to Database DRO, RRO and lead. Tamar Stephens
9/10/2007 Update or Other Action Tamar Stephen (DEC) conducted a site visit by helicopter along with Corps of Engineers project manager Mary Jemin and project engineer Bob Haviland. Tamar Stephens
10/25/2007 Meeting or Teleconference Held Contaminated sites staff Tamar Stephens attended Barrow Restoration Advisory Board Meeting. Tamar Stephens
3/12/2008 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed. Tamar Stephens
7/10/2008 Meeting or Teleconference Held Contaminated sites staff Tamar Stephens attended Barrow Restoration Advisory Board Meeting. Tamar Stephens
10/13/2008 Meeting or Teleconference Held Contaminated sites staff Tamar Stephens attended Barrow Restoration Advisory Board Meeting. Tamar Stephens
3/12/2009 Meeting or Teleconference Held Contaminated sites staff Tamar Stephens attended Barrow Restoration Advisory Board Meeting. Tamar Stephens
9/17/2009 Meeting or Teleconference Held Contaminated sites staff Tamar Stephens attended Barrow Restoration Advisory Board Meeting. Tamar Stephens
12/3/2009 Meeting or Teleconference Held Contaminated sites staff Tamar Stephens attended Barrow Restoration Advisory Board Meeting. Tamar Stephens
2/17/2010 Meeting or Teleconference Held Contaminated sites staff Tamar Stephens attended a Public Meeting in Nuiqsut. The Corps of Engineers presented a refesher on the 2003 Proposed Plan for the Umiat Test Wells, to support development of a decision document for closure of Umiat Test Wells 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, and 11. Umiat Test Well 1 has been closed (cleanup complete) and Test Well 9 will require cleanup of PCB contaminated soil. The Corps also gave update on work that is ongoing or planned for the near future at Umiat. Tamar Stephens
3/18/2010 Meeting or Teleconference Held Contaminated sites staff Tamar Stephens attended Barrow Restoration Advisory Board Meeting. Tamar Stephens
6/17/2010 Meeting or Teleconference Held Contaminated sites staff Tamar Stephens attended Barrow Restoration Advisory Board Meeting. Tamar Stephens
10/13/2010 Meeting or Teleconference Held Contaminated sites staff Tamar Stephens attended Barrow Restoration Advisory Board Meeting. Tamar Stephens
12/3/2010 CERCLA FS Contaminated Sites (CS) staff reviewed and approved a final Focused Feasibility Study (FFS) report for Umiat Test Wells 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, and 11. The draft report was written in 2003, but finalization of the report was never done until recently. The final report responded to comments made by CS staff seven years ago, and was finalized for the purpose of supporting a decision document. The test wells in the FFS all share similar characteristics in that they have either very limited pads or no pads, are surrounded by tundra, and have small volumes of soil that are contaminated with weathered fuel products. Accessing the sites to conduct any cleanup would require helicopter access or winter ice roads. The FFS evaluates five alternatives for treatment of soil at these sites, and concludes with the recommendation for no further action based on lack of risk. The department approved the Proposed Plan seven years ago, and a public meeting was held at the time, also recommending no further action at these well sites. The Corps of Engineers held a public meeting earlier this year to revisit the Proposed Plan due to the long lapse of time; CS staff attended the meeting. Tamar Stephens
12/3/2010 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Contaminated sites staff Tamar Stephens reviewed a Decision Document for no further action for Umiat Test Wells 2 and 5, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, and 11; and has recommended approval/signing the Decision document, subject to review by the Department of Law, and subject to establishing institutional controls for test wells with weathered diesel or residual range petroleum remaining above the Method 2 maximum allowable levels. Tamar Stephens
3/17/2011 Meeting or Teleconference Held Contaminated sites staff Tamar Stephens attended Barrow Restoration Advisory Board Meeting. Tamar Stephens
8/20/2013 Meeting or Teleconference Held Melody Debenham attended RAB meeting in Nuiqsut. Melody Debenham
2/17/2015 Meeting or Teleconference Held Attended RAB meeting Corps of Engineers FUDS program in Nuiqsut. Discussed status of Umiat sites. Melody Debenham
1/22/2016 Update or Other Action Provide DEC review comments to Umiat Test Well DD and Project Closeout Report. John Carnahan
11/8/2016 Update or Other Action Receive preliminary responses to DEC review and comment on Umiat Test Wells Decision Document and Project Close Out Report. John Carnahan
3/7/2017 Meeting or Teleconference Held Meeting with USCOE, BLM, DNR and DOT to discuss the status of the LF project. Meeting facilitated by USCOE. John Carnahan
6/19/2017 Site Visit Site visit to inspect multiple locations with USCOE representatives. Hike to site locations and inspect current status and recovery. John Carnahan
8/2/2017 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Provide approval for additional investigation at Drainage, Drum Mound, and Test Well No. 7. Marsh Creek WP addendum. John Carnahan
4/17/2019 Update or Other Action Restoration advisory board (RAB) meeting held in Utqiagvik. Update provided on Umiat and others. John Carnahan
11/13/2019 Meeting or Teleconference Held DEC staff participated in the Restoration Advisory Board meeting in Nuiqsut, where the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers discussed planned activities for Umiat FUDS sites. Melinda Brunner
7/24/2020 CERCLA FS DEC provided comments to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the "Draft 2020 Umiat Test Well #7 Feasibility Study, Formerly Used Defense Site, Umiat, Alaska" dated June 2020. The feasibility study proposes several alternative remedies to address lead contamination remaining in the area of Test Well #7 at Umiat. Eric Breitenberger
9/16/2020 CERCLA FS DEC evaluated the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' response to comments on the "Draft 2020 Umiat Test Well #7 Feasibility Study, Formerly Used Defense Site, Umiat, Alaska" dated June 2020. Evaluation provided to the Corps via email. Melinda Brunner
11/25/2020 Meeting or Teleconference Held DEC staff met with FUDS staff to discuss the Applicable or Relevant and Appropriate Requirements (ARARs) for the Test Well 7 Feasibility Study (FS), with a specific focus on the applicability of UECA as an ARAR. Jamie McKellar
12/30/2020 CERCLA FS DOCUMENT RECEIVED: Final 2020 Umiat Test Well #7 Feasibility Study, Formerly Used Defense Site, Umiat Alaska (USACE, December 2020) Jamie McKellar
2/19/2021 Meeting or Teleconference Held DEC staff, Department of Law, USACE, and USACE legal counsel had a teleconference to discuss disagreements about applicable or relevant and appropriate requirements (ARARs) related to the Test Well 7 Feasibility Study. Jamie McKellar
2/22/2021 CERCLA FS DEC issued a letter to USACE acknowledging receipt of the Final Feasibility Study for Test Well 7 at Umiat, which was submitted on December 30, 2020. In the acknowledgement letter, DEC reiterated its disagreement with USACE's dismissal of multiple state regulations as applicable or relevant and appropriate requirements (ARARs). Jamie McKellar

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
TDD: 800-770-8973
Physical Location: 410 Willoughby