Skip to content Skip to content

Site Report: Fort Greely Helicopter Refueling BRAC 121

Site Name: Fort Greely Helicopter Refueling BRAC 121
Address: South of Allen Army Field, Helicopter Fuel Area, Fort Greely, AK 99731
File Number: 141.38.072
Hazard ID: 3701
Status: Cleanup Complete
Staff: No Longer Assigned, 9074655229 dec.icunit@alaska.gov
Latitude: 63.988515
Longitude: -145.717993
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 Former Helicopter Refueling Area is also known as Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Site 121. At least two spills have been documented at this site, 200 gallons of JP-4 (January 1981) and 20 gallons of JP-4 (November 1981). Both spills were on the pavement, and were cleanup up using sorbents at the time. In 2008, an above ground refueling station and distribution system was constructed along the northern margin of the former refueling pad next to the airfield tarmac. Site investigation activities occurred in 1997, 1998, and 2010. Sampling results indicate contamination remains to a depth of 25 feet.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
2/8/2001 Site Added to Database Diesel fuel and SVOCs. Bruce Wanstall
11/7/2002 Update or Other Action Proposed Plan from SMDC pending. Greg Light
10/1/2004 Institutional Control Record Established In the October 2004 Draft Decision Document Fact Sheets, administrative controls (ACs)were established in order to minimize risk to human health and the environment. The site is included in the post’s Geographic Information System (GIS), a tool used in the Dig Permit process for notifying contractors, workers, and base personnel of the potential for contamination to exist at this site. The Dig Permit process is used to prevent installation of water production well(s) through the contaminated area, and prevent removal of contaminated material from the site to off-base locations or to environmentally sensitive areas. If future land disturbance activities at the site encounter contamination, the contaminated material encountered will be properly remediated or disposed of in accordance with applicable regulations. The site will be included in 5-year reviews to periodically verify compliance with the ACs. Emily Youcha
12/14/2004 Update or Other Action In 1997 two test pits were sampled for DRO, RRO, GRO, SVOCs, and BTEX. DRO concentrations up to 6,600 mg/kg and RRO up to 4,450 mg/kg. The data was later corrected by Jacobs (2001) and the DRO concentration was 600 mg/kg and RRO was 450 mg/kg. Emily Youcha
12/14/2004 Update or Other Action In 1998, three borings were drilled and DRO ranged up to 2,500 mg/kg at 25 feet bgs, exceeding Method Two migration to groundwater cleanup levels. Other analyte detections were below cleanup levels. Emily Youcha
12/14/2004 Update or Other Action This site will be placed in the compliance program for Fort Greely. Administrative controls have been established for the site. Emily Youcha
12/14/2004 Update or Other Action Site was ranked, and received an AHRM priority of Medium. Emily Youcha
12/20/2004 Update or Other Action ADEC reviewed a report titled "Comprehensive evaluation of groundwater monitoring program Fort Greely, Alaska". The report discussed the existing monitoring network at Fort Greely and the parameters evaluated in ground-water sampling events. ADEC recommended additional investigation into infiltration and vertical hydraulic gradients. ADEC also recommended additional monitoring wells in the Old Post area and more ground-water monitoring at certain specific sites. Emily Youcha
5/25/2005 Meeting or Teleconference Held Staff conducted a site visit of Fort Greely. Summer fieldwork is underway and includes soil gas surveys, drilling and sampling several deep boreholes, and installation of at least two new monitoring wells. Staff also attended a RAB meeting where the general public received an update on site work for this and upcoming seasons. Emily Youcha
6/9/2005 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Changed the Confirmed Release field from 0.5 to 1 based on the samples results indicated in the 12/14/04 Update action Comments. Former Staff
9/30/2005 Meeting or Teleconference Held taff particpiated in a Restoration Advisory Board Meeting for Fort Greely on September 28. Emily Youcha
11/28/2006 Update or Other Action Per project manager instructions assigned new file number to site. Old file number was 141.38.036, new file number 141.38.072. Wendy Uzzell
5/22/2007 Meeting or Teleconference Held Staff attended Interagency Coordination Meeting in Fairbanks. A summary of the past years and future remedial efforts was provided. Zachary Richter
5/23/2007 Meeting or Teleconference Held ADEC Staff attended a RAB meeting held in Delta Junction. The past years work at Fort Greely was summerized and future work projects were presented. Work at the North and South Tank Farms was highlighted. Zachary Richter
5/23/2007 Update or Other Action The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) received the Groundwater Monitoring and Data Analysis Work Plan Fort Greely, Alaska on April 27, 2007. This work plan abides by the 2005 Final Work Plan with modifications to the wells and analytical parameters to be monitored particularly the addition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon analysis at monitoring wells MW-12, MW-13, and MW-14. Additionally, the pump type used in sampling the monitoring wells will be changed by replacing the Grundfos Ready Flow pump with a QED Sample Pro 1.75 inch bladder pump and QED MP10 controller, or equivalent. All other sampling methodology will remain the same as the 2005 Final Plan. The final modification to the 2007 Work Plan is the addition of Volatile Organic Analysis/1,2-dibromoethane monitoring at drinking water wells ECP2 and ISFAC at the missile field. An updated list of wells to be monitored, and the parameter for analysis from each well, for upcoming sampling events has been provided to replace Table 5 of the 2005 Final Work Plan. ADEC has completed its review of this document and has found that the Groundwater Monitoring and Data Analysis Work Plan Fort Greely, Alaska for 2007 adequately meets the requirements set forth in 18AAC75.355, and with the addition of the previously agreed upon amendment, this work plan is approved. Zachary Richter
7/2/2007 Update or Other Action The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) has completed its assessment of the environmental laboratory data and quality assurance requirements as set forth in ADEC Technical Memorandum 06-002 for the Groundwater Monitoring 2006 Analytical Data Report Fort Greely, Alaska, February 2007. The report adequately addresses the requirements set forth by ADEC for both laboratory data packages and Quality Assurance (QA) Summaries, therefore the report is approved. Zachary Richter
3/27/2008 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed. Deborah Williams
11/5/2008 Meeting or Teleconference Held ADEC staff participated in the Restoration Advisory Board meeting for Fort Greely in Delta Junction. During the meeting, Glen Shonkwiler with the United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command presented the fieldwork that was completed during the 2008 field season at Fort Greely. The 2008 fieldwork included remediating the soil in the biocell at the South Tank Farm (STF); conducting further delineation of the subsurface soils at the STF; installing four groundwater monitoring wells in the Old Post area and downgradient of the STF; completing the investigation at the MOGAS fuel line in the Old Post area; conducting additional survey of the Jarvis Creek Munitions Burial site; and conducting additional investigation of the Building 675 vault. He also presented the work that was planned to be completed during 2009. Deborah Williams
10/21/2009 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC staff reviewed the document titled Draft 2008 Groundwater Monitoring and Data Analysis Report, Fort Greely, Alaska, dated March 2009. The Fort Greely groundwater monitoring program consists of monitoring wells that were installed during investigation activities on FGA from 1997 to the present. DEC approved a comprehensive groundwater monitoring approach in the 2005 Work Plan. Yearly modifications to the 2005 workplan are incorporated as needed to address environmental program objectives. Monitoring well locations and sampling frequency have been chosen to provide site specific monitoring where necessary, and comprehensive coverage for the old post and main cantonment areas of Fort Greely. Currently, a total of 30 wells are included in the groundwater monitoring program: 11 of these are sampled during the spring and fall on even numbered years, two drinking water wells are sampled quarterly, and 17 monitoring wells are sampled semi–annually. This report summarizes the 2008 groundwater monitoring efforts. A letter detailing staff comments has been provided to the Army. Tana Robert
7/23/2010 Site Characterization Workplan Approved Approved 2010 IRP Work Plan. Soil sampling is proposed at this site to charecterize perimeter soils surrounding the former refueling area. Melody Debenham
9/4/2013 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Approved the final groundwater sampling work plan for Ft. Greely. As part of the multi-year, post-wide groundwater monitoring program, groundwater samples will be collected from 35 wells. Melody Debenham
4/29/2015 Meeting or Teleconference Held Attended Restoration Advisory Board Meeting. Proposed work in 2015 includes post-wide groundwater monitoring, decommissioning unused monitoring wells, developing a Land Use Control and Long Term Maintenance Plan, and completing propose plans/no further action documents for 51 sites. Melody Debenham
8/28/2015 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Approved the Final 2015 Groundwater Monitoring and Data Analysis Work Plan Addendum for long-term post-wide groundwater monitoring at Fort Greely. Groundwater samples will be collected from 25 monitoring wells and 5 supply wells. Melody Debenham
9/2/2015 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Approved the Final 2014 Groundwater Monitoring and Data Analysis Report documenting the 2014 post-wide groundwater monitoring activities at Fort Greely. Analytical results from four monitoring wells at the BRAC 94 site were above cleanup levels for diesel range organics, gasoline range organics, and/or benzene. Results from one monitoring well at the South Tank Farm site were above the cleanup level for ethylene dibromide. All other results were either non-detect or below the cleanup level, including all supply well results. Melody Debenham
10/16/2015 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 74676 Former helicopter fueling pad. Melody Debenham
5/30/2023 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other DEC has completed a review of the Draft Environmental Summary Report (ESR) for the Helicopter Refueling Spill site, which summarizes the historical records, environmental investigations, and remedial actions. The intent of the document is to help determine if the site is eligible for closure or if additional remedial action is required. Comments were provided asking for more clarification on the site and delineated contamination. Tim Sharp
8/7/2023 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other DEC provided approval for the Final Environmental Summary Report: FGLY-072_Heli Refueling (121), Fort Greely AK (dated August 4, 2023) to the U.S. Army. The document summarizes the historical records, environmental investigations, and remedial actions for the site. All review comments were incorporated into the final document and were accepted. DEC will review the site file and assess the site for a Cleanup Complete Determination or request additional site work if there are data gaps. Tim Sharp
8/29/2023 Institutional Control Record Removed Institutional Controls have been removed. Tim Sharp
8/29/2023 Cleanup Complete Determination Issued The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Contaminated Sites Program (DEC) has completed a review of the environmental records associated with the Fort Greely Helicopter Refueling BRAC 121 site located at Fort Greely, Alaska. Based on the information provided to date, it has been determined that the contaminant concentrations remaining on site do not pose an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment and no further remedial action will be required unless information becomes available that indicates residual contaminants may pose an unacceptable risk. Tim Sharp

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments
DRO Between Method 2 Migration to Groundwater and Human Health/Ingestion/Inhalation 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

Because the GIS location data for this site has not been entered, we cannot direct you to its position on the map. Click "Continue" to proceed to the Contaminated Sites Web Map or "Close" to return to the site report.
Continue     Close