Site Report: Caribou Construction

Site Name:	Caribou Construction
Address:	Dalton Highway, Lot 2 Block 2000, Deadhorse, AK 99734
File Number:	300.38.193
Hazard ID:	3850
Status:	Cleanup Complete - Institutional Controls
Staff:	IC Unit, 9074655229 dec.icunit@alaska.gov
Latitude:	70.190110
Longitude:	-148.433800
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.

Site Chronology
IC / Closure Details
Documents
Associated Sites

Problems/Comments

A notice of violation was issued to Caribou Construction. The site is used as a staging area for a company that hauls fuel and supplies. The site is on a gravel pad and has a history of poor management practices related to fuel storage. There are three above ground fuel storage tanks on site: one 500 gallon used oil tank, one 2500 gallon diesel tank and one 2500 gallon used oil tank. Other contaminants of concern include 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene and anti-freeze. This site was formerly known as Pearsons of Alaska and their lessee, Mr. K. Fong, was evicted from the pad in 1992 after violations from unreported releases of fuel and dumping of batteries. Problem statement from Pearsons of Alaska as follows: " Extensive and undetermined amounts of contamination in the form of leaks, spills, and poor disposal practices. Potential of lead, hydrocarbon contamination, and waste oil contamination documented since 7/85. Documented surface water contamination and potential for off-site migration to adjacent wetlands. Extent of contamination appears to extend over 5 acre area. Health impact unknown." Site located approximately 1/3 mile south of the Deadhorse Airport, on the west side of the Dalton Highway. The company leases land from ADOT&PF.

Action Information

Action Date	Action	Description	DEC Staff
7/17/1985	Update or Other Action	(Old R:Base Action Code = FI - Field Inspection (General)). Cormack inspected after spill reported. Noted leaking waste oil drums, uncontained large tanks, 600 square feet of contaminated gravel pad and 300 square feet of contaminated tundra. As of 8/22/85 cleanup inadequate.	Rich Cormack
8/27/1985	Update or Other Action	(Old R:Base Action Code = FI - Field Inspection (General)). Cormack found entrance to pad partially blocked with 500 gallon leaking gasoline tank and that spill area had been covered with clean gravel.	Rich Cormack
7/14/1986	Update or Other Action	(Old R:Base Action Code = FI - Field Inspection (General)). Cormack found numerous spill area as well as broken truck batteries.	Rich Cormack
7/18/1986	Notice of Violation	NOV issued requiring cleanup of pad. Required contaminants be removed to Oxbow Oily Waste Landfill.	Former Staff
6/30/1989	Update or Other Action	(Old R:Base Action Code = MS - Monitoring/Sampling). 3 water surface samples had 2245, 1150 and 185 ppm TPH.	Former Staff
8/15/1990	Update or Other Action	(Old R:Base Action Code = FI - Field Inspection (General)). Nadem and Costello from DOT visited pad. Heavy contamination was visually observed and noted.	Mehrdad Nadem
5/3/1991	Update or Other Action	(Old R:Base Action Code = FI - Field Inspection (General)). Thomas determined that three contaminants of concern exist: petroleum hydrocarbons, lead from stacks of broken batteries and used motor oil.	Ben Thomas
9/6/1991	Update or Other Action	This is the date the Pearson site, which had Gravel pad petroleum contamination. was added to the DB.	Former Staff
9/6/1991	Site Ranked Using the AHRM	Initial ranking of the Pearson site.	Former Staff
1/6/1995	Site Number Identifier Changed	Old region of the Pearson site was 40.	Scott Rose
1/1/2001	Update or Other Action	Actions for this site prior to this entry were for Pearsons of Alaska and detail violations and cleanup activities associated with the Pearson pad leased by Mr. K. Fong. Mr Fong was evicted from the pad in 1992 and little is known of the activities conducted there until the complaint against Caribou Construction, who is the current RP. Actions afte this date are for Caribou Construction. The database entry for Pearson of Alaska, File # 300.38.027, Reckey #1985730119801 has been deleted.	Bill O'Connell
5/28/2002	Update or Other Action	Referral Recommendation describing a complaint by a former employee that an estimated 1500 gallon release occurred in mid-September 2001, oily water routinely dumped off pad to tundra, and two episodes of anti-freeze dumping out of the fuel tank onto the pad.	Elizabeth Stergiou
7/24/2002	GIS Position Updated		Linda Nuechterlein
7/24/2002	Site Ranked Using the AHRM	Initial ranking.	Elizabeth Stergiou
7/24/2002	Site Added to Database	Fuel and possible solvent contamination. Spill date is the approximate date of fuel release cited in the Department's May 28th Memorandum referral recommendation. Site transferred from PERP.	Linda Nuechterlein
7/29/2002	Update or Other Action	Spoke with Amanda Leffel (PERP), PERP will be overseeing site through initial site characterization, they will forward report and all information, approximately NOV-DEC timeframe.	Linda Nuechterlein
8/14/2002	Update or Other Action	August 14 - 23, I assisted PERP PM (Amanda) with work plan review and site characterization proposal. Amanda was on site 8/21 - 8/23.	Linda Nuechterlein
1/1/2003	Site Characterization Report Approved	Recieved Site Investigation and Characterization Report, January 2003. Report details soil sampling and groundwater sampling (collected from test pits) at the Caribou Construction pad. Soil containing DRO and/or GRO above Method One and benzene above Method Two cleanup levels. Porewater also contained benzene above Table C in several samples.	Bill O'Connell
6/13/2006	Update or Other Action	Phone Conversation with Rob Dixon of Caribou Construction - Mr. Dixon said that since 2003, Caribou Construction has been actively tilling and fertilizing petroleum impacted soil on the pad. They also installed a liner around the shop and quonset hut areas to keep contaminants under the buildings from migrating to other areas. I encouraged Mr. Dixon to hire a third party consultant to document and report this information. He indicated their intent was to remediate the pad soil to their own satisfaction, then hire a consultant to verify the cleanup over the entire pad. I followed up this conversation with a letter which reflects the discussion mentioned above, and reminds Caribou of ADEC's cost recovery procedures.	Bill O'Connell
7/27/2006	Update or Other Action	Site visit conducted this date. ADEC met with Rob Dixon who showed photos and other documentaiton of remedial efforts in the past few years. ADEC walked around the pad and conducted a shovel test at various surface water bodies adjacent to the pad. Shovel test showed fairly heavy sheening along the east and north sides of the pad and no sheen to the west and south. Mr. Dixon indicated a lack of employees would keep them from conducting remedial activities in 2006, but they intend to resume activities in 2007.	Bill O'Connell
8/5/2006	Update or Other Action	Letter sent to Caribou Construction clarifying current cleanup level guidance. ADEC informed Caribou that a conditional closure could be granted be achieving DRO concentrations of 2,200 mg/kg and that they need not pursue Method One cleanup levels, unless they were interested in unrestricted closure. The letter explained that, given the degree of historical contamination and the presence of off-pad sheen, unrestricted closure was not likely and their efforts would be better spent pursuing conditional closure.	Bill O'Connell
7/20/2007	Exposure Tracking Model Ranking		Bill O'Connell
7/23/2007	Update or Other Action	Phone conversation and email with Rob Dixon of Caribou. They will be excavating and landfarming the most contaminated area north of the shop building in Summer. Excavation will continue to the tundra interface and be backfilled with clean fill.	Bill O'Connell
8/22/2007	Update or Other Action	Site visit today. The area north of the shop building was excavated to tundra, mixed with fertilizer, and landfarmed on site just west of the excavated area, which was backfilled with clean gravel.	Bill O'Connell
9/14/2007	Update or Other Action	Caribou submitted a brief work plan describing investigation activities at Lot 2, south of the primary contaminated area of Lot 3. Caribou wishes to add gravel to Lot 2, raising the grade and making the pad more useful. Investigation is being conducted at the request of ADOT&PF who would like to pad characterized before additional gravel is added.	Bill O'Connell
11/5/2007	Site Characterization Report Approved	Four test pits were excavated at Lot 2. Three samples from each test pit were collected and screened in the field with a PID. The three samples with the highest PID readings were submitted for laboratory analysis. DRO was detected up to 1,020 mg/kg and benzene up to 0.022 mg/kg. Due to the nature and extent of contamination at Lot 2, ADEC will not require additional action at this time.	Bill O'Connell
3/11/2009	Update or Other Action	Email from Rob Dixon at Caribou Construction. Rob indicated the area around the shop and the south side of the pad was landfarmed and treated with fertilizer in 2008. Additional activities are planned in 2009 to address remaining hot spots.	Bill O'Connell
7/9/2010	Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other	Sampling and Analysis Plan reviewed for Caribou Construction. The objective of this sampling effort is to characterize the pad in advance of the installation of a Camp on the northeast corner of the pad. Soil borings/test pits will be excavated to one foot below the pad/tundra interface in 5 areas over a 100' x 100' area. Soil will be screened at one foot intervals with at least one analytical sample collected per test pit. Samples will be analyzed for DRO and ROO, and the sample with the highest DRO concentration will be analyzed for GRO, BTEX, and PAHs.	Bill O'Connell
8/17/2012	Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other	Reviewed 2012 Soil Boring Sampling Report for Caribou Construction. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the effectiveness of in-situ landfarming efforts conducted over the past several years and document the current conditions at the pad. Sixteen boreholes were advanced to 1-2 feet below the pad/tundra interface, field screening was conducted, and two soil samples were collected from the areas with the highest field screening results. DRO was detected above the Table 2A cleanup level of 500 mg/kg in 6 samples at concentrations up to 3,910 mg/kg at 2.5 feet bgs in borehole 12. Hydrocarbon contamination was generally focused north and east of the shop building, where a vertical barrier liner installed around 2004 is limiting the migration of contaminants from this area. Boreholes along the edge of the pad did not contain contaminants above cleanup levels except at borehole 4 in the northwestern corner of the pad, which had DRO at 1,040 mg/kg at 4 feet bgs. Hydrocarbon contamination is present primarily within the gravel pad material, samples below the pad/tundra interface generally did not indicate the presence of contamination. Surface water sampling is anticipated for later in 2012.	Bill O'Connell
7/1/2013	Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other	Reviewed Sampling and Analysis Plan for Caribou Construction. Five surface water samples will be collected from tundra ponds around the site and analyzed for TAH and TAqH.	Bill O'Connell
8/9/2013	Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other	Reviewed Surface Water Sampling Report for Caribou Construction. Samples were collected from 5 locations around the perimeter of the pad and field observations of sheen were recorded. Surface water samples did not contain contaminants above 18 AAC 70 Water Quality Standards and petroleum sheen was not observed at any location along the edge of the pad.	Bill O'Connell
9/17/2013	Exposure Tracking Model Ranking	A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 74825 Various spills.	Bill O'Connell
1/2/2014	Institutional Control Record Established	Institutional Controls established and entered into the database.	Bill O'Connell
1/2/2014	Cleanup Complete Determination Issued	The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Contaminated Sites Program (ADEC) has completed a review of the environmental records associated with Caribou Construction located in Deadhorse, 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 as long as the site is in compliance with established institutional controls.	Bill O'Connell
6/13/2024	Institutional Control Compliance Review	IC compliance review completed on this date. An IC reminder letter was issued to the landowner. The next review will be in five years’ time.	Gaige Robinson
6/28/2024	Institutional Control Update	Contacted by the current lessee of this property regarding a utility trenching project that will be done this summer. This project will not affect the shop building. I provided the Utility and Right of Way Tech Memo which allows for known petroleum contaminated soil to be placed back into the trench pit at about the same depth it originally was.	Evonne Reese

Action Date

Action

Description

DEC Staff

7/17/1985

Update or Other Action

(Old R:Base Action Code = FI - Field Inspection (General)). Cormack inspected after spill reported. Noted leaking waste oil drums, uncontained large tanks, 600 square feet of contaminated gravel pad and 300 square feet of contaminated tundra. As of 8/22/85 cleanup inadequate.

Rich Cormack

8/27/1985

Update or Other Action

(Old R:Base Action Code = FI - Field Inspection (General)). Cormack found entrance to pad partially blocked with 500 gallon leaking gasoline tank and that spill area had been covered with clean gravel.

Rich Cormack

7/14/1986

Update or Other Action

(Old R:Base Action Code = FI - Field Inspection (General)). Cormack found numerous spill area as well as broken truck batteries.

Rich Cormack

7/18/1986

Notice of Violation

NOV issued requiring cleanup of pad. Required contaminants be removed to Oxbow Oily Waste Landfill.

Former Staff

6/30/1989

Update or Other Action

(Old R:Base Action Code = MS - Monitoring/Sampling). 3 water surface samples had 2245, 1150 and 185 ppm TPH.

Former Staff

8/15/1990

Update or Other Action

(Old R:Base Action Code = FI - Field Inspection (General)). Nadem and Costello from DOT visited pad. Heavy contamination was visually observed and noted.

Mehrdad Nadem

5/3/1991

Update or Other Action

(Old R:Base Action Code = FI - Field Inspection (General)). Thomas determined that three contaminants of concern exist: petroleum hydrocarbons, lead from stacks of broken batteries and used motor oil.

Ben Thomas

9/6/1991

Update or Other Action

This is the date the Pearson site, which had Gravel pad petroleum contamination. was added to the DB.

Former Staff

9/6/1991

Site Ranked Using the AHRM

Initial ranking of the Pearson site.

Former Staff

1/6/1995

Site Number Identifier Changed

Old region of the Pearson site was 40.

Scott Rose

1/1/2001

Update or Other Action

Actions for this site prior to this entry were for Pearsons of Alaska and detail violations and cleanup activities associated with the Pearson pad leased by Mr. K. Fong. Mr Fong was evicted from the pad in 1992 and little is known of the activities conducted there until the complaint against Caribou Construction, who is the current RP. Actions afte this date are for Caribou Construction. The database entry for Pearson of Alaska, File # 300.38.027, Reckey #1985730119801 has been deleted.

Bill O'Connell

5/28/2002

Update or Other Action

Referral Recommendation describing a complaint by a former employee that an estimated 1500 gallon release occurred in mid-September 2001, oily water routinely dumped off pad to tundra, and two episodes of anti-freeze dumping out of the fuel tank onto the pad.

Elizabeth Stergiou

7/24/2002

GIS Position Updated

Linda Nuechterlein

7/24/2002

Site Ranked Using the AHRM

Initial ranking.

Elizabeth Stergiou

7/24/2002

Site Added to Database

Fuel and possible solvent contamination. Spill date is the approximate date of fuel release cited in the Department's May 28th Memorandum referral recommendation. Site transferred from PERP.

Linda Nuechterlein

7/29/2002

Update or Other Action

Spoke with Amanda Leffel (PERP), PERP will be overseeing site through initial site characterization, they will forward report and all information, approximately NOV-DEC timeframe.

Linda Nuechterlein

8/14/2002

Update or Other Action

August 14 - 23, I assisted PERP PM (Amanda) with work plan review and site characterization proposal. Amanda was on site 8/21 - 8/23.

Linda Nuechterlein

1/1/2003

Site Characterization Report Approved

Recieved Site Investigation and Characterization Report, January 2003. Report details soil sampling and groundwater sampling (collected from test pits) at the Caribou Construction pad. Soil containing DRO and/or GRO above Method One and benzene above Method Two cleanup levels. Porewater also contained benzene above Table C in several samples.

Bill O'Connell

6/13/2006

Update or Other Action

Phone Conversation with Rob Dixon of Caribou Construction - Mr. Dixon said that since 2003, Caribou Construction has been actively tilling and fertilizing petroleum impacted soil on the pad. They also installed a liner around the shop and quonset hut areas to keep contaminants under the buildings from migrating to other areas. I encouraged Mr. Dixon to hire a third party consultant to document and report this information. He indicated their intent was to remediate the pad soil to their own satisfaction, then hire a consultant to verify the cleanup over the entire pad. I followed up this conversation with a letter which reflects the discussion mentioned above, and reminds Caribou of ADEC's cost recovery procedures.

Bill O'Connell

7/27/2006

Update or Other Action

Site visit conducted this date. ADEC met with Rob Dixon who showed photos and other documentaiton of remedial efforts in the past few years. ADEC walked around the pad and conducted a shovel test at various surface water bodies adjacent to the pad. Shovel test showed fairly heavy sheening along the east and north sides of the pad and no sheen to the west and south. Mr. Dixon indicated a lack of employees would keep them from conducting remedial activities in 2006, but they intend to resume activities in 2007.

Bill O'Connell

8/5/2006

Update or Other Action

Letter sent to Caribou Construction clarifying current cleanup level guidance. ADEC informed Caribou that a conditional closure could be granted be achieving DRO concentrations of 2,200 mg/kg and that they need not pursue Method One cleanup levels, unless they were interested in unrestricted closure. The letter explained that, given the degree of historical contamination and the presence of off-pad sheen, unrestricted closure was not likely and their efforts would be better spent pursuing conditional closure.

Bill O'Connell

7/20/2007

Exposure Tracking Model Ranking

Bill O'Connell

7/23/2007

Update or Other Action

Phone conversation and email with Rob Dixon of Caribou. They will be excavating and landfarming the most contaminated area north of the shop building in Summer. Excavation will continue to the tundra interface and be backfilled with clean fill.

Bill O'Connell

8/22/2007

Update or Other Action

Site visit today. The area north of the shop building was excavated to tundra, mixed with fertilizer, and landfarmed on site just west of the excavated area, which was backfilled with clean gravel.

Bill O'Connell

9/14/2007

Update or Other Action

Caribou submitted a brief work plan describing investigation activities at Lot 2, south of the primary contaminated area of Lot 3. Caribou wishes to add gravel to Lot 2, raising the grade and making the pad more useful. Investigation is being conducted at the request of ADOT&PF who would like to pad characterized before additional gravel is added.

Bill O'Connell

11/5/2007

Site Characterization Report Approved

Four test pits were excavated at Lot 2. Three samples from each test pit were collected and screened in the field with a PID. The three samples with the highest PID readings were submitted for laboratory analysis. DRO was detected up to 1,020 mg/kg and benzene up to 0.022 mg/kg. Due to the nature and extent of contamination at Lot 2, ADEC will not require additional action at this time.

Bill O'Connell

3/11/2009

Update or Other Action

Email from Rob Dixon at Caribou Construction. Rob indicated the area around the shop and the south side of the pad was landfarmed and treated with fertilizer in 2008. Additional activities are planned in 2009 to address remaining hot spots.

Bill O'Connell

7/9/2010

Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other

Sampling and Analysis Plan reviewed for Caribou Construction. The objective of this sampling effort is to characterize the pad in advance of the installation of a Camp on the northeast corner of the pad. Soil borings/test pits will be excavated to one foot below the pad/tundra interface in 5 areas over a 100' x 100' area. Soil will be screened at one foot intervals with at least one analytical sample collected per test pit. Samples will be analyzed for DRO and ROO, and the sample with the highest DRO concentration will be analyzed for GRO, BTEX, and PAHs.

Bill O'Connell

8/17/2012

Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other

Reviewed 2012 Soil Boring Sampling Report for Caribou Construction. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the effectiveness of in-situ landfarming efforts conducted over the past several years and document the current conditions at the pad. Sixteen boreholes were advanced to 1-2 feet below the pad/tundra interface, field screening was conducted, and two soil samples were collected from the areas with the highest field screening results. DRO was detected above the Table 2A cleanup level of 500 mg/kg in 6 samples at concentrations up to 3,910 mg/kg at 2.5 feet bgs in borehole 12. Hydrocarbon contamination was generally focused north and east of the shop building, where a vertical barrier liner installed around 2004 is limiting the migration of contaminants from this area. Boreholes along the edge of the pad did not contain contaminants above cleanup levels except at borehole 4 in the northwestern corner of the pad, which had DRO at 1,040 mg/kg at 4 feet bgs. Hydrocarbon contamination is present primarily within the gravel pad material, samples below the pad/tundra interface generally did not indicate the presence of contamination. Surface water sampling is anticipated for later in 2012.

Bill O'Connell

7/1/2013

Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other

Reviewed Sampling and Analysis Plan for Caribou Construction. Five surface water samples will be collected from tundra ponds around the site and analyzed for TAH and TAqH.

Bill O'Connell

8/9/2013

Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other

Reviewed Surface Water Sampling Report for Caribou Construction. Samples were collected from 5 locations around the perimeter of the pad and field observations of sheen were recorded. Surface water samples did not contain contaminants above 18 AAC 70 Water Quality Standards and petroleum sheen was not observed at any location along the edge of the pad.

Bill O'Connell

9/17/2013

Exposure Tracking Model Ranking

A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 74825 Various spills.

Bill O'Connell

1/2/2014

Institutional Control Record Established

Institutional Controls established and entered into the database.

Bill O'Connell

1/2/2014

Cleanup Complete Determination Issued

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Contaminated Sites Program (ADEC) has completed a review of the environmental records associated with Caribou Construction located in Deadhorse, 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 as long as the site is in compliance with established institutional controls.

Bill O'Connell

6/13/2024

Institutional Control Compliance Review

IC compliance review completed on this date. An IC reminder letter was issued to the landowner. The next review will be in five years’ time.

Gaige Robinson

6/28/2024

Institutional Control Update

Contacted by the current lessee of this property regarding a utility trenching project that will be done this summer. This project will not affect the shop building. I provided the Utility and Right of Way Tech Memo which allows for known petroleum contaminated soil to be placed back into the trench pit at about the same depth it originally was.

Evonne Reese

Contaminant Information

Name	Level Description	Media	Comments
DRO	> Method 1 (Arctic only)	Soil

Name

Level Description

Media

Comments

DRO

> Method 1 (Arctic only)

Soil

Control Type

Type	Details
Signed CS Determination

Type

Details

Signed CS Determination

Requirements

Description	Details
Advance approval required to transport soil or groundwater off-site.
When Contaminated Soil is Accessible, Remediation Should Occur	Soil contamination remains below the Shop Bldg. Cleanup of this soil is required after the building is removed and is also required by ADOT&PF Northern Region Airport Leasing in a letter dated December 19, 2013.

Description

Details

Advance approval required to transport soil or groundwater off-site.

When Contaminated Soil is Accessible, Remediation Should Occur

Soil contamination remains below the Shop Bldg. Cleanup of this soil is required after the building is removed and is also required by ADOT&PF Northern Region Airport Leasing in a letter dated December 19, 2013.

Institutional Controls Reminder Letter - June 2024

Record of Decision

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.

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Site Report: Caribou Construction

Site Chronology

IC / Closure Details

Documents

Associated Sites

Problems/Comments

Action Information

Contaminant Information

Control Type

Requirements

Institutional Controls Reminder Letter - June 2024

Record of Decision

Missing Location Data

State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation