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Site Report: Nome New Power Plant

Site Name: Nome New Power Plant
Address: Port Road, 200' SW of Old NJUS Power Plant, Nome, AK 99762
File Number: 400.38.031
Hazard ID: 3971
Status: Cleanup Complete - Institutional Controls
Staff: IC Unit, 9074655229 dec.icunit@alaska.gov
Latitude: 64.505065
Longitude: -165.429957
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

This site was originally part of the United States Army's Marks Field. In 1970, the Alaska Department of Transportation acquired the property and converted a munitions storage building into a warm storage and maintenance facility (known as the ADOT&PF Nome Airport Maintenance Facility). This site was the proposed site for the Nome Power Plant location, approximately 200 feet southwest of the existing NJUS power plant. Before designing and constructing a new facility, the new site required the collection of environmental and geotechnical data. During this investigation, diesel range organic contamination was found in the soil that ranged up to 418 ppm and in the groundwater that ranged up to 4.87 ppm. Includes former site name "Nome Old Army Air Corps/Alaska Gold," Reckey 1988320130701. ADEC became aware of a potential problem with old underground Army Air Corp Storage Tanks summer of 1983 during the Nome gas spill investigation. Two 5,000-10,000 barrel capacity gas and diesel fuel storage tanks and numerous above and below ground transfer lines. Leakage and contamination undetermined. Arsenic levels were an initial concern, but since there was so much mining, the arsenic levels were not significantly different than "background" in the area. Concentrations are reported to be about 70 mg/kg.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
3/17/2003 Site Added to Database DRO contamination. Deborah Williams
3/17/2003 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Preliminary ranking conducted. Currently the ranking is unranked due to the GW Usage information being unknown. Deborah Williams
6/20/2003 Site Characterization Workplan Approved Approved Workplan for expedited site characterization and initial cleanup actions at the site by DOT. Larry Johnson
7/1/2003 Brownfields Award EPA has selected the City of Nome for a cleanup grant. The grant will target the proposed relocation site for the city's new power plant at 504 Port Road, also known as Block 21 of the Nome Airport. The funds will be used to clean up petroleum-contaminated soil and groundwater and to conduct monitoring activities. Award amount is $193,692 for petroleum cleanup. John Carnahan
9/3/2003 Update or Other Action Approved dynamic compaction at the footprint of the proposed Power Plant. No known contamination was present. Larry Johnson
11/3/2003 Update or Other Action Conceptual Site Model provided by Travis/Pet. Larry Johnson
2/27/2004 Update or Other Action Property transfer applied for, by condemnation, to City of Nome, Nome Joint Utility System (NJUS) from ADOT. Larry Johnson
9/7/2004 Cleanup Plan Approved Approved the September 2004 Work Plan for Constructing New Power Plant and Water and Sewer Line which includes soil remediation on site and within the utilidor project. Larry Johnson
5/11/2006 Update or Other Action Database entries combined. Former site name "Nome Old Army Air Corps/Alaska Gold," Reckey 1988320130701, was determined to be a duplicate of this site. Pertinent information was transferred to this database record and the duplicate record was deleted. Mitzi Read
11/6/2006 Update or Other Action Received report from EPA that RP has not been responsive to requests for information for this project. EPA indicated that they are awaiting several brownfield grant requirements. John Carnahan
11/7/2006 Update or Other Action Attempted to contact the City of Nome, and contacted the City's consultant. Discussed the project to date and the lack of reports in DEC files that document progress. These reports will be forwarded to our attention. Based on informatin from consultant, the project is near completion due to limited contaminated soil found at the site, which was removed and legally landfilled. We discussed the need to summarize the project status and potentially have a meeting between City, EPA and DEC to go over the project details to discuss state and EPA brownfield grant requirements. John Carnahan
11/7/2006 Update or Other Action Changed PM from Jim Frechione to John Carnahan as site is an EPA-funded brownfield cleanup project. John Carnahan
4/11/2007 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Pathways determined to be incomplete or de minimis exposure. John Carnahan
9/27/2007 Update or Other Action Received request for conditional closure. John Carnahan
10/5/2007 Institutional Control Record Established John Carnahan
10/9/2007 Conditional Closure Approved Letter sent to NJUS on October 24 citing conditional closure. John Carnahan
7/18/2008 Update or Other Action Deed Notice of Environmental Contamination recorded by Alaska DNR Recorder's Office, Recording District 201-Nome. This action fulfills the responsible person's deed notice requirements of the conditional closure. Sonja Benson
8/11/2009 Update or Other Action Reported UXO identified in excavation - location of derived materials unknown at this time. Issue under evaluation by CSP staff. John Carnahan
10/31/2014 Institutional Control Compliance Review Staff name changed from Carnahan to IC Unit. IC review conducted. Schedule to send RP a letter regarding the required fencing. Evonne Reese
11/12/2014 Institutional Control Update An IC reminder letter was issued to the responsible party on this date. Kristin Thompson
12/8/2014 Institutional Control Update Response to the IC reminder letter received. Evonne Reese
12/11/2014 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter PRP letter notification issued to Nome Joint Utility System, City of Nome. Kristin Thompson
12/11/2014 Institutional Control Update A representative of the responsible party (RP)responded by letter to DEC regarding the current site conditions and ICs. The letter requested that the fencing requirement be modified due to the difficulty of snow removal in the area. The letter also included numerous photos of the property and demonstrated that there are security cameras all around the property with staff onsite 24 hours/day. This will assist in preventing receptor exposure to the capped contaminated soil. A letter was issued to the RP on this date agreeing to modified the ICs so that at this time the fencing is not required. All other IC conditions will remain in place and the RP will report to DEC every two years about the site use conditions. Evonne Reese
1/2/2015 Update or Other Action Latitude and longitude updated with refined coordinates provided by the DEC - Solid Waste Department. Evonne Reese
1/31/2017 Institutional Control Compliance Review IC compliance review conducted. ADEC must be notified and photo documentation provided if and when there are any changes made to the security measures in place at this site. IC reminder letter issued. Reminder system set to follow-up every two years. Kristin Thompson
12/27/2017 Update or Other Action Responded to an ADOT agency request for input regarding a 2020 roadway upgrade project along Port Road which borders this site's property. The reminder system has been set to check back in early 2020 if we have not heard more project details from ADOT. Evonne Reese
1/22/2019 Institutional Control Compliance Review Contacted by a representative of the power plant in order to let us know that there have been no changes in property use, or changes in security measures. The information included in the 2017 IC reminder letter will still apply. An updated letter was not issued. The power plant is in compliance with IC requirements. Evonne Reese
12/20/2021 Institutional Control Compliance Review An IC compliance review was conducted on December 13 and a reminder letter of the current site conditions was issued to the primary billing party on record. The next compliance review will occur in 2026. Elizabeth Bishop

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments
DRO > Table C Groundwater
RRO Between Method 2 Migration to Groundwater and Human Health/Ingestion/Inhalation Soil
GRO Between Method 2 Migration to Groundwater and Human Health/Ingestion/Inhalation Soil

Control Type

Type Details
CS Database Notation And Letter To Landowner/RP
Notice of Environmental Contamination Soil and groundwater contamination. Deed notice recorded on 7/18/2008 in the Nome recording district. Recording number 2008-001262-0.

Requirements

Description Details
Excavation / Soil Movement Restrictions Contaminated soil is known to reside onsite. Notification should be made available to workers that details the potential for encountering petroleum hydrocarbons onsite. A qualified environmental consultant shall provide oversight of any excavation on the property. When excavation is completed that is overseen by an environmental professional, a letter report describing the findings (even if contamination is not identified) shall be provided to the Department referencing this project (file 400.38.031). If contamination is encountered as part of onsite activities, DEC must be notified.
Groundwater Use Restrictions Groundwater should not be used as drinking water and new wells should not be drilled without approval from DEC, Contaminated Sites Program.
Maintenance / Inspection Of Engineering Controls Engineering controls such as security cameras and security signs should be maintained as appropriate to keep unknowing receptors from entering the property. Maintenance of the soil covering across the site (brought in as construction fill material) will increase distance to contaminated material and minimize contact.
Advance approval required to transport soil or groundwater off-site. Standard condition.
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) Standard condition.
New Construction Restrictions Construction activities may require workers to wear appropriate personal protection equipment in accordance with the facility's site safety plan.
Periodic Review Nome New Power Plant must report to ADEC every 2 years to document land use and any changes in land ownership.

No associated sites were found.

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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