Problems/Comments

The Contaminated Sites Program (CSP) was notified of this site in 2003 by DEC's Solid Waste (SW) Program when SW responded to a solid waste issue at the site, but noticed evidence of petroleum contamination. CSP was not able to make contact with the RP Gerald Poirier, who died shortly after CSP was notified and named the location as a contaminated site in 2003. The Prevention and Emergency Response Program (PERP) was notified of the site in 2006 by the Mat-Su Borough Solid Waste Program when the Mat-Su program was responding to a solid waste complaint, and also noticed evidence of petroleum contamination. PERP had initial success with getting the RP (then identified to be Wanda Poirier, Gerald Poirier’s widow) to start consolidating debris in 2006, however site work picked up pace when PERP followed up on the site following a CSP site visit in 2008. PERP coordinated a solid waste and petroleum container cleanup with EPA and Mat-Su Code Compliance, which was completed in 2009 but did not encompass soil or water sampling. PERP identified possible PCB, ethylene glycol, used oil, MEK type solvents, and other solvent containers. The Site had leaking drums, soil staining and sheen on surface water. Green tinted water originally thought to be contaminated with ethylene glycol was later determined to be tinted with a green dye from a nearby leaking drum. Mat-Su Code Compliance removed between 80-100 vehicles between 2006 and 2009. ADEC removed 1,071 gallons of oil, 275 gallons of glycol, and 45 gallons of water/oil/glycol mixture by April 24, 2009. Thirty-four drums (some packed into overpack drums) and one five gallon container that failed a Chlor-D-Tect field screening (>1000 ppm halogens) were consolidated on a flatbed truck and pallets, and left on site. On April 29, 2016, a site visit was conducted by ADEC’s Lisa Griswold, Josh Barsis and Chelsy Passmore. Emerson Krueger and Kevin Sumner of Mat-Su code compliance met ADEC staff on site. The thirty four drums were still on the flatbed truck and nearby pallets on block 4 lot 13 (23 on truck; 11 on pallet; the 5 gallon container was not seen). They are no longer covered and appear to be rusting. Staining was noted on the flat bed, on a side of a drum, and along the ground on the east side of the truck. It was noted that the surrounding area appeared to be being used as a toileting area with multiple piles of human feces and toilet paper strewn along the ground, with a trash can also containing what appeared to be used toilet paper. Sheen was noticed on standing water in the right of way East D Street in front of the Poirier properties. Some appeared to be biologic in nature while others appeared to be petroleum. PID readings from the surrounding soil returned 0.0. Three drums were located in the right of way between Olson property and Eklutna Inc. property off of S 2nd street. All three contained bullet holes. One displayed staining on the front where its contents had run out of the bullet hole and onto the ground; this barrel had a distinct odor. One barrel laying down felt to still contain product. Stained soil was observed in the right of way on S 2nd street northwest of Poirier property Block 4 Lot 1. When the soil was disturbed to for field screening, wires were found in the ground. It is believed this may be where alleged wire burning occurred. A drum removal and limited site characterization were conducted in October 2017.36 drums were overpacked and removed from the site. 20 of the drums were manifested as hazardous waste due to Tetrachloroethylene and benzene concentrations, and 16 drums were manifested as non-hazardous waste. Surface soil samples indicate Diesel Range Organics (DRO) (up to 47,900 mg/kg), Residual Range Organics (RRO)(up to 257,000 mg/kg), benzene (up to 0.0364 mg/kg), benzo[a]anthracene (up to 0.511 mg/kg), benzo[b]flouranthene (up to 2.1 mg/kg), benzo[a]pyrene (up to 1.91 mg/kg), naphthalene (up to 0.165 mg/kg), and 2378 TCDD (up to 0.000346 mg/kg), and lead (up to 6,860 mg/kg) are present. Soil borings indicate DRO is present at 566 mg/kg, naphthalene at 0.11 mg/kg, 1,2,4 Trimethylbenzene at 0.26 mg/kg, and Tetrachloroethylene at 0.921 mg/kg are present in subsurface soil 14 feet below ground surface. All listed contaminants exceed Table B1 and B2 Migration to Groundwater cleanup levels, while benzo[b]fluoranthene, 2378 TCDD, and lead also exceed human health levels listed in Table B1, and DRO and RRO also exceed Maximum Allowable concentrations listed in Table B2. Arsenic was detected above cleanup levels in soil, but are considered background. A Targeted Brownfields Assessment was completed in late 2019. Sample results indicate Arsenic, Manganese, Antimony, Copper, Lead, Cadmium, Zinc, Mercury, DRO, GRO, Pentachlorophenol, benzene, ethylbenzene, Xylenes, N-Butylbenzene, Styrene, Benzo[a]anthracene, Benzo[a]pyrene, Naphthalene, Trichloroethene (TCE), Tetrachloroethene (PCE), 1,2,4 Trimethylbenzene, 1,2 Dibromethane, 1,3,5 Trimethylbenzene, and 2,3,7,8 TCDD were present in surface soil (0-2 feet bgs). Most were found above 18 AAC 75. 341 Tables B1 and B2 in concentrations exceeding only the most stringent cleanup level. Arsenic and Manganese are likely from naturally occurring conditions except for two samples which may have an anthropogenic source. Contaminants were not found above cleanup levels in subsurface soil (2 feet +) during this field effort. Arsenic, Manganese, lead and Ethylene Dibromide (EDB) were detected in groundwater above levels listed in 18 AAC 75.345 Table C. It should be noted that the groundwater found was likely transitory; the samples were turbid making the samples potentially biased high; the arsenic and Managanese may be due to naturally occurring conditions; and while EDB was found in the groundwater, it was not found in the soil above cleanup levels. Iron was the only contaminant located in surface water above DEC water quality standards, and may be due to the presence of rusting debris in the area. Arsenic, Nickel, Copper and Barium were found in the sediment above NOAA SQuiRT Tables. Lastly, building materials with 10.5% amosite asbestos was found on the site. EPA and ADEC were coordinating on actions for the asbestos and leaded soil on site when the Covid-19 pandemic began. Work on this task has been postponed due to restrictions placed on staff due to Covid. The site is thought to have impacted multiple properties (Block 4 Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 12, 13, 14, 15; Block 2 Lots 5-15) with multiple owners. The site is in a flood zone bordered by Rabbit Slough to the south, and Wasilla Creek to the North.

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No associated sites were found.