Site Report: Unalakleet Air. Warning - Communications Bldg.
| Site Name: | Unalakleet Air. Warning - Communications Bldg. |
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| Address: | 2 Miles North of Unalakleet, Unalakleet, AK 99684 |
| File Number: | 630.38.003 |
| Hazard ID: | 4295 |
| Status: | Active |
| Staff: | Axl LeVan, 9074512156 axl.levan@alaska.gov |
| Latitude: | 63.904600 |
| Longitude: | -160.810368 |
| Horizontal Datum: | WGS84 |
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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 Communications Building, also referred to as the "TACAN Site", was demolished in the middle 1990s, at which time petroleum contamination was found in association with a diesel UST and a generator. Over 4,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil was excavated and treated at the former main radar installation (see “comments” below). After excavating an additional 800 cubic yards of contaminated soil in 2005 for off-site disposal, the site was restored to original grade in 2005 and 2006. Soil contamination was primarily weathered petroleum in the diesel range with traces of BTEX. Contamination extended down to the saturated zone, which is highly variable due to the close proximity to Norton Sound and Kouwegok Slough. DRO contamination remains at the groundwater interface. The Corps and DEC agreed to no further excavation of contaminated soil due to reaching groundwater and to avoid disturbing adjacent wetlands. For more background on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers environmental restoration of formerly used defense sites in Unalakleet, see the “Unalakleet Air. Warning - Main Radar Site” database entry. -2009 Update- The 2009 decision document selected remedy for Site 12 is Institutional Controls (ICs). The site is currently used as a staging area for Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) construction associated with the airport. USACE has informed ADOT&PF of the presence of DRO contaminated soil at the site. As part of the remedial action, USACE will determine the latitude/longitude coordinates of the impacted soil and provide them to ADOT&PF. In addition to notifying ADOT&PF, USACE will place a deed notice in the State Land Recorder’s office files. Under this approach the proposed cleanup level for DRO would be achieved in the long term through natural degradation processes. Remedial actions that do not allow unlimited use and unrestricted exposure must be reviewed at least every 5 years after the start of the remedial action. 5 year reviews should be conducted for this site in MAY 2014, 2019, 2024, etc. -2016 Update- Closure with ICs to be implemented this year. Coastal and Harbor Engineering Section of ADOT&PF advised that contamination should be left in place; disturbance of coastal dunes at Unalakleet could increase susceptibility of the beach to erosion and increase risk to the community.
Action Information
| Action Date | Action | Description | DEC Staff |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/13/2006 | Site Added to Database | Site added to the database. | Mitzi Read |
| 11/24/2006 | Update or Other Action | ADEC received the draft report documenting the 2006 site activities at Unalakleet FUDS prepared by Jacobs Engineering. The only work conducted at the Communications Building in 2006 was additional backfilling to restore the original grade of the area. | Colin Craven |
| 3/14/2007 | Exposure Tracking Model Ranking | Initial ranking. Site broken up into Bldg area and Bldg Wetland area. | Lisa Maserjian |
| 4/2/2007 | Update or Other Action | Project Closure signed by DEC and Corps of Engineers for the Containerized Hazardous, Toxic, or Radiological Waste (CON?HTRW) for the Unalakleet Air Force Station FUDS project. This closure decision involves only the structures left by Air Force, not removal of contaminated soil. | Lisa Maserjian |
| 6/25/2007 | Update or Other Action | Receive Final Removal Action and Site Characterization Report. | Lisa Maserjian |
| 6/18/2008 | Update or Other Action | A draft Feasibility Study and Draft Proposed Plan were received May 16 and June 2, 2008. Contamination was wide spread at this site, and DRO to 14,100 may still remain on site. The groundwater beneath the site is brackish, and further excavation could cause erosion of the soil between the beach and the slough. The preferred remedial alternative for the site is still being developed. | Kim DeRuyter |
| 7/7/2008 | Site Visit | A site visit was conducted to most of the source areas prior to the RAB meeting. The Communication Building site which had DRO Contamination up to 14,000 ppm could not be located, it appears to have been covered with pavement by ADOT during improvements to the access road to the airport. The consultant will review the records to determine if GPS data is available for the site. An additional drum with product, and numerous lead-acid batteries and a compressed gas tank were found near one of the Musk Ox Farm buildings. It is unclear if this potential source area is of military origin. | Kim DeRuyter |
| 3/6/2012 | Update or Other Action | Project manager changed from Vreeman to Shepard. | Rebecca Bryan |
| 8/27/2015 | Update or Other Action | Staff changed to Joy Whitsel | Joy Whitsel |
| 9/8/2015 | Update or Other Action | Received update from RP regarding site status. Deed restriction specifying notice of environmental contamination has not yet been obtained. This will be necessary to issue a determination of "cleanup complete with institutional controls." | Joy Whitsel |
| 12/31/2015 | Exposure Tracking Model Ranking | A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 78162 Wetlands Area. | Joy Whitsel |
| 5/1/2017 | Update or Other Action | Site is ready for closure with institutional controls (ICs) restricting soil movement and land use; closure is pending an agreement between DEC and the landowner, Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT) regarding management of and reporting on ICs by DOT. | Joy Whitsel |
| 7/3/2019 | Update or Other Action | Site location was updated on this date. Coordinates for this site are used to determine the presence and position of the site on BLM’s ANCSA Conveyed Land web map. | Rebekah Reams |
Contaminant Information
| Name | Level Description | Media | Comments |
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Control Type
| Type | Details |
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Requirements
| Description | Details |
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There are no documents for this site report.
No associated sites were found.