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Site Report: ADOT&PF Northway Airport Lease Lots Block 8

Site Name: ADOT&PF Northway Airport Lease Lots Block 8
Address: Northway Airport, Northway, AK 99764
File Number: 170.38.039
Hazard ID: 4324
Status: Active
Staff: Jim Fish, 9074512117 james.fish@alaska.gov
Latitude: 62.963410
Longitude: -141.925630
Horizontal Datum:NAD83

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

Construction of the Northway Airport began in the spring of 1941. The air base served as a refueling and maintenance stop along the chain of air bases used to supply troops stationed in Alaska and transport aircraft to the Soviet Union as part of the lend-lease program. During World War Two (WWII), the airport served as a refueling depot for aircraft and as a staging area for work on the Alaskan Highway, the Canadian Oil pipeline project, and a defense fuel pipeline. During the height of operations at Northway, hundreds of buildings were built. By the end of WWII, the Army no longer used the Site and until 1966 the Site was largely owned and operated by the Civil Aeronautics Authority, now known as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In 1966, the FAA transferred the right to use the lands and airport facilities to the State of Alaska. Since that time the State leased the property to various leaseholders for the providing lodging and refueling for planes. Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) applied to DEC for a DEC Brownfield Assessment in 2009 because of the suspected contamination at the site due to the historical use of the site. Characterization work was completed of this area during the summer of 2009. Site previously tracked by Brownfield file 170.57.001, but was consolidated into CS file on 4/9/2020. During the 2009 investigation, significant soil and groundwater contamination was identified throughout the lease lots. Petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soil remains at the Site with concentrations of gasoline range organics (GRO), diesel range organics (DRO), and benzene above DEC soil cleanup levels. The estimated volume of remaining impacted soil above the most stringent DEC Method Two soil cleanup levels is 4,210 cubic yards of GRO-impacted soil, 12,377 cubic yards of DRO-impacted soil, and 13,430 cubic yards of benzene impacted soil. Groundwater field screening and analytical samples indicated a wide-spread area of benzene-contaminated groundwater and smaller areas of trichloroethylene (TCE)- and perchloroethylene (PCE)-impacted groundwater. The groundwater table in the study area appears relatively flat with only two feet of variation between the highest and the lowest ground water elevations, and the gradient is quite variable in the majority of the study area. This site record also encompasses the area formerly known as "Northway Staging Field OU7, Area 24" previously tracked under Hazard ID 4172, file no. 170.38.028. Previous database actions were transfered on 2/26/14. Area 24 is approximately 400 x 300 feet. Two subareas were mapped. Subarea 24A contains a variety of military and non-military durms, and non-military debris located in the sowthwest corner of the area. Subarea 24B consists on the eastern half of Area 24. Two building foundations were observed in Subarea 24B, pieces of 3-inch diameter pipe were present on the groundsurface near the building foundations. The pipe may be remnants of former fuel distribution pipelines. The ends of the pipe were visble, and the piping did not appear to be connected to any structures. The piping runs from near the builiding foundations toward Northway Road, and ends near the road. Surficial evidence of a UST was not observed.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
6/15/1994 Update or Other Action The 1994 FRI inventoried the drums and assorted debris at the site. (Action transferred from Hazard ID 4172, FKA Northway Staging Field OU7, Area 24.) Debra Caillouet
7/12/1995 Update or Other Action The 1995 FRI evaluated the potential presence of contamination within Area 24. Based on the results of the investigation fuel-related contamination is reported to be present in surface and subsurface soils and in groundwater. The maximum DRO detected in surface soil was 5060 mg/Kg. (Action transferred from Hazard ID 4172, FKA Northway Staging Field OU7, Area 24.) Debra Caillouet
9/18/2006 Spill Transferred from Prevention Preparedness and Response Program Site transferred by PERP staff Toivo Luick. Spill No. 02309934702; PERP File No. 170.02.019; spill date = 12/13/03; substance and quantity unknown - historical fuel contamination, possibly gasoline. Mitzi Read
11/30/2006 Site Added to Database Site added to the database. Mitzi Read
1/26/2007 Update or Other Action Spoke to Jim Moody owner of the Northway lodge, regarding the contamination discovered last summer. He wasn't certain of the origin, though he did think that the 10,000 gallon tank mentioned in the file had been located less than 200 feet from the leachfield excavation. He said that there wasn't any permafrost on the Airport grounds, and that the subsurface soil was a sandy silt. Groundwater was about 10' bgs, but most of the wells at the airport were 280 to 320 feet deep. He didn't have an explanation for why they were that deep. Kim DeRuyter
5/22/2008 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed. Jim Frechione
2/20/2009 Update or Other Action A Notice to Proceed was issued to SLR to complete a site characterization at the Northway Airport. Deborah Williams
3/20/2009 Brownfields Award Notice to proceed was awarded to SLR through SPAR term contract. Project managed under Reuse and Redevelopment Program. FY 2009 SOA CIP funds $88,821 awarded to DOT M&O Admin for a limited site characterization on ADOT&PF Northway Airport. NTP# 18902815030C. Current status: site characterization carried over into 2010. Site referred to FUDS. Deborah Williams
8/3/2009 Site Visit SLR, consultant for DEC, conducted a site visit at the Northway Airport to collect soil and groundwater samples for the site characterization conducted under the Reuse and Redevelopment Program. Deborah Williams
12/10/2009 Site Characterization Report Approved DEC received a Draft Site Assessment Report for the Northway Airport Lots 5A, 6A, 8A, 9A, 10A, 11A, 12A and 13A. During the 2009 sampling, 27 temporary well points were installed. Depths of the temporary wells varied from 8 to 12 feet bgs. Soil borings were installed throughout the Northway Airport. Samples that indicated high levels on the PID were collected and analyzed in the lab. A total of 36 soil samples were collected and sent to the lab for analysis. The extent of GRO-impacted soil was defined within the Site boundaries, however DRO- and benzene-impacted soil was unbounded on at least one side. The estimated GRO-impacted soil on the site above the most stringent Method Two cleanup levels is 4,210 cy, 12,377 cy of DRO-impacted soil, and 13,430 cy of benzene-impacted soil. Other work in 2009 indicated contamination at the former western and eastern dispenser areas on Lot 7A. Ground water field screening and analytical samples indicated a wide-spread area of benzene contaminated ground water and smaller areas of TCE- and PCE-impacted ground water. The drinking water well at the Northway Lodge is collected from a well located in the hangar building on Lot 11A. This well was sampled and all contaminants were non-detect except for RRO which had a level of 0.184 ppm. Deborah Williams
12/29/2009 Update or Other Action A revised Inventory Project Report (INPR) was received for the Northway Staging Field. The US Army Corps of Engineers has divided the staging field into four projects so that closures of the individual sites within the staging field can be counted. One project consists of the OU1 and OU3 sites that have already been closed by DEC, the next contains OU4 and OU5 sites that are ready for closure. The third project is the Ham Lake site that requires a Feasibility Study, Proposed Plan and Decision Document. The last project includes four areas that have data gaps that need to be resolved, Areas 4, 24, 26 and 48. (Action transferred from Hazard ID 4172, FKA Northway Staging Field OU7, Area 24.) Debra Caillouet
5/13/2010 Update or Other Action A Notice to Proceed for an amendment to the original RFP was issued to SLR to conduct air sampling at the occupied building located on the Northway Airport. Deborah Williams
7/8/2010 Update or Other Action DEC received the final report on the indoor air sampling that was completed at the Northway Airport. Sampling was conducted on May 29-30, 2010. Three samples were located within the Northway Lodge building, two samples were located in apartments on either end of the Customs Office Bldg, one sample was located in the laundry bldg, one sample was located under the house trailer, and two outdoor samples were located north of the Customs Office Bldg and the house trailer. Only one sample collected had levels that exceed the DEC residential target levels for indoor air. The sample collected from the north apartment of the Customs Office bldg, indicated benzene concentrations at 5 ug/m3. The residential indoor target level for benzene is 3.1 ug/m3. No new drinking water wells with the potential to be impacted by cont. at the site were identified. A water sample was collected from the drinking water well located in the hanger. The sample was analyzed for VOCs by EPA Method 524.2. The analytical results indicated that both the sample and the duplicate were non-detect for all VOC constituents. Deborah Williams
9/9/2010 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Site Reconnaissance Work Plan, Northway Staging Field, Formerly Used Defense Site, Northway Alaska DEC has no objection to the implementation of this work at Sites 4, 24, 26 and 48. (Action transferred from Hazard ID 4172, FKA Northway Staging Field OU7, Area 24.) Mitzi Read
1/25/2011 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Draft Site Reconnaissance Report, Northway Staging Field, November 2010. (Action transferred from Hazard ID 4172, FKA Northway Staging Field OU7, Area 24.) Debra Caillouet
8/1/2011 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter PRP letters sent to USACE on behalf of DOD's DERP/FUDS program. PRP letter also sent to FAA Alaska Region Jim Fish
8/1/2011 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter PRP letters sent to USACE on behalf of DOD's DERP/FUDS program. PRP letter also sent to FAA Alaska Region Jim Fish
8/8/2011 Update or Other Action Posted SLR report on ftp for download (FAA). Jim Fish
8/9/2011 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter received response from FAA requesting additional 90 days for response. Jim Fish
8/17/2011 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter Recieved response from USACE indicating submittal of an Inventory Project Report (INPR) to include a new Potentially Responsible Party (PRP) project for the Northway lease lots. Jim Fish
10/14/2011 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter PRP letter and invitation to participate in scoping process sent to ADOT&PF (Penny Adler). Jim Fish
10/17/2011 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter PRP letter and invitation to participate in scoping process sent to Clarence Larson. Jim Fish
10/19/2011 Update or Other Action Follow-up letters sent to FAA & USACE (FUDS) indicating DEC wil lmove forward with additional site characterization, and invitation to participate in the scoping process. Jim Fish
11/15/2011 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter Response to PRP Letter and Info Request received from Northway (Lodge) Airport Enterprises Jim Fish
11/29/2011 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter Reponse to PRP Info Request Letter, along with detailed land use information, received from FAA. Jim Fish
6/6/2013 Update or Other Action Draft historical records report received Jim Fish
2/26/2014 Update or Other Action Actions and problem statement transferred from the site formerly known as "Northway Staging Field OU7, Area 24" previously tracked under Hazard ID 4172, file no. 170.38.028. Site information consolidated to be managed under Hazard ID 4324. Mitzi Read
7/8/2014 Update or Other Action CIP project to conduct well search and sample private use water wells near the airport vicinity awarded to DEC term contractor (Ahtna Engineering). Jim Fish
9/3/2014 Update or Other Action Preliminary results of well in Hangar Building indicates elevated arsenic (11 ug/L) and lead (18 ug/L) Jim Fish
12/31/2014 Update or Other Action Draft report received from Contractor; lead exceeded the 15 ug/L MCL at 18 ug/L in the Airport Hangar well; also detected at 13 ug/L in the Fire Hall well, and 1.9 ug/L in vacant lot well northeast of the Fire Hall. Arsenic (at 11 ug/L) was also detected above MCL (10 ug/L) in the Airport Hangar Well. A tentatively identified compound (2-ethyl-1-hexanol) was found at a concentration of approximately 7,000 ug/L in the vacant lot well northeast of the Fire Hall, and in the Airport Hangar well. ADOT&PF staff were notified and advised to inform any future lessees that water from the Airport Hangar well should be treated prior to use. Jim Fish
1/23/2015 Update or Other Action Final water well sampling report sent to ADOT&PF Aviation Leasing, and to Northway Traditional Council (Tom Teasdale). Jim Fish
1/30/2015 Update or Other Action Letter asking for additional site characterization and/or cleanup; alternative drinking water supplies be considered, and copies of the final (2014) water well sampling report and 2014 Records Research Report sent to all PRPs. Jim Fish
5/14/2015 Meeting or Teleconference Held Stakeholder Meeting with ADEC, ADOT&PF ADOL, USACOE and FAA held at ADEC building. Further site assessments of airport lease lots may be included future Federal site work, pending agency agreement. Jim Fish
1/17/2017 Meeting or Teleconference Held PRP teleconference held; presentation given by DEC PM via GoTo Meeting Jim Fish
4/19/2018 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 75304 soil and groundwater contamination. Jim Fish
4/4/2019 Update or Other Action Term contract awarded to Shannon & Wilson to sample drinking water wells on and near the airport lease lots for VOCs, metals, and PFAS. Jim Fish
5/6/2019 Update or Other Action Received draft work plan from contractor for review Jim Fish
5/17/2019 Update or Other Action Term contractor (Shannon & Wilson) Work plan for drinking water well sampling for VOCs, metals and PFAS approved for implementation. Sampling anticipated for August, 2019. Jim Fish
1/17/2020 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Final water well sampling report received from contractor Jim Fish
4/9/2020 Update or Other Action Brownfield file 170.57.001 consolidated into CS file on this date. Cascade Galasso-Irish
10/5/2022 Update or Other Action Sent ADOT staff 2020 Well Sampling Report as information for potential tenant of an airport lease lot. Jim Fish
5/26/2023 Meeting or Teleconference Held Met With DOL to discuss PCE use and contamination in soil and groundwater at Northway lease lots. Jim Fish

Contaminant Information

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