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Site Report: Beaver Generator Building Fire

Site Name: Beaver Generator Building Fire
Address: C Street (aka Airport Road), ~210 Feet West of New School Building, Beaver, AK 99724
File Number: 790.38.004
Hazard ID: 4612
Status: Active
Staff: * Currently Not Assigned, 9072693057 bill.oconnell@alaska.gov
Latitude: 66.360397
Longitude: -147.399077
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

Beaver generator building was destroyed by fire July 28, 2007. Village environmental (Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Indian General Assistance Program (IGAP)) coordinator contacted DEC brownfield program, later submitted spill report to Prevention and Emergency Response Program (PERP). Site then transferred from PERP to be worked under brownfields program. Reportedly 150 gallons of fuel spilled and is believed to have burned, but it is unknown how much fuel was actually lost, and the volume could be higher. Fuel-contaminated soil already existed around the tank farm supplying the generator building. Site is also known as the Beaver Joint Utilities (BJU) Tank Farm. Information from a 2001 assessment, with report completed in January 2002, stated that analytical sample results from test pits in the area of the BJU-E tank farm indicated diesel range organics (DRO) concentrations ranging from non-detect to 36,400 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg). Residual range organics (RRO) concentrations ranged from non-detect to 59,200 mg/kg. The single gasoline range organics (GRO)/benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) sample that was collected at this site indicated GRO concentrations at 770 mg/kg. BTEX results showed non-detect for all contaminants except for Xylenes, which were present at a concentration of 68 mg/kg. Stained areas were noted near the pump where residents filled fuel containers, below a leaking joint in piping and connections to the generator building, and an area reportedly used to store 55-gallon drums of used oil. The report recommended additional assessment, removal of about four cubic yards of contaminated soil, possible in-situ remediation of soil near the generator building structure (which is now gone), and replacement of threaded piping with welded piping. This site is discussed in a report that was provided under DEC's underground storage tank-aboveground storage tank (UST-AST) assessment program, titled "Village of Beaver Site Assessment Project Report, Beaver, Alaska," dated January 4, 2002, before the fire. Alternative address is 29 Main Street, but this location was not found in review of available area maps. See also DEC File No. 790.38.002. File converted from Brownfield tracking # 790.57.001 to CS site on this date.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
12/11/2007 Spill Transferred from Prevention Preparedness and Response Program Site transferred by PERP staff Tom DeRuyter. Spill No. 07309920902; Spill Date = 7/28/07; Substance = Diesel; Quantity = 150 Gallons; PERP File No. 790.02.001. Mitzi Read
3/21/2008 Site Added to Database Site added to the database. Mitzi Read
6/20/2008 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed. Sonja Benson
6/11/2009 Brownfields Award Notice to proceed was awarded to SLR through SPAR term contract. Project managed under Reuse and Redevelopment Program. FY 2010 EPA State and Tribal Response Program (STRP) funds $10,452 awarded to Beaver Tribal Council for a property assessment and cleanup plan on Beaver Generator Fire Site. NTP# 18902815033. Current status: Project complete. Deborah Williams
8/10/2009 Meeting or Teleconference Held DEC held a stakeholder meeting for the Beaver School Tank Farm and the Beaver Generator Building Fire sites. Participants at the meeting included representatives from EPA, DEC, Fish and Wildlife Service, the Yukon River Watershed Inter-Tribal Council and SLR (consultant for the project). The community of Beaver was unavailable to attend that meeting so another meeting was held on 8/14/09 which included representatives from Fish and Wildlife Service, the community of Beaver, DEC and SLR. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the objective of the work planned for the site and provide an opportunity for the everyone to ask any questions regarding the work planned for the sites. Deborah Williams
9/8/2009 Site Visit The consultant, SLR, representing DEC conducted a site visit to collect information for the Property Assessment and Cleanup Plan. Deborah Williams
4/21/2010 Update or Other Action DEC received a Draft PACP for the Village of Beaver Old BIA School Tank Farm and the Burned Generator Building. According to the report, the extent of soil contamination at the Old BIA School and washeteria fuel line source areas have changed and the consultant recommends that this be addressed immediately. They estimate a total of 2,048 cy of contaminated soil in place. The consultant also recommends that the potential impacts to drinking water resources should be investigated since the village of Beaver drinking water well is located approximately 425 feet south of the Old BIA School building. Specifically the Burned Generator site area has approximately 1,804 square feet of impacted area. This area includes the stained areas associated with the burned generator site, the drum storage area (burned generator site) and the leaking fuel line area (burned generator site). Deborah Williams
5/16/2017 Update or Other Action DEC called USFWS A. Matz to enquire about these sites and whether land trade had occurred. She needed to talk with staff and would get back with us. Laura Jacobs
5/25/2017 Update or Other Action Email exchange with USFWS A. Matz and Beaver Village Council N. Hawkaluk regarding where cooperative work had left off in 2010. The letter accompanying the PACP issued in 2010 included items requiring further attention and asks for a followup meeting. Laura Jacobs
7/12/2017 Meeting or Teleconference Held DEC met with USFWS, USFWS refuge staff, DEC Brownfields Program staff to discuss potential avenues to address current exposure to contaminants on the two sites in Beaver. Agreed to gather additional information and meet again in September 2017. Laura Jacobs
4/8/2020 Update or Other Action FKA Brownfield site file 790.57.001. Reassigned to contaminated sites database on this date per phaseout of Brownfield tracking. Cascade Galasso-Irish

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments

Control Type

Type Details

Requirements

Description Details

There are no documents for this site report.

No associated sites were found.

Missing Location Data

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