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Site Report: NPS Katmai National Park Pfaff Claim

Site Name: NPS Katmai National Park Pfaff Claim
Address: Katmai National Park, King Salmon, AK 99613
File Number: 2569.38.026
Hazard ID: 4656
Status: Cleanup Complete
Staff: No Longer Assigned, 9074655229 dec.icunit@alaska.gov
Latitude: 59.097922
Longitude: -154.864264
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

Numerous 55 gallon drums (approximately 63) were left on-site from a mining claim that was explored from 1964 to 1984. The majority of the drums are located near the abandoned mining camp in an area near the base of the mountain that was mined. Additional drums are scattered across the top of the mountain. The NPS has determined that a significant number of the drums still contained liquids (predominantly diesel fuel). Some of the drums have released fuel onto the surrounding ground surface in three disticnct locations associated with the drums. The remaining drums are planned to be removed druing the 2008 field season and the contaminated soils will be excavated by hand and passively remediated on-site, or flown off-site for treatment.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
7/1/2008 Site Added to Database Site added to the database. Mitzi Read
10/14/2008 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 75723 name: auto-generated pm edit NPS Katmai National Park Pfaff Claim Jonathan Schick
10/24/2008 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC staff recieved a copy of the Report for Pfaff Mine Drum Removal and Contaminated Soil Remediation in Katmai National Park and Preserve. Approximately 20 barrels were removed from the mining site that contained some amount of liquid fuel product. Additional excavation was conducted in an attempt to delineate the extent of contamination as a result of a leaking barrel. ADEC staff will review and comment on this document. Jonathan Schick
6/10/2009 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC recieved a copy of the Draft version of the Pfaff Mine Additional Soil Investigation and Treatment in the Katmai National Park and Preserve for our review and comment. Jonathan Schick
6/15/2009 Update or Other Action ADEC isued a letter with comments on the Draft Work Plan for the remedial effort this summer at the Pfaff Mine site. The Work Plan was well written but there is some additional detail that needs to be added to address the State's concerns about how the wastes will be containerized, treated, and disposed of. Jonathan Schick
12/17/2009 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC staff recieved a copy of the Report for Pfaff Mine Additional Soil Investigation and Treatment Katmai National Park and Preserve on December 17th, 2009. This report describes the field efforts to excavate additional soils from the two known areas of concern and collected samples from the excavation and the stockpiled soils in July. Also in July, the soils were treated with Regenox to aid in the degradation of the weathered diesel fuel contamination. Additional sampling was conducted during a site visit in September to collect field samples from the excavations and stockpiled soils to determine the effects of the soil treatment. Jonathan Schick
4/23/2010 Update or Other Action ADEC recieved a copy of the DRaft Pfaff Mine 2010 Additional Soil Assessment and Hazardous Substance Removal Work Plan dated April 20, 2010 for our review. Jonathan Schick
4/30/2010 Update or Other Action ADEC submitted comments to the National Park Service on the 2010 Additional SIte Assessment and Hazardous Substances Removal Work Plan. The State is concerned that the vertical extent of contamination has not been defined by the previous investigation and is requesting that additional samples be collected in an attempt to make that determination. Jonathan Schick
5/21/2010 Update or Other Action ADEC staff recieved the Final version of the Pfaff Mine 2010 Additional Soil Assessment and Hazardous Substances Removal; Katmai National Park and Preserve. Jonathan Schick
9/21/2010 Update or Other Action Contaminated Sites Staff recived the Draft report for Pfaff mine soil investigation. The report details the additional excavation and soil spreading activities that occurred at the site during the 2010 field season. Also the report details the difficulties that were encountered in trying to remove 55-gallons of diesel fuel from the site. One full drum was encountered and its contents emptied into several smaller containers, but the field crew was unable to transport it over the tundra to the airstip. The fuel will be storerd on-site until the 2011 field season when the NPS will return to the site to make a final determination for the excavated soil. An alternative cleanup level was proposed based on TOC sampling at the two sites. Jonathan Schick
11/2/2010 Update or Other Action Contaminated Sites Staff submitted a letter to the National Parks Service containing comments on the Draft Report from the Pfaff Mine Soil remediation project. The State's concerns were in regards to the alternative cleanup levels calculated for the site based on the TOC data that was collected during the last remedial action. 55 gallons of deisel fuel remains in containers at the site and the contaminants in the soil will continue to degrade with the goal of achieving the proposed alternative cleanup level by next field season. Jonathan Schick
2/22/2011 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Contaminated Sites Staff recieved the Pre-Draft WOrk Plan for Pfaff Mine work in 2011. The plan detailed the proposed removal of 55 gallons of diesel fuel and the spreading of the remaining impacted soil at the site. Jonathan Schick
3/7/2011 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Contaminated Sites Staff submitted a comment letter to the National Park Service Remedial Project Manager with questions and comments on the Pre Draft Work Plan for Pfaff Mine work in 2011. The Plan details the work to be completed in the summer of 2011 including the containerizing and removal of approximately 55 gallons of fuel left on site and the sampling and spreading of the remaining soil at the site resulting from previous excavations. Jonathan Schick
3/25/2011 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Contaminated Sites Staff recieved a letter with responses to our comments on the Draft Work Plan for the Pfaff Mine Claim soil sampling work for 2011. The responses were acceptable and sbumitted by the Park Service consultant. Jonathan Schick
4/11/2011 Site Characterization Workplan Approved Contaminated Sites Staff recieved the Final Work Plan for 2011 Site Restoration and Fuel Removal at Pfaff Mine. The Plan was dated April 5, 2011 and contained all of the agreed upon changes from the draft version, and has been approved to be implemented in the field. Jonathan Schick
6/6/2011 Site Characterization Workplan Approved Contaminated Sites Staff submitted a letter to the National Park Service Remedial Project Manager approving the finalization of the Work Plan for Pfaff Mine Fuel Removal and Site Restoration. Jonathan Schick
8/12/2011 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Contaminated Sites Staff recieved a Draft version of the Report for Pfaff Mine work from 2011. The report detailed the removal of fuel left behind from the past as well as final sampling of the soils that were excavated in previos site work. The amount of soil that remains impacted above the cleanup level is small in volume and has been spread out at the site enhancing the degradation of the petroleum in the soil. Jonathan Schick
9/26/2011 Site Characterization Report Approved Contaminated Sites Staff submitted a letter to the National Park Service approving the contents of the report from the summer 2011 work at the site includign the fuel removal and site restoration. The site is to be administratively closed once the final report has been submitted and reviewed. Jonathan Schick
9/30/2011 Site Characterization Report Approved Contaminated Sites Staff recieved the Final Report for Pfaff Mine dated September 28, 2011. The report documents the remaining impacted soil at the site and recommends that the site be closed in the State's database. This recommendation is supported by the limited amount of impacted soil that remains at the site and the remoteness of the site which limits access. The site wil be issued a determination of cleanup complete in the State's database. Jonathan Schick
10/19/2011 Cleanup Complete Determination Issued Contaminated Sites Staff recieved the Final version of the Report for Pfaff Mine excavation and soil remediation work. The impacted soil was removed from two excavations and the soil was spread out on a lined remediation cell next to the excavation. For two years the soil was tilled and regenox was added to the soil to help break down the petroleum products that were present in the soil reulting from leaking drums at the surface. In 2011, the soil was removed from the lined cell and spread in a thin layer over the surrounding area and the excavations were sloped to reduce risk of any injuries from a human or animal stepping into the excavations. A small amount of soil (less than 1 cubic yard) remains above the cleanup level at the site, but due to the remote nature of the site, its location within the Katmai National Park, and the difficulty to access the site, the Pfaff Mine site has beeen granted a Cleanup Complete Determination and no institutional controls will be required. Jonathan Schick
9/30/2014 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter Potentially responsible party letter sent to the National Park Service. Melody Debenham

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments
DRO Between Method 2 Migration to Groundwater and Human Health/Ingestion/Inhalation Soil less than 1 cubic yard of impacted soil remains at the site and it has been spread in a thin layer around the excavations. No further remedial action is warranted at the site.

Control Type

Type Details
No ICs Required

Requirements

Description Details
Advance approval required to transport soil or groundwater off-site.

No associated sites were found.

Missing Location Data

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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