Skip to content Skip to content

Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation

You are here: DEC / SPAR / CSP / SPAR Online Services / Contaminated Sites Search / Site Report

Site Report: FAA Cape Yakataga Station - Sitewide

Site Name: FAA Cape Yakataga Station - Sitewide
Address: East of Cordova, Cape Yakataga, AK 99574
File Number: 2208.38.001
Hazard ID: 485
Status: Informational
Staff: Sophia Bracio-Martinez, 9074511682 sophia.bracio@alaska.gov
Latitude: 60.081667
Longitude: -142.500000
Horizontal Datum:NAD27

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

Widespread soil and groundwater contamination has been documented associated with the FAA facility, which encompasses 37 acres of FAA-owned land. The facility includes an NDB, engine/generator and shop building, transient quarters building, a hazardous materials storage shed, a modular communications equipment building, a former tank farm where both diesel and gasoline were stored, and several ASTs. Reported alleged contaminants onsite in unknown quantities, include solvents, petroleum/ oil/lubricant waste, asbestos, herbicides, household and industrial waste. PCB contaminated soils, measured at<50 ppm. Dates of disposal and extent of contamination unknown. Combination LUST and CS site. FAA plans to complete all site characterization during summer 2000.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
12/13/1993 Site Added to Database Chlorinated solvents, metals, diesel, gasoline and waste oil. Former Staff
12/21/1994 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = RPL2 - Site Information Request Letter). Former Staff
2/7/1995 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = SA2 - Phase II Site Assessment (General)). Review of "Compliance Investigation Report" --ADEC had no comment except that it was looking forward to work plan submittal. Randy Rice
11/28/1997 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Initial ranking. Sally Schlichting
2/18/2000 Meeting or Teleconference Held Met with FAA and contractor to discuss file, ADEC requirements for additional characterization, and target cleanup levels. Eileen Olson
2/28/2000 Update or Other Action Issued file review letter outlining alternatives for developing cleanup levels and requesting additional investigation and monitoring. Eileen Olson
3/23/2000 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Reranked site to reflect the presence of contamination in groundwater monitoring wells (Groundwater Exposure Index Value went from 0 to 1) and existence of on-site water well (groundwater Exposure went from 0.1 to 0.8)--the well is used for bathing and other purposes, but drinking water is brought in. Site was a high priority before changes were made and still is. Eileen Olson
6/29/2000 Site Characterization Workplan Approved Letter sent: Staff conditionally approved a release investigation work plan for additional characterization of soil and groundwater contamination at this remote facility, to begin by mid-July. FAA plans to construct several monitoring wells in highly contaminated areas, and several sentinel wells to determine whether groundwater contaminants are migrating off-site into the adjacent marine environment or other surface waters. FAA also plans to construct a lined and covered passive biocell to contain about 60 cubic yards of diesel contaminated soil. The soil will be placed in the cell in an 18-inch-thick lift. Soil type is primarily sandy gravel. Eileen Olson
11/16/2000 Meeting or Teleconference Held Meeting at FAA to discuss the findings of the Cape Yakataga investigation. Free product present. Requested table showing screened intervals correlated with water depths in monitoring wells. Eileen Olson
9/18/2002 Update or Other Action Sent letter requesting groundwater monitoring for all existing wells on site, with a schedule of monitoring to be submitted by March 31, 2003 and the monitoring to be complete by June 30, 2003. Elizabeth Stergiou
9/19/2002 Update or Other Action Sent letter requesting FAA submit the following documents by October 1, 2002: Environmental Compliance Investigation Report, the final release investigation report from 2000, status of free product and status of the all contaminated sites at the station. Elizabeth Stergiou
9/4/2003 Update or Other Action ADEC approved the workplan for the Fall 2003 Sampling and Analysis Plan for various sites. Deborah Williams
5/7/2004 Site Number Identifier Changed Region changed from 11 to 24. Former Staff
2/23/2007 Update or Other Action comment letter sent on the scope of work for landfill removal Debra Caillouet
4/10/2007 Update or Other Action Staff provided expedited comment on the draft landfill removal work plan Debra Caillouet
4/30/2007 Cleanup Plan Approved Plan to remove contents of landfill eroding into the Duktoth and charcterize and dispose was approved Debra Caillouet
8/20/2007 Cleanup Plan Approved The Phase II removal action work plan addendum was approved. The FAA will remove the top half of the landfill during August-September 2007 and store equipment at the site over winter. Another work plan will be provided for Phase III which will occur next spring to complete the removal of the contaminated soil. Debra Caillouet
10/12/2007 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Debra Caillouet
3/7/2008 Update or Other Action Comments on the draft Phase I/II removal report were sent to the FAA. Debra Caillouet
3/24/2008 Update or Other Action Comments were sent on the Phase III landfill removal work plan. Debra Caillouet
11/20/2008 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Staff reviewed and prepared comment on the Cape Yakataga Debris Removal, Phase III Report, Revision 0, October 2008 Debra Caillouet
11/20/2008 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 78271 landfill. Debra Caillouet
1/9/2009 Interim Removal Action Approved Staff approved the PhaseI/II landfill removal report Debra Caillouet
11/20/2013 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Final Release Investigation and Hydrocarbon Risk Calculator Report, FAA Station Cape Yakataga, September 2013 Former Tank Farm Area and FSS Building 400. At the Former Tank Farm Area, DRO concentrations in soil ranged from 430 to 14,000 mg/kg, and GRO concentrations ranged from 390 to 1,200 mg/kg. Benzene detected up to 0.13 mg/kg. In groundwater, DRO ranged from 1.6 to 5.9 mg/L. At FSS Building 400, the DRO concentrations in soil ranged from 260 to 1,900 mg/kg. No GRO, BTEX or PAH concentrations were detected above cleanup levels. Both sites are being listed as active sites in the CS Database. Debra Caillouet
1/25/2017 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC reviewed the Draft Report for Groundwater and Surface Water Sampling at Cape Yakataga Station, dated December 2016. Bethel Environmental Solutions conducted a depth to water survey for 28 monitoring wells, groundwater sampling at 25 monitoring wells, and co-located surface water and sediment samples at six locations. Nine monitoring wells increased in contaminant concentrations relative to previous sampling events, five sediment samples contained DRO concentrations above ADEC cleanup levels, and one sediment sample contained pesticides (DDD and DDT) in excess of the SQuiRT TEL and PEL criteria. Sammi Castle
3/15/2018 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other FAA submitted the Final Report Groundwater and Surface Water Sampling, dated February 2018 and received by ADEC on March 12, 2018. Groundwater contaminant concentrations exceeded ADEC cleanup levels in 9 of the 25 wells sampled. Six surface water samples collected downgradient of the former AST tank farm met water quality criteria for surface water. Co-located sediment sample results indicated DRO concentrations above ADEC soil cleanup criteria in five of six primary samples (highest result of 632 mg/kg). DDD and DDT detected above TEL and PEL values in one sample. Sammi Castle
10/5/2018 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC provides comments on the "Groundwater Monitoring Program Work Plan, FAA Stations in: Bettles, Cape Yakataga, St. Mary's" dated September 2018. Surface water, ground water, and sediment sampling is proposed. John O'Brien
10/11/2018 Site Characterization Workplan Approved ADEC approves the "Groundwater Monitoring Program Work Plan, FAA Stations in: Bettles, Cape Yakataga, St. Mary's" dated October 2018. John O'Brien
12/13/2019 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other DEC approved the Final 2019 Groundwater Monitoring Program Report, FAA Stations in Bettles, Cape Yakataga, and St. Mary’s, AK, Dated December 2019. This report details 2019 groundwater monitoring activities at the Bettles, St. Mary’s, and Cape Yakataga FAA stations. Monitoring activities included collecting groundwater samples from existing wells at Bettles, St. Mary’s, and Cape Yakataga. Additionally, sediment samples were collected and analyzed at Cape Yakataga. One well at the Bettles site showed a cleanup level (CUL) exceedance of napthalene, but other wells exhibited no exceedances. Similarly, at the St. Mary’s site, one well exceeded the naphthalene CUL, but all other analytes were below CULs. One of the wells scheduled to be sampled at St. Mary’s was deemed unusable due to damage and subsequent low recharge. At the Cape Yakataga site, petroleum contamination remains above CULs in several wells, with contaminant concentrations increasing in some wells and decreasing in others. Several wells were not sampled due to insufficient water or the presence of free product. Additionally, several sediment samples were found to contain DDT and DDE above National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Screening Quick Reference Tables threshold and probable effects levels. Kevin Fraley
6/9/2021 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Draft WP received. WP covers multiple FAA sites: Bettles (1374, 23785, 4685, 24284), Cape Yakataga (485, 26150, 25322), Chena NDB (26486), Puntilla Lake, and St Mary's. Comments sent 06/16/2021. Shonda Oderkirk

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

Because the GIS location data for this site has not been entered, we cannot direct you to its position on the map. Click "Continue" to proceed to the Contaminated Sites Web Map or "Close" to return to the site report.
Continue     Close

Public Notices  •  Regulations  •  Statutes
Press Releases  •  Contact

 

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