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Site Report: Dutch Hbr-Aqua Fuel System #1

Site Name: Dutch Hbr-Aqua Fuel System #1
Address: Airport Beach Road, Unalaska, AK 99685
File Number: 2542.38.011
Hazard ID: 517
Status: Active
Staff: Sarah Bernhardt, 9072697527 sarah.bernhardt@alaska.gov
Latitude: 53.894264
Longitude: -166.538554
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

Peteroleum contaminated soil and groundwater associated with a former fueling system that was constructed during WWII to supply fuel to the airport. This area is shared responsibility (multiple potentially responsible party (PRP)) site involving the US Army Corps of Engineers (because it is a formerly used defense site (FUDS)), Chevron and Delta Western Fuels. Bruce Erickson, Mike Lewis and Jennifer Roberts are former site managers. The military built Dutch Harbor Naval Operating Base including tank farms and fuel distribution systems during World War II. Executive order (EO) 8786 dated June 14, 1941 revoked releasing lands to public domain and after the war the federal government continued to own the property until 1974. During this time it leased the fuel facilities to Standard Oil and Chevron. In 1975 the surface rights and facilities were transferred to the Ounalashka Corporation (OC) and subsurface rights went to the Aleut Corp. OC continued to lease the fuel system related portions of the site to Chevron and later Delta Western. See also Reckey 1981260113501 "DOT/PF Dutch Harbor airfield" and Reckey 1988260107101 "Delta Western". The aqua fuel system was located across East Point Road from the airport and pipelines connected it with both the fuel dock and the airport. Standard Oil, Chevron and Delta Western have leased and operated the tanks and land from the federal government and later from OC since the late 1940s. Delta Western removed the Aqua Fuel System #1 from the ground during the 1990s. Soil and groundwater contamination were identified. Subsequent groundwater monitoring through 2006 indicated the contaminant plume was shrinking, petroleum concentrations in groundwater were below "ten times the Table C cleanup levels" and were below the surface water quality standards for TAH and TAqH in the most downgradient monitoring wells.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
7/8/1991 Update or Other Action DEC received a UST closure report from Delta Western documenting that it had removed 8-25K gallon USTs and collected soil samples. DEC determined the assessment work was not done in accordance with State requirements and requested further site assessment. John Halverson
3/31/1993 Update or Other Action DEC received a Phase II Environmental Assessment Report for the aqua system. Petroleum contaminated soil was identified and the report recommened excavation and land spreading. John Halverson
5/10/1993 Notice of Violation DEC issued Delta Western a Notice of Violation for failure to report the release in a timely manner and failure to conduct corrective action; requested that a qualified, impartial third party conduct the necessary characterization and cleanup in accordance with a cleanup plan approved by DEC. John Halverson
6/23/1993 Meeting or Teleconference Held DEC met with Delta Western attorney and manager regarding petroleum contamination around Rocky Point, the site history (prior DOD and Standard Oil/Chevron operations). Agreed to extending the timeframe for Delta Western to submit a cleanup plan until after a PRP meeting with all the parties in July. John Halverson
6/27/1997 Update or Other Action DEC received a letter from Delta Western describing site history and prior sample results (35 samples collected, 5 contained > 100 ppm petroleum with the highest reported concentration being 2180 ppm). The letter reiterates Delta Westerns postion that Chevron and the Corps share responsibility for any cleanup. John Halverson
10/20/1998 Update or Other Action DEC received a Pipeline Removal and Monitoring Well Abandonment Report, dated Oct. 12, 1998, by Hart Crowser, for Frosty Fuels (Reeve) documenting that the portion of the pipeline from the edge of the airport runway apron back to the former aqua system was removed. The assessment work did not identify any releases along the piping. Note, the pipeline from the aqua system to the fuel dock appears to still be present. John Halverson
9/27/1999 Site Characterization Report Approved DEC received a Soil and Groundwater Quality Assessment report dated Sept. 9, 1999, by RRM. Groundwater samples collected from a soil boring contained up to 8,500 ug/l GRO, 87,600 ug/l DRO, 21,000 ug/l av-gas, and 113,000 ug/l Jet A. Based on surrounding land us, the report recommended natural attenuation and monitoring as a remedy. John Halverson
12/27/1999 Update or Other Action DEC sent a letter to Chevron/Delta Western requesting further characterization. John Halverson
1/31/2000 Site Characterization Workplan Approved DEC received and concurred with a workplan from RRM to conduct further site characterization. John Halverson
5/16/2001 Update or Other Action DEC recieved the "First Quarter 2001 Groundwater Monitoring Results - Former Aqua System #1" report from Delta Environmental. GRO and DRO in groundwater were measured at concentrations up to 4,280 ug/L and 9,910 ug/L respectively. Continued quarterly monitoring was recommended. John Halverson
2/8/2002 Update or Other Action DEC sent a letter to Chevron and Delta Western documenting receipt of the "Soil and Groundwater Characterization Results" dated April 27, 2001, and "First Quarter 2001 Groundwater Monitoring Results" reports. The reports document residual petroleum contamination in soil and groundwater. DEC requested submittal of all quarterly groundwater monitoring reports, not previously submitted, and sumittal of a cleanup plan, by April 15, 2002. John Halverson
2/11/2002 Update or Other Action DEC received the "Second and Third Quarter 2001 Groundwater Monitoring Resluts - Former Aqua System #1". John Halverson
3/25/2002 Update or Other Action Chevron requested, and DEC approved, an extension on the deadline for submitting the Aqua System #1 cleanup plan from April 15th to June 1st. John Halverson
7/17/2002 Site Characterization Workplan Approved DEC approved a draft plan for installing an additional MW, soil sampling and groundwater monitoring as part of the continuing site characterization. The groundwater monitoring frequency will be determined based on results from the initial well installation and sampling. John Halverson
1/23/2003 Site Added to Database Rocky Point expanded into nine unique sites from one. John Halverson
4/8/2003 Update or Other Action DEC received the "Groundwater Monitoring and Well Installation - October/November 2002, Former Aqua System #1" report from Tetra Tech. Groundwater samples collected during November 2002 did not contain petroleum at levels above the proposed groundwater cleanup levels (based on the ten times rule and a determination that groundwater beneath the area is not a current or likely future drinking water source) and the downgradient wells did not contain elevated contaminant levels that would indicate a contaminant discharge into surface waters. Semiannual (spring/fall) sampling was recommended for another year. John Halverson
6/8/2004 Update or Other Action DEC received a draft 4th qtr 2003 groundwater monitoring report, by SECOR. GRO was measured in MW-1 at 5,490 ug/l; DRO measured up to 6,470 ug/l in MWASI-1; BTEX was found at a maximum level of 1,020 ug/l, also in MWASI-1. Semiannual groundwater monitoring to continue. John Halverson
6/10/2005 Update or Other Action File number issued 2542.38.011. Aggie Blandford
2/28/2006 Update or Other Action DEC received the Groundwater Monitoring Report - Second Semi-Annual 2004 Event and First Semi-Annual 2005 Event report, dated Feb 13, 2006, from SECOR. The report shows a continuing decreasing trend in petroelum contaminant levels, all of which are below the approved "ten times rule" levels and the wells nearest the surface water in Dutch Harbor continue to meet the surface water quality standards for TAH and TAqH. John Halverson
3/3/2006 Update or Other Action DEC received the Ground Water Monitoring report for the Second Semi-Annual Monitoring Event. Results support conditional closure as the site specific cleanup levels have been consistently met for several sampling events. John Halverson
6/2/2008 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed. Evonne Reese
8/12/2014 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 71496 fomer WWII fueling system. John Halverson
10/7/2015 Update or Other Action Updated coordinates based on Google Maps satellite imagery. John Halverson
4/2/2018 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 71496 fomer WWII fueling system. Linda (Qi) Liu
4/5/2018 Update or Other Action Based on historical review, the site is ready for a cleanup complete with ICs. ADEC contacted with DOT (current landowner), trying to establish IC in DOT land management plan. Linda (Qi) Liu

Contaminant Information

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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