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Site Report: Alaska Gold House, USSR & M

Site Name: Alaska Gold House, USSR & M
Address: 612 Illinois Street, Fairbanks, AK 99701
File Number: 102.38.013
Hazard ID: 728
Status: Cleanup Complete
Staff: No Longer Assigned, 9074655229 dec.icunit@alaska.gov
Latitude: 64.852347
Longitude: -147.721231
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

Onsite soils contamination by arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, silver, PCBs, 4,4-DDE and tetrachloroethene in onsite well. Arsenic and lead contamination below drinking water standards. Quantities and date(s) disposed, extent of contamination, and health impact unknown. Groundwater depth 5-11 feet. Onsite drinking water well and one additional well, city water available, some other nearby wells - none used for drinking water supply. MUS wells approximately 300 feet SW of retort building (total population served by wells within 3 miles is 24,000, but upgradient of site). 1200 feet to Noyes Slough. 100 square foot gravel area with probable surface contamination. Last staffs assigned were Janssen and Cormack. Also known as: Old Gold House on Illinois Street, Alaska Gold-Fairbanks., F.E. Company, U.S. Smelting, Refining and Mining Co., Alaska Gold-Old Gold House. (rpltr2) (Illinois-Minnie) V.P. Gen. Manager Joe Fisher, P.O. Box 640, Nome, AK, 99762, (907) 443-5272. (rpltr.BEN) It looks like hazardous waste file number 102.23.018 has been combined with contaminated sites file number 102.38.013. It appears that the property was owned by the Alaska Railroad Corp., leased by the United States Smelting, Refining, and Mining Company (USSR&M), then subsequently leased to Alaska Gold Company. The property may have since been purchased by Golden Valley Electric Association (GVEA). GVEA was interested in purchasing this site in early 1991. None of this has been confirmed.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
6/18/1987 Preliminary Assessment Approved Performed by Tryck, Nyman and Hayes. Soil tests indicated presence of PCBs (up to 280 ppm) and likely mercury and gold contamination. Former Staff
9/23/1987 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = FI - Field Inspection (General)). Soil sampling on Monroe School playground (across Illinois Street from site) indicated up to 12.1 ppm arsenic, 152 ppm lead and <1 ppm mercury. Former Staff
8/1/1988 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = CORR - Correspondence (General)). Sent letter regarding No Further Action under Superfund planned by EPA or DEC. William McGee
8/24/1988 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = RAPR - Remedial Action Plan Review (CS)). Polytechnic - cleanup/renovation of Tract "L" to include soil removal, sampling and adding soil cover. Former Staff
4/18/1990 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Initial ranking. Former Staff
11/13/1990 Preliminary Assessment Approved (Old R:Base Action Code = SA1 - Phase I Site Assessment (General)). America North undertook sampling for inorganics and HC's on site. Dan Basketfield
2/12/1991 Site Characterization Report Approved (Old R:Base Action Code = SI - Site Investigation). Received America North's report "USSR&M Site Investigation Report and Proposed Remedial Plan" on behalf of Alaska Gold Company. Soil concentrations of mercury ranged from 28.2 to 554 ppm and arsenic from 115 to 18,000 ppm. Report proposes containment. Former Staff
4/30/1991 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = RAPR - Remedial Action Plan Review (CS)). Request that alternatives to the containment proposal be developed in accordance with National Contingency Plan. Basketfield requested from EPA an indication of what their role at the site will be. Dan Basketfield
5/29/1991 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = SA2 - Phase II Site Assessment (General)). America North undertook further soil borings and surface sampling on the site. Dan Basketfield
4/17/1992 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = TAS - Treatment Alternative Study (CS)). Reviewed "Remedial Alternatives Evaluation Report". Former Staff
7/17/1992 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = TRET - Treatment, Selection). Proposed excavation and containment at another site for arsenic and mercury contaminated soils. Plan approved of by the ADEC provided that various other concerns including transport contingency plan and solid waste permit be obtained. Response still pending as of 1/26/92. Dan Basketfield
9/16/1992 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = SA2 - Phase II Site Assessment (General)). America North/EMCON undertook sampling of the floor, wall, ceiling, and floor drain sump of the retort building ("Gold House"). Arsenic ranged from 1.6 to 376 ppm, mercury ranged from 86.1 to 33,200 ppm. Dan Basketfield
12/18/1992 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = CORR - Correspondence (General)). Notified by letter, party of ADEC's intent to use Response Fund monies to initiate a comprehensive area-wide Phase I site Assessment of the Illinois-Minnie Site. Asks to submit questions and comments. Cindy Thomas
12/28/1992 Cleanup Assumed by ADEC (Old R:Base Action Code = SLC - Site Lead Cleanup). ARRC submitted comments and preferred site Assessment plan for Illinois-Minnies site. This project was first proposed in 1990. Thomas returned correspondence to ARRC thanking for comments. Will incorporate into ADEC final version. Will keep ARRC and all parties updated on future actions. Ben Thomas
1/1/1993 Site Characterization Report Approved (Old R:Base Action Code = SA2R - Phase II SA Review (CS)). Reviewed January 29, 1992 " Field Activities and Arsenic and Mercury analytical Results of Samples Collected from the Retort Room in the Old Gold House at the Alaska Gold Company. USSR&M Site, Fairbanks, Alaska." Addressed to Joe Fisher; Alaska Gold; P.O. Box 640 Nome; AK 99762. Dan Basketfield
3/16/1993 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = RAPR - Remedial Action Plan Review (CS)). Reviewed America North/EMCON workplan for field activities at this site for 1993 field season, and approved it based on several minor refinements. Dan Basketfield
3/18/1993 Meeting or Teleconference Held Met with Alaska Gold representative, other NRO staff, and AGO to discuss proposed field activities at this site during the 1993 field season. Dan Basketfield
4/23/1993 Cleanup Plan Approved (Old R:Base Action Code = RAPR - Remedial Action Plan Review (CS)). Reviewed and approved America North's workplan addendum "Alaska Gold USSR&M Site Workplan, Fairbanks, Alaska: Response to ADEC August 18, 1992 comments," dated April 20, 1993. Dan Basketfield
8/30/1993 Meeting or Teleconference Held (Old R:Base Action Code = PUBP - Public Participation)). Thomas and Basketfield attended public meeting hosted by Representatives Brice and Davies, and sponsored by the Murphy Dome Citizen's group, in order to meet all parties and explore various treatment options for the heavy metals contaminated soils. Representatives from Alaska Gold and the Northern Alaska Environmental Center were present. Public testimony was heard and questions were posed. The Center and the Citizen's group were planning to appeal the Borough Planning commission's decision. Ben Thomas
9/16/1993 Meeting or Teleconference Held Met with representatives from Alaskans for Responsible Land Use to review file and copy salient documents and reports. Cindy Thomas
10/13/1993 Meeting or Teleconference Held Met with representatives from the Fairbanks North Star Borough, who requested a position from ADEC regarding requirements for further action at a portion of the property that the Borough is considering leasing from Alaska Railroad for a Mining Museum. Discussed previous actions and investigations and talked about what might be required. Informal discussion and nothing affirmative was decided. Cindy Thomas
10/13/1993 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = RECN - Site Reconnaissance (CS)). Inspected site and met with Pete Egan of Alaska Gold to better understand site layout and conditions, and to meet with site representative to discuss issues regarding the pending soil removal action. Visited Gold house, Shop and grounds. Cindy Thomas
1/7/1994 Meeting or Teleconference Held Attended a LEPC meeting held to discuss LEPC's role in the cleanup of Alaska Gold site. LEPC approved general transportation plan, and would re-examine the driving route portion of the plan later in the year. The original plan was prepared before the Geist Extension was completed, so the new route may include Geist. Cindy Thomas
1/25/1994 Site Added to Database Metals and hazardous substances. Former Staff
5/4/1994 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = RPL2 - Site Information Request Letter). ADEC sent PRP-CS Database Notification letter requesting update and more environmental information concerning the contaminated site. RP responded with phone call they would pass information request on to America North for completion of data and return it to ADEC. Jeff Peterson
7/20/1994 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Reranked. Former Staff
10/31/1994 Update or Other Action (Old R:Base Action Code = RARR - Remedial Action Report Review (CS)). Reviewed CAP which outlined cleanup activities from August 1994. 2370 yards of Hg/As contaminated soils were removed and disposed of at the FNSB Landfill. Various debris and material encountered during removal, including a leach tank, septic tank, UST, cement vault, and other miscellaneous items. Extent of contamination defined and removed. EMCON requested NFA. Cindy Thomas
10/31/1994 Site Closure Approved Approved NFA. Statistical review by NADO and ADEC lab finds acceptable the samples variance. Cindy Thomas
7/10/2002 GIS Position Updated Changed the Latitude, Longitude, Method Accuracy, Accuracy and Unit fields. Heather Goldman

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments
For more information about this site, contact DEC at (907) 465-5390.

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