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Site Report: West Forelands Junction

Site Name: West Forelands Junction
Address: North of Drift R., Terminal, Tyonek, AK 99682
File Number: 2337.38.037
Hazard ID: 985
Status: Cleanup Complete - Institutional Controls
Staff: Peter Campbell, 9072623412 peter.campbell@alaska.gov
Latitude: 60.835330
Longitude: -151.849900
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

On or about 16 May 90, a crude oil leak was discovered at a valve at the West Forelands Junction area of the pipeline, where the spur line from the West Forelands joins the main pipeline. The spill apparently migrated downslope from the WFJ in a south/southwest direction. Reported presence of oil in soil in vicinity of old burn pit area. Impact to human health and total extent of contamination is unknown. Representatives from CIPL repaired the faulty valve and recovered approximately 20 drums of oily soil and 10 gallons of oil from 2 temporary surface water areas located south of the spill site. Several site assessments have been conducted in the intervening years.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
5/23/1990 Update or Other Action Site Inspection with John Hammelman - Unocal. Donald Seagren
9/7/1990 Site Characterization Workplan Approved (Old R:Base Action Code = SI - Site Investigation). Workplan received from Shannon and Wilson but no final report was ever received. Donald Seagren
6/4/1991 Site Added to Database Petroleum contaminant. Former Staff
3/2/1995 Site Characterization Report Approved (Old R:Base Action Code = SA1R - Phase I SA Review (CS/LUST)). Reviewed site characterization report and provided comments to RP for inclusion in Phase 2 proposal and remediation plan. Donald Seagren
10/12/1995 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Site initially ranked. Donald Seagren
11/3/1999 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Site ranking values modified per Seagren. Donald Seagren
6/13/2000 Update or Other Action Site inspection with Jim Shew and John Hammelman. Located 4 MWs and inspected area for evidence of leakage of crude oil to adjacent and downgradient wetlands. CIPL will develop sampling plan to include soil, GW. SS and SW. A remediation plan will be developed based on the results of the most recent sampling event. Donald Seagren
10/23/2002 Meeting or Teleconference Held Meeting with Unocal and OilRisk Consultants to discuss 10X ROD and LTM at this site. Donald Seagren
5/6/2003 Update or Other Action Reviewed November 02 sampling report of 3 MWs. MW3 had a broken well casing and could not be sampled. MW4 (downgradient) had exceedances for benzene. Donald Seagren
2/25/2004 Update or Other Action Reviewed October 03 monitoring report. MW -4 (downgradient well) exceeds cleanup level for benzene. Annual monitoring to continue. Donald Seagren
6/7/2004 Update or Other Action File number assigned and entered into the Fileroom DB and CS DB. Alyce Hughey
3/22/2005 Update or Other Action Reviewed 2004 annual monitoring report. The casing on MW3 has been parted and not sampled since November 01. MW 4 exceeds the cleanup level for Benzene. All other parameters in all wells are below cleanup levels. Next scheduled monitoring will be in October 05. Donald Seagren
11/8/2005 GIS Position Updated Using Figure 1 from a Site Characterization Study, West Forelands Junction, in conjunction with TopoZone Pro and the KPB Parcel Lookup, entered the coordinates for this site. Metadata includes USGS Topo Map 1:63K, TopoZone Pro Street Maps, on a Medium Size Map, View Scale 1:25,000, Coordinate Datum NAD83. Moderate to High degree of confidence in accuracy of location. Alyce Hughey
12/27/2005 Update or Other Action Reviewed 2005 annual monitoring report. MW3 has broken casing and was last sampled in 93. Downgradient MW4 exceeds cleanup standard for benzene at 0.015 mg/l. All other constituents in other MWs are below clenaup standards. Annual monitoring will continue. Donald Seagren
4/5/2007 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Donald Seagren
6/12/2008 Update or Other Action Site transferred from Don Seagren to Paul Horwath per Linda Nuechterlein. Alyce Hughey
6/3/2009 Update or Other Action File transferred from Soldotna to Anchorage 6-3-09. Project Manager changed from Paul Horwath to Linda Nuechterlein. Alyce Hughey
6/19/2009 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 71964 Line valve leak. Pam Clemens
11/6/2009 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Reviewed the 2007 groundwater monitoring report by OilRisk Consultants. Monitoring wells 1, 2 and 4 were sampled. Monitoring well 4 showed the only exceedance with benzene above cleanup levels. All other constituents were below cleanup levels. Contacted OilRisk Consultants (David Brailey) to clarify Table 1 that listed 10/24/05 twice for MW 4 – that was a typo and the correct date for the second entry is 10/16/06. Also requested clarification on Figure 1 that shows a 1984 Spill Path – there is no documentation of a spill in 1984 in the ADEC records. This information came from the site history listed in an ENSR report dated June 1994. I contacted Cook Inlet Pipe Line Company (Barry Staskywicz) to request missing reports: ENSR June 1994, OilRisk Consultants 2006 and 2008. The September 2009 groundwater monitoring report will be submitted in December 2009. Pam Clemens
7/27/2010 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Received, reviewed and approved the electronic copy of the September 2009 Groundwater Monitoring Report for West Forelands Junction; from OilRisk Consultants. Discussed site with senior staff. Sent email to Barry Staskywicz with Cook Inlet Pipeline Company requesting that the monitoring wells at West Forelands Junction be decommissioned in accordance with ADEC guidelines. Pam Clemens
8/4/2010 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Received, reviewed and approved, with one correction, the draft Monitoring Well Decommissioning plan. Due to the remote location of this site the well casings will be left in place and a slurry of bentonite or cement will be used to provide a competent seal. The plan originally stated that bentonite chips and water would be used. Also sent out a new PRP letter specifically about West Forelands Junction. Pam Clemens
8/4/2010 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter Sent out Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest letter on this date. Pam Clemens
9/7/2010 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Approved the final report on the monitoring well abandonment at West Forelands Junction, submitted by OilRisk Consultants. The four moninotoring wells were decommissioned as per ADEC guidance. Site closure review in progress. Pam Clemens
9/20/2010 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 71964 name: Line valve leak Pam Clemens
9/23/2010 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 71964 Line valve leak. Pam Clemens
10/8/2010 Institutional Control Record Established Institutional Controls established and entered into the database. Pam Clemens
10/8/2010 Cleanup Complete Determination Issued Based on information provided to date and the administrative record, the ADEC has determined that the contaminant concentrations remaining on site do not pose an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment. Therefore this site will be issued a Cleanup Complete with ICs determination subject to the following: 1. Cook Inlet Pipeline Company shall report to ADEC every five years to document land use, or report as soon as Cook Inlet Pipeline Company becomes aware of any change in land ownership and/or use, if earlier. 2. Installation of groundwater wells will require approval from ADEC. 3. Any proposal to transport soil or groundwater off site requires ADEC approval 4. Movement or use of contaminated material in a manner that results in a violation of 18 AAC 70 water quality standards is prohibited. Pam Clemens
11/1/2010 Update or Other Action Received Signed Institution Controls Agreement Page. Pam Clemens
2/16/2012 Update or Other Action Staff changed from Pam Clemens to IC Unit. Kristin Thompson
11/15/2012 Institutional Control Compliance Review IC Compliance Review conducted. Reminder system set-up to follow-up with the responsible party in 2015. Kristin Thompson
12/16/2015 Institutional Control Compliance Review Subsequent IC compliance review conducted. Scheduled to send IC reminder letter in near future. Nathan Maxwell
12/17/2015 Institutional Control Update IC reminder letter sent to the responsible party on this date. Nathan Maxwell
3/29/2018 Institutional Control Periodic Reporting Received a letter in regards to this site's 5-year land use reporting IC requirement. In 2017, a gravel pad of about 0.37 acres in size was constructed at the southern corner of the pipeline junction using gravel material mined from the north side of the main pipeline. An access road was constructed to improve accessibility of the junction area. Some vegetation/tree clearing was conducted in order to install the pad; however, no significant ground disturbance occurred for the pa installation. Eventually the pad will be fenced with a gate at the entrance, and as part of a facility upgrading project, the following components will be installed on the pad surface: pig trap/pig launcher, control module, generator, communications tower, a solar panel array, and three 1,990-gallon propane tanks. The site will continue to be unstaffed with workers only present at the site periodically for maintenance activities. Excavation work will tie the new facility components into the existing pipeline. Excavation work is planned for summer 2018. A contaminated soil management work plan will be submitted to ADEC for approval prior to commencing the excavation work. If excavation dewatering is required, ADEC will be coordinated with. Reminder system set to make contact regarding the upcoming excavation plans at the end of May this year, and for the next five-year follow-up to occur in 2023. Kristin Thompson
4/19/2018 Site Characterization Workplan Approved Peter Campbell approved a contaminated soil management workplan, prepared by Weston Solutions, on behalf of Hilcorp Alaska, LLC. Paul Horwath
2/21/2019 Update or Other Action Thermal treatment of soils approved. Peter Campbell
8/24/2022 Update or Other Action During the installation of a valve box, hydrocarbons were encountered and sheen was noted in the excavation. A soil management plan is in place. Spill Response is working with Harvest. It is unknown if this is a new source or impacts from the 1990 release. This location is upgradient and 100 feet away from known impacts. Peter Campbell
8/29/2022 Offsite Soil or Groundwater Disposal Approved 2000 gallons of water with sheen was generated during the installation of the valve box. This waster will be moved to Trading Bay for disposal into the waste stream. Peter Campbell
3/18/2024 Institutional Control Update DNR-SAIL added as affiliate (Office of Primary Responsibility). Jennifer McGrath

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments
Benzene > Table C Groundwater There are no full-time receptors, this is a remote industrial site that is not staffed. Workers are there only a few hours each month for routine maintenance.
DRO Between Method 2 Migration to Groundwater and Human Health/Ingestion/Inhalation Soil
RRO < Method 2 Most Stringent Soil
Benzene < Method 2 Most Stringent Soil

Control Type

Type Details
Signed CS Determination

Requirements

Description Details
Advance approval required to transport soil or groundwater off-site. Standard condition.
Groundwater Use Restrictions Installation of groundwater wells will require approval from ADEC.
Other Cook Inlet Pipeline Company must report to ADEC every five years to document land use, or report as soon as they become aware of any change in land ownership and/or use, if earlier.
Movement or use of contaminated material (including on site) in a manner that results in a violation of the water quality standards is prohibited (18 AAC 70) Standard condition.

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