Runway 5-23, Avgas Valve Pit Petroleum Controls

Background
In 1994, a product sheen was observed on the groundwater surface in the excavation opened to remove the valve in the valve pit for a closed avgas pipeline. The soil sample collected during the valve removal contained petroleum hydrocarbons greater than state cleanup levels. Investigations began in 1996. Petroleum hydrocarbons in groundwater also exceeded state cleanup levels.

The OU A Record of Decision (ROD) identified monitored natural attenuation (MNA) and institutional controls (ICs) as the interim remedy for this site in 2000. Intermittent free-product recovery was conducted from 1989 to 2000.

Identified Contaminants
Petroleum hydrocarbons in soil and groundwater

Current Actions
The Navy conducts natural attenuation monitoring at two wells annually.


Petroleum Institutional Controls

  • Groundwater Restrictions
    Domestic use of groundwater in the Downtown Area is restricted because of the potential presence of petroleum compounds and other chemicals in the groundwater. Domestic groundwater use is defined as that used by households or transients for human and animal consumption, cooking, bathing, showering, gardening, irrigation, or use on consumable food products, watering animals and any other domestic use. The excavation notification program at individual sites provides one barrier to drilling; enforcement of the prohibition will also occur through periodic visual inspections. The visual inspections will focus on unauthorized wells in the restricted area. Groundwater use restrictions are included in the equitable servitude.

  • Inspections and Reporting
    The ICs identified in this plan will be inspected and reported on an annual basis, or as necessary. Annual site inspection reports will present the results of inspections. The annual reporting requirements will be included in CERCLA 5-year reviews.

  • Land Use Restrictions
    Commercial and industrial land uses and continuing residential land uses where housing exists in the Downtown Area are permitted in accordance with the Interim Conveyance document. Residential housing is allowed in existing housing units located at Amulet Housing, Arctic Acres Housing and SWMU 62. Future residential housing construction will be evaluated for impacts to ongoing petroleum cleanup activities.

  • Soil Excavation Restrictions
    Soil excavation notifications are required for all the Downtown Area Petroleum sites with ICs. The excavation notifications will be required for each proposed excavation below 2 feet. The notifications will be evaluated to determine whether a proposed project at an IC site is consistent with the land use restrictions. The notifications are an additional tool for the Navy to receive timely information (in the absence of local zoning requirements) to monitor land use restrictions.


Petroleum Engineering Controls

  • Other Engineering Controls
    Other engineering controls include landfill caps (CERCLA sites), free-product recovery wells (SAERA sites), and free-product recovery trenches (SAERA sites).



runway 5-23 survey

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The Final Third 5-Year Review report and Fact Sheet have been posted.
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Area 303 Final FFS, Rev 1
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Get Involved: Thursday, October 20, 2011

The next RAB meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at 6 p.m. Adak time in the Reeve's High School Conference Room on Adak and at 7 p.m. local time in the ADEC Conference Room at 555 Cordova St, Anchorage.