SWMU 15 - Future Jobs/Defense Reutilization Marketing Office CERCLA and Petroleum Site

Background
SWMU 15 was used as a storage yard from the 1950s until the site was cleared in 1992. Reportedly, 150 gallons of PCB transformer coolant were spilled at the site. In 1992, approximately 252 cubic yards of surface soil were removed. Additional samples were collected in 1996. VOCs were detected in groundwater in excess of acceptable levels. SWMU 15 was also evaluated under State-Adak Environmental Restoration Agreement (SAERA).

The OU A Record of Decision (ROD) identified institutional controls (ICs), Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) compliance monitoring, and monitored natural attenuation (MNA) as the remedy for this site in 2000. The final remedy is in place.

Identified Contaminants
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxin/furans in soil and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and petroleum hydrocarbons in groundwater

Current Actions
The Navy maintains and inspects ICs and monitors groundwater in one well for natural attenuation and CERCLA compliance on an annual basis.


CERCLA Institutional Controls

  • Land Use Restrictions
    Outdoor recreational and commercial and industrial land uses for the CERCLA Downtown Area sites are allowable under the OU A ROD. Examples of recreational land uses include hiking, bird watching, hunting, nature watching or any other short-term, non-intrusive activity on the land. Examples of commercial and industrial uses include manufacturing, industrial research and development, utilities, commercial warehouse operations, retail gas stations, auto service stations, equipment repair and service stations, professional offices, financial institutions, publicly owned office buildings, retail business where the principal activity is the sale of food or merchandise, personal service establishments (health clubs, barber/beauty salons, mortuaries, photographic studios, etc.), churches providing worship services (excluding daycare services), and motels/hotels (excluding those that allow residences). The planned land use at the Downtown Area CERCLA sites (except landfills) is consistent with these land use restrictions.

  • Soil Excavation Restrictions
    Excavation Notifications are required for all the Downtown Area CERCLA sites as an IC. The excavation notifications will be required for all proposed excavations below 2 feet at each of the ICs sites. 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. The primary purpose of the IC Excavation Notification is to apprise the Navy of any changes in land use. Information regarding the depth to contamination present is available in the information repository on the second floor of Bob Reeves High School. In the event of an emergency excavation for utility repairs, the requester shall notify the Navy within three working days after the emergency repair has been completed to provide the name, location, depth, and duration of the excavation.


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).



swmu 15 survey

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DEC
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The Final Third 5-Year Review report and Fact Sheet have been posted.
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The Draft Oct. 20, 2011 RAB meeting minutes has been posted to the website.
AUG
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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.