Final Five-Year Review Report, Former Adak Naval Complex, Delivery Order 0011, November 2001

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This five-year review is conducted in accordance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Draft Guidance on Conducting Five-Year Reviews. In acordance with the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Contingency plan (NCP), five-year reviews are conducted where hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants remain at a site and are inspected to ensure the remedial action remains protective of human health and the environment. The trigger date for this five-year review was the initiation of the interim remedial action for the Palisades Landfill and Metals Landfill Interim Action Record of Decision (ROD) signed in May 1995. This five-year review also addresses the sites in the Adak Operable Unit A (OU A) ROD signed in April 2000.

This five-year review was performed pursuant to Section 121(c) of CERCLA, the National Contingency Plan (NCP), and Section 19 of the 1993 Federal Facility Agreement (FFA) among the U.S. Navy (Navy), the EPA, and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Since the development of this document began prior to the release of EPA's Final 5-Year Review Guidance, this document has been prepared consistent with EPA's Draft Comprehensive 5-Year Review Guidance (OSWER Directive 9355.7-03B-P (EPA, 1999).

This five-year review was conducted to:

• Ensure that the remedial actions selected and implemented are protective of human health and the environment;
• Document deficiencies identified during the review;
• Recommend specific actions to ensure that a remedy will be or will continue to be protective.

Additionally, of the 128 petroleum sites evaluated under the State-Adak Environmental Restoration Agreement (SAERA ["SAERA sites"]) and 58 sites and water bodies evaluated under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA ["CERCLA sites"]), 66 sites were identified for remedial action in the OU A ROD signed in April 2000. For completeness, these 66 sites are included in this five-year review, although it should be noted that because the remedies for some sites have been implemented within the last year, the site remedies (e.g., monitored natural attenuation) cannot be adequately evaluated at this time.

Ordnance sites on Adak are being addressed under the Operable Unit B (OU B) activities. OU B includes two subunits, OU B-1 and OU B-2. The sites in OU B-1 include the Downtown and Remote Exchange areas identified for transfer, while OU B-2 includes areas identified for retention by the U.S. Navy. In May of 2001 the Navy, with concurrence by EPA and Alaska DEC, issued a Proposed Plan for remedial action that identified the preferred alternatives for the OU B-1 sites. The Navy has prepared and submitted a draft OU B-1 ROD to EPA and Alaska DEC that is under final review by the agencies.

Remedial Actions

The remedies at OU A sites are protective of human health and the environment, based on inspections of sites where either institutional controls, monitoring programs, or construction (such as landfill covers or soil removals) have been implemented. There are 131 OU B-1 sites; 104 have been designated as no-further-action sites; and the remedies at the remaining 27 OU B-1 sites have not yet been completed. Therefore, a protectiveness determination cannot be made until these activities are complete. The remedies at the 62 OU B-2 sites have not yet been decided upon because site investigations have not yet been completed, and the OU B-2 ROD has not yet been written. Therefore, a protectiveness determination cannot be made until further information is obtained.

The following groups the various types of remedial actions completed to date.

Limited Soil Removal for Petroleum Sites.

Remedial action in the form of limited soil removals was selected for twelve petroleum sites. To date, limited soil removals that are protective of human health and the environment have been successfully completed (e.g., soil with concentrations above Alaska DEC 18 AAC 75 soil cleanup levels removed) at the following four petroleum sites: Contractor's Camp Burn Pad, Girl Scout Camp (UST GS-1), Officer Hill and Amulet Housing (UST 31047-A), and Quarters A. No further action is required at three of these four sites per ALASKA DEC comments received on March 31, 2000; further action at the fourth site, Contractor's Camp Burn Pad, has not yet been determined. Limited soil removals were started, but terminated before cleanup levels were achieved due to site obstructions at three petroleum sites: Navy Exchange Building (UST 30027-A), Officer Hill and Amulet Housing (UST 31049-A), and Officer Hill and Amulet Housing (UST 31052-A). Subsequent work at the Navy Exchange Building (UST 30027-A) included installation of one well; completion of one soil boring; quarterly sampling of the well for one year; and receipt of concurrence of no-further-action from Alaska DEC comments dated August 30, 2001. A concurrence of no-further-action was also received from Alaska DEC on August 30, 2001 for Officer Hill and Amulet Housing (UST 31049A). For Officer Hill and Amulet Housing (UST 31052-A), one additional well was installed and and five consecutive years of monitoring will begin in 2002.

Limited soil removals were started, but terminated due to larger than anticipated quantities of affected soil at three petroleum sites: Finger Bay Quonset Hut (UST FBQH-1), Mount Moffett Power Plant 5 (USTs 10574 through 10577), and Yakutat Hangar (USTs T-2039-B and T-2039-C). Subsequent work at Yakutat Hangar (USTs T-2039-B and T-2039-C) included quarterly sampling for one year, and a concurrence of no-further-action was received from Alaska DEC in comments dated August 30, 2001. For Finger Bay Quonset Hut (UST FBQH-1), the Navy and Alaska DEC have agreed that additional removal of petroleum-affected soil accompanied by the removal of protective tundra on the steep hillside at the site would increase the potential for source erosion such that additional excavation activities would pose a greater risk to the environment than leaving the affected material in place. Therefore, it was agreed that one additional downgradient monitoring well will be installed and sampled, per Alaska DEC comments dated August 30, 2001; the purpose of the well will be to evaluate if petroleum hydrocarbons are partitioning from the soil into groundwater. An agreement between the Navy and Alaska DEC regarding further action at Mount Moffett Power Plant 5 (USTs 10574 through 10577) has not yet been completed; groundwater monitoring is currently planned to continue at this site. Due to site operations at the ASR-8 Facility and SA 77, Fuels Facility Refueling Dock and Small Drum Storage Area, limited soil removals have not yet been performed.

Limited Groundwater Monitoring for Petroleum Sites.

Limited monitoring sites consist of eight petroleum-release sites administered under SAERA where hydrocarbon concentrations in soil exceed Alaska DEC soil cleanup levels (18 AAC 75.340), but concentrations in groundwater do not exceed Alaska DEC groundwater cleanup levels (18 AAC 75.345). Limited monitoring was conducted quarterly for one year (between August 1999 and July 2000) at these sites to more fully understand groundwater conditions. Four of the eight limited monitoring sites did not contain chemicals of concern (COCs) at concentrations greater than the Alaska DEC groundwater cleanup levels. These four sites are NAVFAC Compound (USTs 20052 and 20053); ROICC Warehouse (UST ROICC-2); ROICC Warehouse (UST ROICC-3); and Boy Scout Camp, West Haven Lake (UST BS-1). No further action is required at Boy Scout Camp, West Haven Lake (UST BS-1); NAVFAC Compound (USTs 20052 and 20053); ROICC Warehouse (UST ROICC-2); and ROICC Warehouse (UST ROICC-3); per Alaska DEC comments received on August 30, 2001.

The remaining four limited monitoring sites had reported concentrations of COCs in groundwater that exceeded the Alaska DEC groundwater cleanup levels. These sites are: MAUW Compound (UST 24000-A), New Roberts Housing (UST HST-7C), ROICC Contractor's Area (UST ROICC-7), and SA 79, Main Road Pipeline. Sufficient data has not yet been collected to estimate the time to achieve groundwater cleanup level for every COC at these locations. The Navy and Alaska DEC have agreed that groundwater monitoring will continue at these four sites, based on Alaska DEC comments dated August 30, 2001.

Monitored Natural Attenuation for Petroleum Sites.

Monitored natural attenuation was the selected remedy for 11 petroleum sites in the OU A ROD. Natural attenuation monitoring was conducted between 1999 and 2000 at the following ten petroleum-release sites administered under SAERA where petroleum-related chemicals are present in groundwater at concentrations greater than the Alaska DEC groundwater cleanup levels: Antenna Field (USTs ANT-1, ANT-2, ANT-3, ANT-4); ROICC Contractor's Area (UST ROICC-8); Runway 5-23 Avgas Valve Pit; SWMU 14, Old Pesticide Storage and Disposal Area; SWMU 15, Future Jobs/Defense Reutilization Marketing Office; SWMU 60, Tank Farm A; SWMU 61, Tank Farm B; Amulet Housing, Well AMW 706 Area; Amulet Housing, Well AMW 709 Area; and Former Power Plant Building (T-1451). (Note: the eleventh site - Housing Area (Arctic Acres) - was originally a monitored natural attenuation site; however, measurable amounts of free product was detected after completion of the ROD, and the site is now being treated as a free product recovery site). The quarterly sampling at these sites constituted the first year of natural attenuation monitoring, which was completed to establish baseline groundwater conditions before initiating the annual monitoring program. The baseline and annual monitoring results will be used to develop trend analyses and attenuation rates. The effectiveness of this remedy for these sites will be determined as a part of the next 5-year review. The Navy has recommended that monitoring continue at all of these sites except for Amulet Housing, Well AMW-706 Area; and Amulet Housing, Well AMW-709 Area. These two Amulet Housing sites have been recommended for no-further-action because the only exceedances were total lead, and it is believed that the exceedances are the result of high turbidity in the analytical samples, and do not reflect actual lead concentrations in water. To date, Alaska DEC has not responded to this recommendation for no-further-action at these two sites.

Free-Product Recovery.

Free product recovery of petroleum is the interim remedy for 14 sites in the OU A ROD. A fifteenth site, Housing Area (Arctic Acres), was found to contain measurable amounts of free product after completion of the ROD, and the site is now being treated as a free product recovery site). Free-product recovery was conducted from 1996 to present at the following 15 petroleum-release sites administered under SAERA where measurable product (greater than 0.02 foot thickness) has been observed: GCI Compound, UST GCI-1; NMCB Building Area, T-1416 Expanded Area; NORPAC Hill Seep Area; SA 73, Heating Plant 6; SA 78, Old Transportation Building; SA 80, Steam Plant 4; SA 82, P-80/P-81 Buildings; SA 88, P-70 Energy Generator; South of Runway 18-36 Area; SWMU 17, Power Plant 3; SWMU 58, Heating Plant 6; SWMU 62, New Housing Fuel Leak (product recovery at this site was begun in 1989); Tanker Shed (UST 42494); Yakutat Hangar (UST T-2039-A); and Housing Area (Arctic Acres).

Free product recovery has been ongoing at all these sites with varying degrees of success, and both active and passive systems were installed to recover free product. Specifically, free product is currently being recovered at the following sites via passive and active recovery systems: NMCB Building Area, T-1416 Expanded Area; NORPAC Hill Seep Area; SWMU 17, Power Plant 3; Tanker Shed (UST 42494); and Housing Area (Arctic Acres).

Free-product recovery has reached the practicable endpoint as defined in the OU A ROD at the following seven sites where passive recovery devices were installed: GCI Compound (UST GCI-1); SA 73, Heating Plant No. 6; SA 78, Old Transportation Building; SA 80, Steam Plant No. 4; SA 82, P-80/81 Buildings; SA 88, P-70 Energy Generator; and SWMU 58, Heating Plant No. 6. Evaluation of additional actions for these sites is under development through the SAERA by the Navy and Alaska DEC. Free-product recovery has reached the practicable endpoint as defined in the OU A ROD at the following two active recovery sites: SWMU 62, New Housing Fuel Leak and Yakutat Hangar (UST T-2039-A). Evaluation of additional actions for these sites is under development through the SAERA by the Navy and Alaska DEC.

Landfill Covers.

Landfill covers have been installed at the following landfill sites under CERCLA: SWMUs 4, 11, 13, 2, and 29. The following landfills were closed under the State Solid Waste Regulations: 18/19, and 25 Institutional controls restricting land use and excavation at these sites and engineering controls including signs and fences have also been installed at several sites for protecting human health and the environment. The institutional controls are implementation of deed restrictions or restrictive covenants on the parcels that make up the respective sites and recordation of these restrictions in the land transfer agreement, and prohibition of soil excavation. The engineering controls consist of annual inspections of the soil covers to ensure they remain intact. Annual inspections were completed at SWMUs 2, 4, 11, 13, 18/19, 25, and 29 in May 2001. Additionally, annual monitoring of groundwater, surface water, and/or sediment is in progress at SWMUs 11, 13, 18/19, and 25 to ensure that hazardous substances will no longer migrate from the landfills that could pose a risk to human health and the environment.

Fish Advisory.

An institutional control in the form of fish advisory signs is the selected remedy to protect subsistence fishers from ingestion of fish and shellfish in Sweeper Cove and Kuluk Bay. Updated fish advisory signs were installed in October 2001 that include icons and language developed in conjunction with Adak Island school children. A fish and shellfish monitoring/sampling program was completed in 1999. The objective of the marine fish and shellfish monitoring program is to determine temporal trends in the PCB concentrations in fish and shellfish from Adak which may be consumed by humans, and to determine whether institutional controls (i.e., fish consumption advisories) on fish and shellfish from the marine waters surrounding Adak can be removed. Per the OU A ROD, the target species for monitoring in the OU A ROD are rock sole and blue mussels, and the human health risk drivers are Aroclor 1260 for rock sole and Aroclor 1254 for blue mussels.

Rock sole results from Sweeper Cove for total PCB concentrations from 1996, 1999, and 2000 have consistently exceeded the ROD-established cleanup level. Blue mussel results from Sweeper Cove for total PCB concentrations from 1996 through 1999 (the most recent finalized results received) indicate that most of the detected concentrations are either below or hovering very close to the ROD-established cleanup level.

With regard to Kuluk Bay, rock sole sampling was completed in 1996, 1999, and 2000. Results for total PCB concentrations from 2000 were below the ROD-established cleanup level; and 1999 and 1996 results were above the cleanup level. Blue mussel results from 1996, 1997, and 1999 indicated no exceedances in 1997 and 1999, and two exceedances out of a total of six samples from the two sampling events in 1996.

Per the April 2000 ROD, fish and shellfish monitoring will continue to determine trends by the continuation of monitoring through 2003. The results of those monitoring efforts and analyses will be reported in the next 5-year review.

Sediment Removal, Treatment, and Disposal.

The removal, treatment, and disposal of the sediments in the SWMU 17 ponds and in South Sweeper Creek were completed in 1999 and met the remedial action objectives established in the OU A ROD. Institutional controls were also selected for SWMU 17 to prohibit residential use and restrict excavation due to ongoing free product recovery in another area of SWMU 17. Deed restrictions or restrictive covenants will be recorded when the land transfer agreement is finalized.

Other Institutional Controls Sites.

Based on site inspections conducted in May 2001, the institutional controls at SWMUs 10, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21A, 23, 52 (includes 53 and 59), 55, 67, and SA 76 are functioning as intended to protect human or ecological receptors from exposure to soil or groundwater. The following controls are in place for all sites in this category: residential use has not occurred; soil excavation is restricted; and annual visual inspection was conducted in 2001. Equitable servitudes will be recorded when the land transfer agreement is finalized.

OU B Sites. Of the 131 OU B-1 sites, 104 have been designated for no further action (NOFA), based on the completion of the PA, SI, RI and ESHA evaluations. The process of intrusive investigation and clearance of OE/Munitions during field activities associated with at least one of these evaluation steps resulted in the effective clearance of OE/Munitions at the sites, thereby supporting the NOFA decision which is considered protective of human health and the environment.

Eighteen of the 27 remaining sites (i.e., those not designated NOFA) have had clearance and characterization completed as of the end of the 2001 field season. Clearance and characterization at the other nine sites not addressed in 2001 will be evaluated in 2002; the final disposition and protectiveness of the 27 sites will be presented in the next 5-year review.

The 62 OU B-2 sites have not yet been investigated, and the protectiveness of the eventual remedy will be evaluated in the next 5-year review.

Issues

The following issues were noted during the review process and are summarized below with proposed corrective actions:

Soil removal was planned but not attempted at the following two sites, due to the need for continued active site operation: ASR-8 Facility (UST 42007-B) and SA 77, Fuels Facility Refueling Dock, Small Drum Storage. The Navy is planning on completing the removal at both sites in 2002.

At Mount Moffett Power Plant 5 (USTs 10574 through 10577), a limited soil removal was started but terminated due to the presence of larger than anticipated quantities of affected soil. An agreement between the Navy and Alaska DEC regarding further action at this site has not yet been completed; groundwater monitoring is currently planned to continue at this site.

One groundwater monitoring well is to be installed at each of two sites: Officer Hill and Amulet Housing (UST 31049-A), and Finger Bay Quonset Hut (UST FBQH-1). It is anticipated that the Navy will complete these installations in 2002.

Concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons were detected above Alaska 18 AAC 75.345 Table C values in sentinel wells associated with the following sites: South of Runway 18-36 Area;NMCB Building Area, T1416 Expanded Area; NORPAC Hill Seep Area; SWMU 62, New Housing Fuel Leak; SWMU 58 and 73, Heating Plant 6; Tanker Shed UST 42494; SWMU 61, Tank Farm B; and SWMU 15, Future Jobs/Defense Reutilization Marketing Office. The sentinel well locations at these sites will be revised, or monitoring will continue at existing sentinel locations.

Recommended Actions

Actions recommended in the OU A ROD signed in April 2000 are presented for each site in Section 8. The actions recommended for the following fifteen sites are presented as a result of findings compiled since completion of the ROD; these recommendations represent a change in conditions as described in the final ROD:

• ASR-8 Facility (UST 42007-B); and SA 77, Fuels Facility Refueling Dock, Small Drum Storage Area: Soil removal was not attempted at either site due to the need for active operations at each facility to continue unabated. Therefore, soil removal is recommended for such time when an interruption of facility activities is appropriate.
• Finger Bay Quonset Hut, UST FBQH-1; and Officer Hill and Amulet Housing (UST 3052-A): At each site, soils containing petroleum hydrocarbons at concentrations above Alaska DEC Method Two soil cleanup levels remain in place and a continuous groundwater pathway may exist. Therefore, each site is recommended for groundwater monitoring consisting of annual sampling for five consecutive years; this monitoring will be initiated in 2002, utilizing the single new monitoring well installed at each site in 2001.
• Housing Area (Arctic Acres): During post-recovery monitoring in May 2000, free product was measured for the first time in wells 03-890 and 03-421 at this site. Free product was consistently observed in these wells during weekly gauging over the next six weeks. Free-product recovery is now active at this site, and is recommended to continue until appreciable product is no longer recoverable (criteria defining product recovery endpoints has already been established at other free-product petroleum recovery sites).
• Per Alaska DEC, no further action is required at Navy Exchange Building (UST 30027-A); Boy Scout Camp, West Haven Lake (UST BS-1); Officer Hill and Amulet Housing (UST 31049A); Yakutat Hangar (USTs T-2039-B and T-2039-C); Girl Scout Camp (UST GS-1); Officer Hill and Amulet Housing (UST 31047-A); NAVFAC Compound (USTs 20052 and 20053); Quarters A; ROICC Warehouse (UST ROICC-2); and ROICC Warehouse (UST ROICC-3).

Other actions required in the April 2000 ROD will continue to be implemented as planned.