Housing Area (Arctic Acres) Petroleum Site

Background
During 1993, leaks were discovered in the heating fuel piping system for the housing complex. These leaks were repaired within a day of discovering the leak. The volume of fuel released has not been determined. However, significant volumes of heating fuel were released. Investigations were conducted between 1993 and 1999. Petroleum hydrocarbons were detected in excess of their cleanup criteria in soil and groundwater.

The OU A Record of Decision (ROD) identified monitored natural attenuation (MNA) and institutional controls (ICs) as the remedy for this site in 2000. Natural attenuation monitoring was conducted between 1999 and 2004. Product recovery was conducted at two wells from 2000 to 2002. The Navy completed limited soil removal in 2006.

Identified Contaminants
Petroleum hydrocarbons in soil and groundwater

Current Actions
Passive product recovery and natural attenuation monitoring is conducted annually at selected wells.


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).



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have been posted to the Ordnance Area.
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April 7 , 2010 RAB meeting minutes have been posted.
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Biological Monitoring Program 2009 Sampling Summary
Get Involved: October 13th RAB Meeting

The next RAB meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, October 13, 2010 at 6 p.m. Adak time in the Reeve's High School Conference Room on Adak. The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation has provided a conference room at their offices on 555 Cordova Avenue in Anchorage.