South of Runway 18-36 Petroleum Site

Background
In September 1990, an abandoned jet petroleum fuel line located near the southeast corner of Runway 18-36 was uncovered during the installation of a new fuel line. Residual product was observed in the excavated trench. Subsequent site investigation activities indicated the presence of petroleum hydrocarbons in soil and groundwater over a large area south of Runway 18-36. Measurable quantities of free product have been periodically observed in and recovered from groundwater monitoring wells at the site. Potential sources of the petroleum hydrocarbons present at the site include various pipelines that crisscross the site. Additional investigations were conducted from 1994 to 2001.

The OU A Record of Decision (ROD) identified free-product recovery as the interim remedy for this site in 2000. Intermittent free-product recovery was conducted from 1997 to 2004. A Decision Document was prepared according State of Alaska regulations in 2006. Institutional controls (ICs), free-product recovery and containment, monitored natural attenuation (MNA) for groundwater, and natural recovery for surface water and sediment was selected as the final remedy. The final remedy is in place and is being monitored on a quarterly basis.

Identified Contaminants
Petroleum hydrocarbons (jet fuel and gasoline) in soil, groundwater, surface water, and sediment

Current Actions
The Navy conducts monitoring of the remedy on a quarterly basis. Natural attenuation monitoring is conducted at 10 wells and 8 surface water/sediment monitoring locations 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).



south of runway 18-36 survey

Stay Informed: Subscribe to Our List
What's New: News and Events
JUL
1
have been posted to the Ordnance Area.
APR
7
April 7 , 2010 RAB meeting minutes have been posted.
APR
7
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.