SWMU 2 - Causeway Landfill CERCLA Landfill Site

Background
SWMU 2 was a former landfill that was operated from the mid-1950s to the early 1960s. The landfill is about 4 to 6 feet thick. It is located about 7 miles from downtown on the eastern side of Clam Road on a narrow strip of land separating Clam Lagoon from Sitkin Sound. The landfill reportedly received waste materials that included sanitary trash, construction debris, scrap equipment, and other refuse generated by NSGA. Site features are generally flat, with a predominantly cobble and gravel surface cover. The Causeway Landfill is approximately 6.36 acres (US Navy 1995c).

The remedial action objectives for SWMU 2 are to protect human or ecological receptors (or both) from exposure to landfill debris and soil. Maintaining the integrity of the soil cover will help ensure the site remains protective.


Landfill Institutional Controls

ICs at the landfills complement previous actions taken, such as installation of groundwater monitoring systems, and the placement of soil cover. The ICs will minimize potential human exposure to site chemicals by implementing land use restrictions and imposing restrictions on soil excavations.

To ensure the integrity of the landfill covers, containment, and monitoring systems currently in place, the future landowner(s) and/or user(s) will be prohibited from performing activities that will disturb the soil cover or monitoring systems or impact the drainage and erosion controls developed to protect the soil cover.

  • 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. Signs will be inspected for wear and tear, and replaced as necessary. The annual reports will assess the need for more or less inspection requirements, as well as determine whether the ICs in place are effective. The annual reporting requirements will be included in CERCLA 5-year reviews.

  • Land Use Restrictions
    The landfills may be used for recreational use or any other activity that does not adversely impact the integrity of the landfill covers, containment, or monitoring systems. Examples of acceptable recreational uses include hiking, bird watching, hunting, nature watching, or any other short-term, non-intrusive activity.

  • Soil Excavation Restrictions
    Landfill excavation by non-Navy personnel is absolutely prohibited. Excavation for the purpose of digging a domestic groundwater use well is also prohibited. Recreational land uses that add additional cover (e.g. ball fields, golf course) may be permissible. Navy personnel will be allowed to excavate for the purposes of repairing caps, etc.


Landfills Engineering Controls

The following engineering control, as stipulated in the OU A ROD, is required at landfill sites.

  • Sign and Soil Cover Maintenance
    Signs and soil cover are in place at the landfills. The signs and soil cover will be inspected annually, or as necessary, to ensure that the signs are legible, and that the soil cover remains in place.



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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.