ARCTIC SURPLUS ALASKA EPA ID# AKD980988158

EPA Region 10 Fairbanks North Star Borough Fairbanks 1st Congressional District Other Names: McPeak Salvage

Last Update: August, 2012

Site Description

The Arctic Surplus site occupies approximately 25 acres and is located on Badger Road, six miles southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska. Salvage operations were conducted at the site, which accepted military equipment and materials, asbestos insulation, and various oils. In addition, battery cracking and transformer burning operations were conducted to recover metals. The Department of Defense (DOD) owned the site from 1944 to 1947. In 1988, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation conducted a site inspection and detected elevated levels of metals on-site. Significant amounts of bulk asbestos and thousands of drums of liquid waste were also found on-site. On-site groundwater is contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE). On-site soil is contaminated with industrial solvents, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and lead. The Tanana and the Chena Rivers flow approximately one mile away from the site and could become polluted by the contaminants. A shallow aquifer, which underlies the Tanana-Chena flood plain, is the primary source of drinking water for residents living near the site. The 1,000 residents living within a three-mile radius of the site are dependent on private domestic wells or bottled water.

Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through federal and potentially responsible parties' actions.

NPL Listing History	Dates
Proposed Date:	10/26/1989
Removed Date:
Withdrawal Date:
Final Date:	08/30/1990
Deleted Date:	09/25/2006

Threats and Contaminants

Media Affected: Soil & Sludges, Groundwater
On-site groundwater contains trichloroethylene (TCE); however, the source of groundwater contamination has been removed. On-site soil is contaminated with industrial solvents, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and lead. People ingesting contaminated groundwater or coming into direct contact with soil may suffer adverse health effects. The Tanana and the Chena Rivers flow approximately one mile away from the site and could become polluted by the contaminants.


Cleanup Progress

The site is being addressed in two stages: early actions which addressed the source of ground water contamination, and a long-term action phase focusing on cleanup of the entire site.

Early Actions: EPA conducted early actions in three phases during 1989, 1990, and 1991. In 1989, EPA removed 22,200 pounds of asbestos, fenced the site, and stabilized 75 gallons of the pesticide chlordane. In 1990, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), under an EPA Consent Order, disposed of the contents of 1,700 drums of liquid wastes; removed and contained highly contaminated soils; and removed and disposed of additional asbestos found at the site. In 1991, EPA located and stabilized areas contaminated with high levels of lead and PCBs; investigated potential waste burial areas; and conducted sampling. DLA began monitoring off-site and on-site wells every six months. In 1992, the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT), under an EPA Administrative Order, cleaned up PCBs and lead-contaminated soils from a ditch next to the site. In 1993, DLA removed PCB-contaminated transformers and incinerator ash containing dioxin. In 1994, DLA removed about 3,000 empty solvent drums from the site which were cleaned prior to off-site disposal.

Long-Term Actions: In 1992, the Defense Logistics Center, responding for the Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs), began an investigation to determine the nature and extent of contamination at the site. Based on the results of the investigation, in the Fall of 1995, EPA selected a remedy for the site. The remedy includes on-site treatment of PCB-contaminated soils; solidification of lead-contaminated soils; and consolidating and capping the treated residual soils over an old closed landfill. Negotiations are underway for final site cleanup and design activities.

In 2002, the Department of Defense (DOD) as a PRP began implementation of the remedy. The initial actions were focused on clearing the site of any munitions that were not properly demiliterized before surplusing them. The DOD investigators identified a number of different types of munitions that required examination and demilitarization. Some potentially explosive devices were found and removed from the site for disposal by the military. This action was not required by the ROD, but is consistent with the current cleanup processes where military surplus ordinance was sold to surplus or scrap metal dealers.

Beginning in March 2003, DOD did some additional characterization of the site prior to beginning the soil cleanup work. Based on the results of the addtional soil data, a request was made to EPA to change some of the treatment requirements required by the ROD. Changes to the ROD requirements were made by an EPA issued Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD) on July 17, 2003. This allowed the soil with higher concentrations of PCB contamination to be taken off-site for proper disposal. The ESD also required that all of the soil with contamination above the industrial cleanup levels be stabilized and placed in a new containment cell constructed on site.

The soil cleanup actions were done by DOD during the summer of 2003. Contaminated soil was sampled and either removed from the site or stabilized with cement and other additives a placed in the new containment landfill constructed in the southeastern corner of the site. The soil that was not treated and left in place was sampled to insure that it met the required safe cleanup levels that were in the ROD and ESD. The new landfill with the stabilized contaminated soil was properly capped and enclosed within a new fence.

DOD completed the cleanup of the spent munitions that were found on the site. The cleanup construction actions required by the ROD have been completed. Some long-term monitoring and ICs are in place. A Final Closeout Report was completed and the site was deleted on 09/25/06.


Regional Contacts

SITE MANAGER(S):	Jacques Gusmano
E-MAIL ADDRESS:	gusmano.jacques@epa.gov
PHONE NUMBER:	(907) 271-1271
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT COORDINATOR:
E-MAIL ADDRESS
PHONE NUMBER:

Information pertaining to this site is housed at the following location(s):
Defense Reutilization & Marketing Office (Administrative Records)
Building 5001, 1/4 Mile Badger Road
Fairbanks, AK 99703

EPA Region 10 Superfund Records Center (Administrative Records)
1200 Sixth Avenue, ECL-076
Seattle, WA 98101