FORT WAINWRIGHT ALASKA EPA ID# AK6210022426

EPA Region 10 Fairbanks North Star Borough Fairbanks 1st Congressional District Other Names: U. S. Army - Fort Wainwright

Last Update: February, 2007

Site Description

Fort Wainwright encompasses over 900,000 acres on the eastern boundary of the City of Fairbanks. The Fort was established in 1938 for the primary purpose of training soldiers and testing equipment in arctic conditions. Industrial operations support mission activities and include maintenance of aircraft and vehicles, landfill activities, and power generation. Fort Wainwright is made up of several areas, including a main post area of 4,473 acres, partly within the city limits, 8,825 acres of ranges, and over 898,000 acres of military maneuver areas. Approximately 15,000 people live and work at Fort Wainwright and obtain drinking water from wells that are in close proximity to contaminated source areas. The Chena River, which is used for subsistence, recreation, and sport fishing, runs through the contaminated area of Fort Wainwright.

Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through federal actions.

NPL Listing History	Dates
Proposed Date:	07/14/1989
Removed Date:
Withdrawal Date:
Final Date:	08/30/1990
Deleted Date:

Threats and Contaminants

Media Affected: Groundwater, Soil & Sediments
In most source areas, groundwater is contaminated with solvents and petroleum products. In a few source areas, groundwater is contaminated with pesticides and/or fuel additives. Soil contains some solvents, petroleum products, pesticides, lead and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Sediments contain PAHs and low level pesticides. Potential health threats to people include ingestion of or direct contact with contaminated groundwater and soil. Potential ecological threats include affects to aquatic organisms through contact with contaminated sediments.


Cleanup Progress

The site is being addressed through five project areas, each consisting of multiple source areas. Project Area #1 addresses Building 2077, Chemical Agent site, Building 1599, Site N-4 and the 801 Drum Burial site; Project Area #2 addresses the North Post, Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office (DRMO), and Building 1168; Project Area #3 addresses the Fairbanks Fuel Terminal and Railcar Off-Loading Facility, the Fairbanks-Eielson Pipeline Mileposts 2.7, 3.0 and 15.75; Project Area #4 addresses the Landfill, Coal Storage Yard, and Fire Training Pits; Project Area #5 addresses the Open Burning/Open Detonation area, East and West Quartermaster areas, and Postwide Risk Assessment (including Chena River Aquatic Assessment). Institutional controls are established for all source areas and will remain in effect until clean-up goals are achieved.

Project Area #1 - Building 2077/Chemical Agent site/Building 1599/Site N-4/801 Drum Burial site: Investigations are complete for these areas. In the Summer of 1995, an interim cleanup action was completed by the Army at the Chemical Agent Site that included soil excavation. After the completion of this action, it was determined that no further cleanup activities were required at the Chemical Agent Site. In June, 1997, a Record of Decision (ROD) was signed for cleanup action at the remaining source areas. Two source areas, Buildings 1599 and 2077, are being addressed under the Army and State of Alaska Two Party Agreement to cleanup the petroleum contamination. Site N-4 was recommended for no further action because investigation results indicate that this suspected source area does not pose a risk to human health and the environment. Cleanup action for the 801 Drum Burial began in the Summer of 1997 with excavation of contaminated soil. A phytoremediation treatability study was completed and the source of pesticide contaminated soil(850cy) was remediated to State cleanup goals in 2004. A long-term groundwater sampling program is in place at the 801 site to evaluate the effectiveness of natural attenuation and to ensure no off-site migration of contaminated groundwater occurs while clean-up goals are being met. A Remedial Action Report has been completed for this project area.

Project Area #2 - North Post/Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office (DRMO)/Building 1168: Investigations are complete for these source areas. The final ROD was signed for these areas in March, 1997. An early action for soil removal was completed at the North Post site in 1996. No further cleanup activities were required for this area. A pilot scale soil vapor extraction/air sparging treatment system was installed at Building 1168 in 1994; it was expanded in Fall, 1997 to treat the entire contaminated area. A vapor extraction/air sparging system was installed at the DRMO yard in 1997 and 1998. The system at Building 1168 was shut down in 1998 after achieving MCL Goals in the groundwater. Building 1168 is now under a Long Term Monitoring Program with Institutional Controls. A Remedial Action report has been completed for this project area.

Project Area #3 - Fairbanks Fuel Terminal and Railcar Off-Loading Facility/Fairbanks-Eielson Pipeline Mileposts 2.7, 3.0 and 15.75: Investigation of these areas has been largely completed, though some additional investigative work is being conducted to assess the complex groundwater conditions in permafrost adjacent to the Fuel Terminal. The selected remedy includes soil vapor extraction and air sparging. Additional remedial actions were implemented in Spring and Summer of 2000 include multi-phase groundwater/product extraction and treatment, as well as soil excavation and ex-situ treatment. An ESD explaining the additional remedial actions not contemplated in the ROD is scheduled for the Summer, 2002.

Project Area #4 - Landfill/Coal Storage Yard/Fire Training Pits: Investigation of these areas has been completed. The ROD was signed in September, 1996. An early action that removed contaminated soil from the Fire Training Pits was completed in 1996 by the U.S. Army. No further cleanup activities were required for this area. The inactive portion of the landfill was capped in the Fall of 1997, and a soil vapor extraction/air sparging system was installed at the Coal Storage Yard to treat contaminated soil and groundwater during the same time period. The treatment system at the Coal Storage Area was removed after achieving cleanup goals. A Remedial Action report has been completed for this project area.

Project Area #5 - Open Burning/Open Detonation Area/East and West Quartermaster areas/Postwide Risk Assessment (Chena River Aquatic Assessment): Investigation of these areas has been completed including a Chena River Aquatic Assessment Program. An addendum to the Postwide Risk Assessment was completed in the fall of 2000. An early removal action was completed by the Army for buried drums in the West Quartermaster area in 1996. The final ROD was signed in March, 1999. Four soil vapor extraction/air sparging systems are currently operating in the Quartermaster areas. With completion of the system expansions during the 2001 field season, all treatment system construction is complete for this site.

Project Area #6 - This is a new area, discovered in 2005. This area is a former Communication Site, also known as Taku Gardens. After excavation for a new housing project, PCBs were discovered and a Preliminary Source Evaluation conducted. High level(120,000ppm) PCBs, UXO, munition constituents,RDX, herbicides, petroleum products, metal debris and solvents were discovered at this apparent scrap disposal area. Although housing is complete on this 60 acre parcel, ICs will be implemented to prevent habitation. An RI/FS is scheduled to begin in 2007.

A five-year review was completed for Fort Wainwright in September 2001 and a second five-year review was completed in September 2006. It was determined that all treatment systems and institutional controls are functioning as intended and that the selected remedies for the five project areas remain protective of human health and the environment.


Regional Contacts

SITE MANAGER(S):	Jacques Gusmano
E-MAIL ADDRESS:	gusmano.jacques@epa.gov
PHONE NUMBER:	907-271-3425 Bill Adams adams.bill@epa.gov 206-553-2806
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT COORDINATOR:
E-MAIL ADDRESS
PHONE NUMBER:

Information pertaining to this site is housed at the following location(s):
Directorate of Public Works (Administrative Records)
Building 3023
Fort Wainwright, Alaska 99703
907-353-9886

Noel Wien Library (Selected Documents)
1215 Cowles Street
Fairbanks, Alaska 99701
907-459-1020

EPA Region 10 Superfund Records Center (Site File)
1200 6th Ave. ECL-076
Seattle, WA 98101