Camp Lonely LandfillCamp Lonely LandfillBackground Information and Background Information and Current StatusCurrent Status

March 17, 2005 March 17, 2005 Anchorage, AKAnchorage, AK

Alaska Department of Environmental ConservationContaminated Sites Program

Presentation OutlinePresentation Outline

History of Camp Lonely LandfillHistory of Camp Lonely Landfill Current Status of Camp Lonely Current Status of Camp Lonely

LandfillLandfill ADEC Position on Eroding LandfillsADEC Position on Eroding Landfills

Camp Lonely &Pt. Lonely POW-1 DEW Line

Camp Lonely

Point Lonely POW-1 Point Lonely POW-1 DEW LineDEW Line Point Lonely POW-Point Lonely POW-

1 DEW Line 1 DEW Line station began station began operation in 1953operation in 1953

Purpose of the Purpose of the Distant Early Distant Early Warning System Warning System (DEW Line) was to (DEW Line) was to detect and report detect and report airborne trafficairborne traffic

Camp Lonely 1979, image courtesy BLM

Lonely Exploration Lonely Exploration Camp 1970’sCamp 1970’s Camp first used for National Petroleum Reserve Camp first used for National Petroleum Reserve

(NPR) exploration activities by the Department (NPR) exploration activities by the Department of the Navy, the NPR contractor, Husky Oilof the Navy, the NPR contractor, Husky Oil

Exploration activities Exploration activities transferred from the transferred from the Navy to the USGS in Navy to the USGS in 1977 1977

Husky Oil retained Husky Oil retained exploration contract exploration contract with the USGS when with the USGS when the land transferredthe land transferred

Camp Lonely Landfill Camp Lonely Landfill 1970’s1970’s

ADEC Solid Waste Program requested Husky obtain ADEC Solid Waste Program requested Husky obtain a waste disposal permit in 1976 for Camp Lonelya waste disposal permit in 1976 for Camp Lonely

Husky received a solid waste permit from ADEC Husky received a solid waste permit from ADEC #NR-32-77#NR-32-77

Landfill was to be used exclusively by the US Navy Landfill was to be used exclusively by the US Navy and Husky and Husky

In 1978, the permit In 1978, the permit was amended and was amended and issued to USGS and issued to USGS and Husky. The landfill Husky. The landfill could also be used could also be used by the Point Lonely by the Point Lonely DEW Line contractor.DEW Line contractor.

Camp Lonely Landfill Camp Lonely Landfill Waste 1970’sWaste 1970’s

Before 1978, solid waste from other drill Before 1978, solid waste from other drill camps was flown to Camp Lonely for camps was flown to Camp Lonely for disposaldisposal

Most waste was incinerated before being Most waste was incinerated before being placed in landfill placed in landfill

Metal, glass, ash, rubber, hydrocarbon Metal, glass, ash, rubber, hydrocarbon products, chemicals, and domestic products, chemicals, and domestic wastes were placed in the landfillwastes were placed in the landfill

Husky Oil allowed unauthorized materials Husky Oil allowed unauthorized materials to be placed in the landfill (batteries, oily to be placed in the landfill (batteries, oily wastes, 55 gallon drums, etc.)wastes, 55 gallon drums, etc.)

Camp Lonely 1980’sCamp Lonely 1980’s 1981: Husky Oil 1981: Husky Oil

abandoned the abandoned the camp camp

1983: Cook Inlet 1983: Cook Inlet Region, Inc. (CIRI) Region, Inc. (CIRI) leased the camp leased the camp from the Bureau of from the Bureau of Land Management Land Management

CIRI applies for a CIRI applies for a solid waste permit solid waste permit in 1983 for the in 1983 for the landfilllandfill

Photo courtesy Air Force, 2004

Camp Lonely Landfill Camp Lonely Landfill 1980’s1980’s CIRI received solid waste disposal CIRI received solid waste disposal

permit #8331-BA001 from ADEC in permit #8331-BA001 from ADEC in 1983 (permit expires in 1988)1983 (permit expires in 1988)

1983 – Agreement between CIRI 1983 – Agreement between CIRI and Air Forceand Air Force

1986 – Second agreement between 1986 – Second agreement between CIRI and Air ForceCIRI and Air Force

CIRI – Air Force Letter of CIRI – Air Force Letter of Agreement December Agreement December 19831983 Agreement between 4700Agreement between 4700thth Air Air

Defense Squadron, Peterson Air Defense Squadron, Peterson Air Force Base (Colorado) and CIRIForce Base (Colorado) and CIRI

Point Lonely POW-1 DEW Line may Point Lonely POW-1 DEW Line may use the CIRI landfill at Camp use the CIRI landfill at Camp Lonely. Lonely.

CIRI will maintain ADEC permitsCIRI will maintain ADEC permits Agreement remains in effect until Agreement remains in effect until

December 1984December 1984

Camp Lonely Landfill Camp Lonely Landfill 19861986

June – ADEC June – ADEC observes debris in observes debris in the landfill and the landfill and lagoonlagoon

July - CIRI finds July - CIRI finds unauthorized unauthorized material such as material such as waste oil, paint waste oil, paint solvents, epoxy, solvents, epoxy, scrap metal, and scrap metal, and dye in landfill dye in landfill

Photo courtesy Air Force, 2004

CIRI – Air Force CIRI – Air Force Continues Agreement Continues Agreement September 1986September 1986 Memorandum of UnderstandingMemorandum of Understanding

– CIRI allows the Air Force to continue CIRI allows the Air Force to continue using the Camp Lonely Landfill as using the Camp Lonely Landfill as long as they are in compliance and long as they are in compliance and will close the landfill with permit will close the landfill with permit stipulations and state/federal stipulations and state/federal regulationsregulations

– After Air Force closes Camp Lonely After Air Force closes Camp Lonely Landfill, CIRI can use the Point Landfill, CIRI can use the Point Lonely POW-1 DEW Line landfillLonely POW-1 DEW Line landfill

Camp Lonely Landfill Camp Lonely Landfill 1986-1990 1986-1990

From 1986-1990, From 1986-1990, the Camp Lonely the Camp Lonely landfill is included landfill is included in Air Force in Air Force remedial remedial investigation investigation activities for DEW activities for DEW Line sitesLine sites

Air Force abandons Air Force abandons Point Lonely POW-Point Lonely POW-1 in 19891 in 1989

Photo courtesy Air Force, 2004

Environmental Environmental Investigations 1986-Investigations 1986-19901990 19861986: Open-burning of waste and wastes : Open-burning of waste and wastes

placed near lagoon adjacent to landfillplaced near lagoon adjacent to landfill 19871987: Improved conditions but wastes : Improved conditions but wastes

still placed at the edge of the fillstill placed at the edge of the fill– Elevated chromium levels and numerous oil Elevated chromium levels and numerous oil

sheens sheens 19881988: Total aromatic hydrocarbons in : Total aromatic hydrocarbons in

excess of 15 ppb, total petroleum excess of 15 ppb, total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in the sediments at hydrocarbons (TPH) in the sediments at 1300 mg/kg1300 mg/kg

19901990: Presence of solvents, BTEX, TPH, : Presence of solvents, BTEX, TPH, and erosion problemsand erosion problems

Camp Lonely Landfill Camp Lonely Landfill Closure 1989Closure 1989 Air Force Air Force

contractor contractor attempts to close attempts to close landfilllandfill

ADEC does not ADEC does not accept closure due accept closure due to missing to missing drawings showing drawings showing the limits of solid the limits of solid waste dispositionwaste disposition

Photo courtesy Air Force, 2004

1990: ADEC approves closure upon 1990: ADEC approves closure upon receiving “as-built” drawings of the receiving “as-built” drawings of the wrong landfillwrong landfill

1992: ADEC reviews file on landfill and 1992: ADEC reviews file on landfill and finds the ADEC closure of landfill was finds the ADEC closure of landfill was in error due to missing drawings in error due to missing drawings

1993: Air Force refers case to Air 1993: Air Force refers case to Air Force Center for Environmental Force Center for Environmental ExcellenceExcellence

Camp Lonely Landfill Camp Lonely Landfill 1990’s1990’s

Camp Lonely LandfillCamp Lonely LandfillCurrent Status 2004Current Status 2004 BLM and Air BLM and Air

Force visit the Force visit the site and find site and find exposed debris exposed debris and free product and free product migrating into migrating into surface-water surface-water bodiesbodies

Presence of Presence of diesel range diesel range organicsorganics

Photo courtesy Air Force, 2004

Photo courtesy Air Force, 2004

Photo courtesy Air Force, 2004

Photo courtesy Air Force, 2004

Courtesy of BLM, S. Flora

Coastal Coastal Erosion at Erosion at Camp LonelyCamp Lonely

1979

2003

Estimated Costs of Estimated Costs of Remediating Eroding Remediating Eroding LandfillsLandfills Mobilization/demobilization Mobilization/demobilization

remote sites ~$1 Million remote sites ~$1 Million Landfill site assessments Landfill site assessments

~$150,000+~$150,000+ Cleanup Cleanup

– Removal ~$1-2 Million per acreRemoval ~$1-2 Million per acre– Stabilization ~$1-2 Million per acreStabilization ~$1-2 Million per acre

O & M ~$700,000O & M ~$700,000

Eroding Landfill Eroding Landfill Remedial OptionsRemedial Options Consider removal as an alternativeConsider removal as an alternative If waste is left in place, a closure plan If waste is left in place, a closure plan

preventing release of contaminants is preventing release of contaminants is requiredrequired– Long-term operation and maintenance Long-term operation and maintenance

planplan– Long-term monitoringLong-term monitoring– Emergency Response PlanEmergency Response Plan– Institutional ControlsInstitutional Controls

ADEC Position on Eroding ADEC Position on Eroding LandfillsLandfills

Standard risk Standard risk assessment assessment not not applicableapplicable

Solid Waste, Solid Waste, Water Water Quality, Quality, ContaminateContaminated Sites d Sites regulations regulations applyapply

Discussion SessionDiscussion Session

Questions or comments about presentation?Questions or comments about presentation? DiscussionDiscussion

– Identify responsible partiesIdentify responsible parties– Site assessment/treatment optionsSite assessment/treatment options– Long-term management planLong-term management plan

Alaska Department of Environmental ConservationContaminated Sites Program