NPL Site Narrative for Adak Naval Air Station ADAK NAVAL AIR STATION Adak, Alaska The Naval Air Station (NAS) Adak covers approximately 64,000 acres in Alaska on Adak Island, near the western end of the Aleutian Islands. Adak Island became a military base in 1942, and in 1950 the Navy took control of all defense facilities on the island. The island is characterized by high winds and frequent storms. The southern half of the island is a Federally designated wilderness area, and the entire island is part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. In 1986, the Navy completed an Initial Assessment Study that identified 32 areas that potentially received hazardous substances - including chlorinated solvents, batteries, and transformer oils containing PCBs - over a 40-year period. These areas include landfills, storage areas, drum disposal areas, spill sites, and pits for waste oil and fire-fighting training. Although only 22 areas were recommended for further action or investigation, all 32 are considered part of the NPL site. Further investigations at 19 areas in 1988 found PCBs, lead, and silver in sediments, surface water, and soil in several locations on NAS Adak. The Navy recommended seven areas for further study and three for immediate action. A number of buried storage tanks and abandoned drums were removed from the three areas. The contamination poses a threat to the sensitive environments both on and off the island, including the Wildlife Refuge, migratory pathways, spawning areas and feeding areas for fish, State land designated for game management, and wetlands. In addition, a wide variety of marine mammals inhabit the near-shore areas of Adak Island. Surface waters are used for sport, subsistence, and commercial fishing. Parts of the site are easily accessible to fishermen and other members of the public. An estimated 2,000 people live within 1 mile of hazardous waste sources at NAS Adak. The Navy, EPA, and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation will be negotiating a Federal Facilities Agreement under CERCLA Section 120 that will detail further investigation and possible cleanup actions. For more information about the hazardous substances identified in this narrative summary, including general information regarding the effects of exposure to these substances on human health, please see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) ToxFAQs. ATSDR ToxFAQs can be found on the Internet at ATSDR - ToxFAQs (http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/index.asp) or by telephone at 1-888-42-ATSDR or 1-888-422-8737. ------- |