August 31, 2009

Issue –

The Forest Service is working with the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) and other federal and state agencies to address the lower-than-normal pH levels and elevated levels of dissolved metals in streams along a three and a half mile stretch of the Coffman Cove Road Project on Prince of Wales (POW) Island.  All of the affected streams cross the road on National Forest lands.  The streams all drain into Sweetwater Lake near the community of Coffman Cove. The affected section is on a portion of the route identified as part of Forest Service 3030 Road.

Western Federal Lands Highway Division (WFLHD) of the FHA reconstructed Coffman Cove Road on POW Island to join the community of Coffman Cove to southern POW communities with a two-lane paved highway. Coffman Cove is also the northern POW terminal for the Inter-Island Ferry system.
 
For part of the reconstruction, about 80,000 cubic meters of rock was moved from a rock borrow site on National Forest.  Sampling and analysis has confirmed that the rock has iron pyrite in it, and a massive shear zone along a fault is thought to have resulted in a portion of the rock borrow containing an elevated concentration of iron pyrite.  The combination of pyrite, oxygen and water results in acid and dissolved metals in water moving though the rock, which contaminated ground and surface waters.  Copper and zinc have been confirmed as metal contaminates of concern in the water.  Iron manganese and other precipitates forming in the water down gradient from the road are adversely affecting nearby aquatic, insect, and vegetative life forms.
 
A Risk Evaluation Technical Memorandum (RETM) of March 2009 provided an assessment of the extent of the effects and the probable significance of the effects.  The RETM confirms that aquatic life has been affected in several streams.  The human health conceptual site model suggests that human health risks are insignificant at the site due to the low or nonexistent usage of the site for subsistence or recreational uses including fishing.  The Evaluation also considered the low probability that subsistence/recreational users will drink from impacted waters. 
Additional actions during summer/fall 2009 and spring/summer 2010 were authorized under a second Time Critical Removal Action issued May 4, 2009 by Regional Forester Denny Bschor. WFLHD is expecting to issue a Notice to Proceed in late July 2009. 

Actions taken to date

The Forest Service used CERCLA authorities to address the contamination and related issues along the roadway.  An interagency technical team (Forest Service, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) Contaminated Sites Program, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), WFLHD, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and others) worked in the Summer of 2008 to take action to begin to ward halting impacts to resources.   The team identified actions at three locations that made good sense for fast action.  The three locations were included in a Time Critical Removal Action (TCRA) issued by the Forest Service in September 2008.  A second TCRA was issued in May 2009 to address additional sites.

The 2008 TCRA addressed contamination at the three locations using abundant limestone rock available from a pit near Hatchery Creek to neutralize acid.  The pyritic rock was removed at one stream, Cataloged Stream 3027. Analytical results show the limestone is 91% available as calcium carbonate for neutralization.  Visual observations, water chemistry results,  and physical measurements such as pH show that the creation of additional precipitation has stopped where the 2008 removal actions were performed.  Precipitate is moving out of the riffles down stream and the bottom has been clearing.  Reading of pH levels upstream and downstream of the road in the 3027 stream system are very close to being the same.   Some precipitate remains in the pools or slow velocity sections of the streams below the road.

The two filter trenches installed with the limestone rock provide neutralization of water coming through rock ridge down gradient at the borrow site, and down gradient from a disposal area (D-2) which was seeping water with high copper and iron content.   Visual observations, pH , and other meter readings show distinct improvements.  Water chemistry samples will be collected and analysis done to demonstrate what the effectiveness of the removal action has been when compared to pre-removal data. 

Analytical Data Available in November/December
Sampling and analysis work was initiated by ADEC in September 2008 as an independent effort by Oasis Environmental.  WFLHD contractors (AMEC) performed background sampling in September 2008 in advance of the TCRA implementation.  A comprehensive sampling and analysis plan including biological, surface and ground water, was initiated in October 2008 by AMEC.  The Sampling and Analysis Plan includes soil samples, water samples, and assessment of the aquatic biology in the streams (fish and aquatic insects), drilling and installation of monitoring wells, and other assessments.   Results from biological assessments show that portions of the affected streams are being avoided by fish, with fish being present upstream and downstream of the most heavily impacted stream reaches.  AMEC data was released November 21, the Oasis data was released December 22,   Macroinvertabrate data was released by AMEC on December 22.  Ground water sampling was performed in December.  Additional sampling for water chemistry and precipitates was performed in  April and early May 2009.  Results are expected by early July2009. 

Current Situation
The Technical Team worked to assure field activity to address the ecological results on streams in field season 2009.  Stream crossings on several fish streams are prescribed for treatment under the May 2009 TCRA.   Planning focused on 7 locations:  Stream 6 west crossing, Stream 8 east crossing, Stream 8 main crossing, Stream 9, Stream 6 main channel crossing, Stream 6 tributary crossing below D2 pit, Stream 7 slope buttress. 
A few identified data gaps remain and steps are underway to address these narrow, but important gaps in the information.
 
Background water quality and sediment quality are being assessed and compared to the results in the impacted water courses.  Water chemistry data and soil/sediment data above the site show concentrations of some analytes that exceed water quality standards and screening guidelines.
   
The May 2009 TCRA authorized actions for the 7 locations noted above, establish a monitoring process with periodic reviews (5 year intervals), and provided for protective withdrawals or administrative restrictions on portions of affected land.  Depending on the outcome of the response actions, and results of monitoring, additional activities may be identified.
  
One of the key objectives is to provide for the road to become functional as a highway connection to the community of Coffman Cove and travelers to and from the ferry.

A Community involvement plan is in place and continues to be refined.  Additional information, including results of sampling and analysis, available in the documents below:
 

More Information
Please contact Ken Vaughan, On-Scene Coordinator, USDA Forest Service at (907) 586-8789 or Julie Speegle, Spokesperson, USDA Forest Service at (907) 789-6246.