HTRW Remedial Action, Fort Babcock FUDS, Alaska

Brice is performing a Hazardous, Toxic, or Radioactive Waste (HTRW) remedial action (RA) at the remote Fort Babcock Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS). The RA includes planning, fieldwork, and reporting associated with excavation, transportation, and offsite disposal of PCB- and petroleum-contaminated soil with the goals of achieving site closure without institutional controls with regard to PCBs, and that no imminent and substantial endangerment (ISE) will exist at the site for POL upon project completion.

Specifically, our scope includes: Removing and disposing of scattered metal drums and drum fragments; excavating and disposing offsite up to an ~1,350 tons PCB-contaminated soil; collecting, characterizing, containerizing, and disposing off site up to an estimated 50 gallons of petroleum, oil and lubricant (POL) liquids/sludge from an existing aboveground storage tank and cleaning the inside of the AST; excavating and disposing up to an estimated 250 tons POL-contaminated soil; and restoring disturbed areas.

The Fort Babcock FUDS is located ~11 miles west of Sitka, Alaska at Shoals Point on the southeast corner of Kruzof Island. Access to Fort Babcock is limited to marine vessels. The land is currently owned and managed by the USFS Tongass National Forest. In the 1930s, the U.S. War Department developed “Plan Orange,” in response to the possibility of war in the Pacific. The plan called for three modern, 200 series 6-inch gun batteries to be constructed on Kruzof Island where the U.S. War Department acquired 4,070 acres for Fort Babcock.

Brice performed an initial site visit to support project planning. We identified work areas including laydown and staging, contaminated soil removal areas, access roads, as well as an area for life support (field camp). In 2022 and 2024, we mobilized a field team to perform an eagle nest survey per contract requirements. In 2024, we also began clearing and grubbing to prepare for a full season of fieldwork in 2025.

Eagle Nest Survey. Brice prepared a tech memo format work plan for the eagle nest survey as well as applicable accident prevention/site safety plans. The eagle nest survey included areas planned for disturbance plus a 660-foot distance away from the outer boundary of the planned disturbance area. We collected GIS information for identified nest locations and recorded the survey areal extent. We provided tech memo style draft, RL final, and final survey report deliverables documenting our survey results as well as how identified nest locations will affect the site preparation and remedial action, and any permitting requirements that may arise based on findings.

Site preparation (clearing and grubbing). Brice mobilized a field team to perform clearing and grubbing in accordance with our approved Clearing and Grubbing Work Plan tech memo format. We documented the areas pre- and post-clearing and grubbing. We completed the site preparation work accordance with the MBTA, the National Bald Eagle Management Guidelines, and the Land Clearing Timing Guidance for Alaska.

In 2025, Brice will perform a final eagle nest survey to confirm there is no new activity prior to beginning the remedial action work that field season.