Native Village of Gakona Addresses Problems Of Brownfields Sites

SPECIAL NOTICE FROM THE NATIVE VILLAGE OF GAKONA, ALASKA
PLEASE SEE GAKONA'S NOTICE BELOW...

Native Village of Gakona Tribal Response Program 
The Native Village of Gakona (NVG) has a Tribal Response Program (TRP) dedicated to identifying Brownfields sites. Brownfields sites consist of land and/or buildings that are unused due to real or perceived contamination/dump site. We assess land along the Tok Cutoff highway from Gakona Junction to Mentasta, with a reuse plan for the land or the structure. We want to keep the land free of garbage or toxins for cleaner and healthier communities. No contaminated site or spill is too small or too big.



The NVG is going strong in its fourth year. We have a total of five Brownfield sites that we are currently working on, but our priority will be the ongoing cleanup of the Heinz Site (more information on the Heinz Site at the end of the article) and the Mable Creek Pit Site. For the safety of all, NVG is working in conjunction with Ahtna Inc on placing institutional controls at all of our sites, which includes site security.

If you know of any old dumpsites or potential dumpsites, there are many ways to report. 


• Phone: 907-822-5777
• Email: gakonaec@gmail.com or gakonaepa@gmail.com
• Come by the NVG office, Mile 4.8 Tok Cutoff in Gakona, and ask for Brandie Radigan or Derrick Sinyon
• Fill out our online NVG Brownfield’s Environmental Site Assessment for a potential contaminated site at the bottom the NVG website and return to the NVG office.
https://nvgakona.com/brownfields/ 
  

For more information about Brownfields sites visit: www.epa.gov/brownsfields

More information on the Heinz Site
Location: Mile 4.8 Tok Cutoff Rabbit Road, Gakona, AK 99586

EPA Region: 10 Federal Facility Flag
Action: ADEC’s DBAC, Petition for EPA Preliminary Environmental Site and Removal Assessment
Contaminates: Abandoned vehicles, trailers and snowmachines, rusted car parts and household appliances, used tires on and off the rims, barrels, fallen buildings

Native Village of Gakona's focus this year is to continue with site assessment and clean-up of the Heinz Site. After a successful Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation Brownfield Assessment & Cleanup (DBAC), which included initial soil and ground water sampling, we applied for and were awarded our second DBAC in February of 2019. The second DBAC will inventory, test, and remove drums, further sample the soil, further sample the ground water, and evaluate the property with a ground penetrating radar for underground contamination. The Heinz Site had institutional controls installed in July of 2019 for the safety of the community. In the upcoming fiscal year, the NVG’s Tribal Response Program will assist with the DBAC and continue our efforts of cleaning the Heinz Site of all contamination.