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Site 7: GATR FacilitiesSite History and Background
The Ground-to-Air Transmit and Receive (GATR) Facilities were built in the 1950s by the USAF as part of the Receiver Area of the Bahokus Peak radar system and were operated until the Makah AFS was closed in 1988 (Radian, 1987). This site includes a large concrete-block building, a wooden building, an abandoned 500-gallon septic system, a 1,900-gallon aboveground storage tank, and four antenna towers. The aboveground storage tank appears to be in good condition and is contained in a concrete secondary-containment crib. The secondary-containment crib drains through a small drain pipe that outlets to the ground surface at the east end of the crib. Spilled fuel, if any, would have drained through the pipe to the ground surface.
Two of the four antenna towers are apparently active. A wooden tower with a wooden building at its base is abandoned. A fourth tower near the southern end of the concrete-block building is reportedly being used by a television station (Q13 Fox News) for a Doppler radar tower. The headwaters of several creeks are near this summit, including Bear Creek, Village Creek, and Classet Creek. The wooden tower is treated with creosote, which has stained the soil at the base of the tower. Contamination associated with the aboveground storage tank, abandoned septic system, and fuel lines may have impacted soils at the site.
Activities to Date
The Makah Environmental Restoration Team Site inspections performed in October 2000 and in March and April 2004, and the site was one of 10 sites investigated during the 2004 limited remedial investigation (Ridolfi, 2005d). Four paint samples were collected from the concrete-block building and analyzed for lead content: one sample each of interior off-white paint, interior light yellow paint, interior brown trim paint, and exterior beige paint. In addition four samples were collected and analyzed for asbestos content: one sample each of brown floor tile, textured ceiling tile, non-textured ceiling tile, and interior cover baseboard. None of the paint samples contained lead above the screening level. Asbestos was detected in the sample of brown floor tile from the central room of the concrete-block building. The sample contained 5 percent asbestos in Layer 1, which consisted of dark reddish-brown floor tile with white flecks, and 3 percent asbestos in Layer 2, which consisted of black mastic. The material shows limited deterioration and is classified as being in good condition with a low potential for damage. Planned ActivitiesThe Tribe considers this site a lower priority (Priority C). The following activities are planned for 2006 to 2010:
Underground Storage Tank Investigation and Removal: Underground storage tanks and associated contaminated soil will be located and removed. Test pits will be excavated to locate the tanks. If tanks are found, the removal will include identifying tank contents, emptying the tanks, disconnecting pipelines, excavating and removing the tanks and associated pipelines, and properly disposing of debris and tank contents. The soil around the tanks will be sampled and analyzed after tank removal to determine the nature and extent of possible contamination. Should contamination be found, the soil will be excavated to meet the local cleanup standard and properly disposed of. Holes and pits left by the excavation will be backfilled with clean materials and compacted to the desired density to match the surrounding surface. Asbestos and Lead-Based Paint Investigation: In preparation for building deconstruction and removal, inspections will be conducted to identify possible asbestos-containing materials and lead-based paint, and sampling will be conducted. The objective is to develop an inventory of asbestos-containing materials and lead-based paint at the site, including the identification of functional spaces, material characteristics, condition, degree of damage, quantity, accessibility, and potential for disturbance. Building Deconstruction and Removal: The abandoned buildings will be deconstructed and removed. If lead-based paint has been identified for a given abandoned structure, deconstruction and removal will be conducted by a contractor certified to remove and handle lead-based paint. Prior to the deconstruction of abandoned buildings that contain asbestos, all asbestos-containing materials will be removed from the structures by a certified asbestos abatement contractor. Proper deconstruction methods and material handling techniques will be employed. The deconstruction may involve building structures, foundations, walkways, and underground and aboveground plumbing and electrical lines. The construction debris will be shipped off site for proper disposal. Additional Information:
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