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A government program used more than 50 years ago is now causing big problems throughout our state. Polychlorinated biphenyls or PCB contamination is being found in communities at alarming rates. Now, there is a debate over who is responsible for cleaning it up, even as it threatens a school.
During the Cold War, Alaska was the first line of defense against the Soviet Union. The Air Force capitalized on our close proximity to the enemy by building 71 communication sites across our state.
More than 50 years after the sites were used, and more than 30 years after they were abandoned, the ground is still saturated with the toxic chemicals.
In
"There was only one telephone line that ran to Alaska. And they needed a way to communicate. And at the time, the White Alice sites were the most innovative communication from them," said Kenneth Andraschko of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
By the late 70's, the Soviet Union was no longer a threat and the White Alice sites and equipment were abandoned. It was equipment filled with PCBs.
"They actually dumped PCBs all over the floor, because they are very heavy, and they were trying to make the transformers lighter. They didn't know any better. They dumped it out on the floor," said Lori Verbrugge of the Department of Health and Social Services.
PCBs are a toxic set of chemicals that you can't taste or smell. Health experts believe they can suppress immune systems, cause birth defects and even cause cancer.
"PCB contamination is pretty common at all the White Alice sites," said John Halverson of the Department of Environmental Conservation.
Now, 30 years later, one
"We used to come across the runway to the White Alice site. There are three big blocks of them. And back in the trees, there's a whole bunch of drums. We used to jump on those drums and play tag, and freeze—man all over the drums. And sometimes we were crazy enough that we dumped one over by jumping on it. And green stuff or black stuff would pouring out of it. We didn't know any better," said Aniak resident, Elsie Simeon.
In 30 years things haven't gotten much better.
What is the level of PCBs that the state considers safe?
- One part per
Scientists have found levels 400 times that at the Aniak school.
"Our kids go to school here. The building is now the VOC Ed Center, which has classes for the high school and junior high students. We use that building. Our high school is right here, and it's close proximity to this hazardous stuff," said Simeon.
The problem is, the federal government, the state and the local organizations can't agree on whose responsibility it is to pay to make the ground safe again.
"You look at the owner of the material, but not only who owned it, but who used it, who disposed of the hazardous materials. And every person that touches that is a link in that chain," said Andraschko.
The state has decided to clean up the Aniak site now and figure out responsibility later. The Department of Environmental Conservation has hired contractors to fill huge plastic bags with tons of contaminated dirt and rocks. They are finding more contamination than anyone thought.
"They are finding a little bit more in the area they are working in now, which is in back of the VO Tech building, which is where the old septic building was," said Halverson.
The state has allotted 3.5 million dollars to clean up the site this summer. But with more contamination than expected, that might not be enough. This could mean Aniak students will have to go to school on contaminated ground for another year.
Aniak isn't the only site that hasn't been cleaned up more than 30 years after it was abandoned by the military. Budget and litigation issues are holding the process up. In the meantime, the PCB contamination is sitting in the ground.
The big question is: just how dangerous is the PCB contamination at Aniak and the other abandoned White Alice sites?
We try to answer that question in our next investigation.
EPA Information about Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
Aniak White Alice Site
To contact Andrea, call 907-273-3186.
