A Master Plan was prepared at the request of the Metlakatla Indian Community in order to identify resource requirements for cleanup/environmental mitigation of the Metlakatla Peninsula. The plan for cleanup:

The cleanup plan:

• Addresses locations of environmental and/or human health concern on the Peninsula where mitigation of impacts of past defense, aviation, and other operational activities is needed.
• Identifies locations of former government facilities where cleanup could be accomplished by prior operators at the site, such as the FAA or DoD.
• Identifies estimated resource requirements to mitigate environmental hazards at each location of concern on the Metlakatla Peninsula.
• Identifies resources required to provide facilities and waste disposal capacity to support mitigation activities.
• Schedules the mitigation activities assuming no funding constraints or other resource constraints.

APPROACH

A comprehensive list of locations with environmental problems was developed by supplementing those identified in the MIC Preliminary Assessment for the Metlakatla Peninsula (1996) with information obtained by a review of historical government records (1997). Since then, the MIC Environmental Office has reviewed locations periodically and with concurrance with the Environmental Committee and the Council, revisions to the Master Plan are documented. Preliminary land use and fisheries use maps of the Metlakatla Peninsula were produced to provide the foundation for development of protective cleanup goals. Most of the locations of concern need more sampling to determine the extent and nature of the contamination so that cleanup plans can be prepared. Resource requirements to mitigate environmental problems at these locations were estimated in the Master Plan.

ESTIMATED PROBABLE COSTS TO ACCOMPLISH MASTER PLAN (1998)

Through a Coordinated Comprehensive Cleanup (C3) Program, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) are currently identifying potential remediation and other actions for facilities formerly owned and operated by federal agencies, including the Department of Defense (DoD), FAA, US Coast Guard, National Weather Service, and Bureau of Indian Affairs on the Metlakatla Peninsula.

Appropriate solid waste management has been identified as critical to the implementation of the Master Plan for the Metlakatla Peninsula. It has been estimated that there are over one-half million cubic yards of waste material currently located on the Peninsula which may require disposal in a RCRA-type landfill. The successful remediation of the Peninsula is dependent upon the efficient removal and disposal of contaminant source and demolition debris materials. The solid waste element of this comprehensive plan is proposed to provide for cleanup and closure of existing disposal sites and for remediation disposal.

The overall purpose of the proposed improvements of the infrastructure, including transportation system, is to allow reliable facilities and access to support cleanup, treatment and removal operations. The intent is to reduce the overall costs of implementation by improving current access for personnel, equipment and supplies. Dock and/or mooring facilities are necessary in order to facilitate the proposed removal actions, and to allow for possible future off-island transport of recyclable materials.

Roadway upgrades are proposed for the Peninsula in order to support potential truck haul loads. Furthermore, many of these routes also contain lead-shielded communication cables installed during the occupation by the DoD and FAA. In addition, as the Peninsula is currently served only by one roadway (Metlakatla Road), an additional emergency access route is recommended.

Because of previous widespread facility construction and disposal practices, various natural resources on the Peninsula have been impacted. For example, streams and lakes will require structural and hydraulic reconstruction, restoration of migratory corridors, along with habitat rehabilitation in order to support tribal subsistence and recreational uses, including fishing and shell fish harvesting. Cleanup and restoration of the lakes, creeks, and beaches is included in the Master Plan.

With proper training, many of the projects included in this Master Plan could be implemented by Community Members. Potential types of employment positions include:

• Environmental Technicians
• Equipment Operators/Construction Workers
• Asbestos and LBP Abatement and Inspection
• Geotechnical Technicians
• Solid Waste Handling
• Hazardous Waste Handling
• Demolition Workers

Resource requirements estimated for Master Plan site work and construction are in 1997 dollars utilizing unit cost information available from Site Work & Landscape Cost Data, 1997 Edition, published by R.S. Means, and from the Environmental Restoration Unit Cost Book developed by Environmental Cost Handling Options and Solutions (ECHOS), 1995.

January 1998