What is Reuse & Redevelopment?
Every city and borough, both urban and rural, has vacant, underused, and potentially contaminated properties. The Contaminated Sites Program for many years has used a number of tools to promote reuse of this land - tools which both speed redevelopment and protect future land users from exposure. Real or feared contamination can complicate the reuse of property, and it impacts the economic well-being of many Alaskans. Contamination which is underground, in either soil or water, can present little or no risk to human health unless the land is disturbed during land use changes or redevelopment.

Recognizing that human health and economic considerations go hand in hand when revitalizing contaminated properties, the program is emphasizing efforts to put land back into use through the Reuse & Redevelopment (R&R) Initiative. Some of these properties fit the federal definition of "brownfields" (see our brownfields page).

This new focus is an important part of DEC's strategy to address Alaska 's contaminated sites. The strategy emphasizes reasonable regulatory oversight that protects the people of Alaska from exposure to pollutants and contributes to the economic well-being of its communities.

Rehabilitated contaminated sites

The Alaska Pulp Corporations' Sitka pulp mill operated from 1959 to 1993.
Extensive contamination has been cleaned up allowing an industrial park on the grounds.

More information on the site summary.

• Complete a community redevelopment project.
• Reuse government-owned site.
• Transfer land from government ownership.

• Arctic Surplus, Fairbanks: This former salvage yard site is now available for industrial/commercial use for the first time since 1989. After extensive cleanup of this Superfund site, marred by multiple contaminants and explosives, some contamination remained in a former landfill. Institutional controls were set in the form of restrictions on land use, drinking water wells, and disturbance of an impermeable cap.
  

Institutional controls were set restricting land use, drinking water wells, and disturbance of an impermeable cap. A small area of contamination remained over a former landfill. The areas was capped and is ready for industrial/commercial use. (More information on site summary.)

• Various North Slope oil exploration and drilling sites: Conditions of site closure may require departmental approval and possibly further treatment if the gravel from drilling pads is later moved elsewhere for reuse. To minimize environmental impact of oil exploration and drilling, state and federal conditions of oil and gas leasing often require recycling of gravel. Only a few other sources of gravel are approved.

• A former state road maintenance station in Soldotna had multiple sources of contamination in 1992.
  

Now a park next to the Kenai River, the site's remaining contamination is below-ground, and park users are not exposed to it while natural break-down occurs. Monitoring wells are covered with cement discs. (More information on site summary.)

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• Wrangell Institute: The Contaminated Sites Program used Capital Improvement Program funds to assess contamination at this former Bureau of Indian Affairs school for Native children. Leaks and spills of heating fuel had occurred along transfer and fueling systems. Taking the first step has enabled DEC to proceed in negotiations for cleanup to commence, led by the multiple responsible parties. (More information on site summary.) The Tlingit Haida Regional Housing Authority is interested in purchasing the property to construct a retirement community and cultural center.

• M & M Enterprises, Anchorage: The Contaminated Sites Program assumed the lead role in the investigation and cleanup of this residential property occupied by the owners of this battery recycling business. DEC identified the lead-contaminated areas and fenced the property to prevent human exposure. A cleanup plan is being developed to excavate and remove the soil to allow it to be used in the future.

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• Former Universal Recycling (also known as Universal Recycling, Bartlett Industries or Sanduri Property) See Site summary.

• SKS Texaco property, Sani-Klean (also known as H.E. Dennison or Richard Talley Property) . See Site summary.

• Former Utica Mine Site
  DEC conducted a Phase 1 Environmental Assessment of the former Utica Mine site, located approximately 14 miles south of Deering, Alaska. The site is under consideration for redevelopment as a tourist destination. See Site summary.

• Anchorage, Peacock Cleaners: Until recently the site a dry cleaner business, the property is to be used by the Municipality of Anchorage as a public road right-of-way, with landscaping and buffer areas.

• St. George Island : DEC conducted an assessment in the summer of 2006 of five historic buildings. The St. George Tanaq Corporation is seeking to restore and preserve the buildings through a grant provided by the Alaska State Historic Preservation Office.

• West Cook Construction Yard, Beluga: The Kenai Peninsula Borough wants this site cleaned-up and health risks addressed. Contamination related to oil-field support service activities could affect neighboring residential wells.

• Millennium Square, Kenai: This City of Kenai development project is a 30-acre site used by the Federal Aviation Administration since 1941. A DBA in 2006 detected no remaining contaminated soil or groundwater. P roposed uses include a convention center, tourism-related businesses, senior housing, and a cultural site for Native American history.

• Mountain View Subdivision
  DEC conducted an areawide assessment of the Mountain View Subdivision in the Municipality of Anchorage. In addition to the areawide assessment in 2005, individual DBAs were conducted in 2005 and 2006, at these locations:
  
  • Color Creek Fiber Art Studios : This former gas station and auto shop was found to have no significant environmental concerns, allowing its “new life” as an artists’ studio.
  • The Carey Property: This property was a former lumberyard, store and warehouse. Environmental assessment was a prerequisite for a Community Development Block Grant from the Municipality of Anchorage. It is now home to several offices.
  • John’s Motel and RV Park: Former heavy automotive use indicated potential contamination at this strategic location. This DBA turned up no major environmental concerns, and allowed the Anchorage Community Land Trust to proceed with a complex property transaction.

Photo by Hoefler Consulting Group

• Wilhour Trust Property: Despite historic uses of the property as an auto and machine shop and a film processor, no significant evidence of contamination was found in initial investigation, but future soil tests are warranted. On the basis of the findings, ACLT was able to sell this property.
• Warner Trust Property: This DBA ,conducted in concert with the one at the Wilhour Trust site, will help smooth the sale of this property. Plans are in progress to develop these two properties together.

• Delta Junction: the assessment will help a transfer of the land from the state. The City plans to construct an “End of the Alaska Highway Arch” on the site of a former fuel tank farm, now the Sullivan Roadhouse museum and the Delta Farmer's Market.
• Kwigillingok: DEC will assess petroleum, asbestos and other contamination at a vacant Bureau of Indian Affairs school. The Native Village of Kwigillingok is working with the school district and the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development to resolve obstacles facing redevelopment of the buildings.
• Fort Yukon: At the request of the Native Village of Fort Yukon, DEC will conduct a community-wide assessment of possible sources of contamination, including old landfills and sewage lagoons.
• Whittier: The City of Whittier requested an area-wide brownfield assessment, emphasizing several sites with significant redevelopment potential. The DBA is the first phase of a comprehensive redevelopment initiative for Whittier.
• St. Michael: DEC will conduct a phase I assessment of a former airstrip, where the community plans to build a new school, electric cooperative structure and bulk fuel tanks. The land is now owned by the City of St. Michael.

• Chignik Lagoon: The Chignik Lagoon Native Corporation seeks to redevelop the Ward’s Cove cannery site to revive fish processing or other seasonal and recreational use. An adjacent landfill may have contamination.
• Pilot Point: The deteriorating Alaska Packers Cannery, built in 1891, is one of the only original cannery sites still capable of being saved. Contamination issues must be resolved before the City and the Tribe can continue with plans to convert at least some of the buildings into a hostel for summer youth camp, a museum/visitor center and a community metal/wood shop.

Old Alaska Packers Cannery, Pilot Point

The Alaska Pulp Corporation: the Sitka pulp mill operated from 1959 to 1993. Extensive contamination has been cleaned up, and institutional controls placed to protect users from exposure. ICs have allowed an industrial park on the grounds. (More information on site summary.)

• Egegik Cannery, between DEC and Icicle Seafoods: This PPA was requested by Icicle Seafoods to facilitate the sale of the Woodbine Cannery.  Woodbine was having financial problems and was in danger of not operating in 2005.  The PPA allowed Icicle to purchase the property with limited liability. The cannery is now scheduled to operate in the 2005 fishing season.

• North Slope Lease Tract between FESCO (First Energy Services Co.), DEC and DNR:  This PPA established a limited liability for FESCO to spend on assessment and cleanup in exchange for their re-use of a contaminated North Slope gravel pad as an oil field development site.

• Fairbanks North Star Borough, those potentially responsible for the contamination, and DEC:  This agreement allowed the Borough to foreclose on contaminated property and allow future owners to use the property in exchange for limited liability of assessment and cleanup work. The purchase price would be discounted by the liability amount for the new owners to conduct the necessary assessment/cleanup work and allow them to re-use the property in the process.

• Former Adak Naval Air Facility: Environmental contamination on Adak posed a major obstacle to the plans for transfer of the land to the Aleut Corporation. Minefields and discarded ammunition from World War II, as well as spilled fuel and unexploded practice ammunition from more recent times, had qualified Adak for the National Priority List of contaminated sites. Institutional controls have helped facilitate the land transfer and development plans for the town. (More information on site summary.)

• Galena Air Force Base: Former base buildings are now used for a vocational school. Cleanup continues to address indoor air concerns as the school is used. (More information on site summary.)