FUDS

Laresa Syverson, who served as the Ounalashka Corporation’s technical lands manager for the last five years, took the leadership reins from Denise Rankin on May 2.

In this episode of “Island Interviews,” KUCB’s Sofia Stuart-Rasi sat down with Jackie Adams, the City of Unalaska's grants coordinator, Dr. Shanoy Anderson, the environmental director with the Qawalangin Tribe, and Donna Van Flein, corporate affairs and grants coordinator for the Ounalashka Corporation.

The Army Corps of Engineers has wrapped up to major cleanup efforts in the Unalaska Valley this summer, with more plans on the way.

The Army Corps of Engineers is cleaning up diesel-contaminated soil in Unalaska, nearing completion of the last remaining locations of their decades-long cleanup efforts in the Unalaska Valley. They contracted with the recently-formed OC Environmental Services, an environmental firm owned and operated by Unalaska’s Native corporation, to conduct the field cleanup, and say the cleanup should be finished within the next few weeks.

Munition experts will visit Unalaska on Friday to respond to what might be an unexploded device that was found on Unalaska’s shore. Fire Chief Ben Knowles responded to the call earlier in the month when someone reported a suspicious object. “A hiker came in and reported what they believed to be an old unexploded ordnance, resembling some sort of landmine, anti-personnel, or other mine,” Knowles said.

The United States military left many contaminated areas around Unalaska when they pulled out after World War II, like oil tanks and chemicals that polluted streams and soils. Now, the Qawalangin Tribe of Unalaska is teaming up with scientists from universities in Arizona, Nevada and Alaska to address the contamination.

The Qawalangin Tribe of Unalaska will be holding a series of classes Monday on environmental monitoring at old U.S. defense sites. According to the Tribe, these sites from World War II have persistent organic pollutants (POPs), which are harmful if consumed at high levels.

The Army Corps of Engineers is preparing to clean up Fort Learnard, a former World War II military outpost in Unalaska Bay. The fort housed anti-aircraft and anti-ship artillery at Eider Point, on the western side of the bay.

The Environmental Protection Agency has stepped up to take the lead in coordinating the cleanup of contaminated lands that were conveyed to Alaska Native communities, according to U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski.

A week after traveling to Unalaska in an effort to spur the government into action, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski is still waiting for a commitment from the Department of the Interior to coordinate cleanup efforts on contaminated lands conveyed to Alaska Natives.