Protecting Alaska's environment: cleanup of legacy sites and emphasis on environmental impacts are key to keeping Alaska pristine.

• Author: Orr, Vanessa

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In a land as blessed with bountiful natural resources as Alaska, it is hard to imagine that there might come a day when the state's use of these resources causes more harm than good. Yet without the proper stewardship of the environment, the pollution that results from mining, oil production, logging, and even the development of communities to support these industries and others could cause irreparable harm to the Last Frontier.

As small communities have grown into major cities, and the military has established itself in the 49th state, their growth has also added to the burden placed on Alaska's pristine environment. The 'out-of-sight, out-of-mind' mentality of early developers and a lack of governmental regulations also allowed toxic pollutants to permeate the ground, water and air, creating legacy sites that are still in the process of being decontaminated today.

The good news, however, is that where environmental responsibility was once an afterthought of those who developed the state's lands, it is now a priority that must be addressed before any project gets off the ground. State and federal regulations are now in place to monitor the impact of development on the environment; numerous companies now exist to help businesses properly, and safely, minimize the footprint they leave on the land.

"Environmental monitoring and management is a growing business because people are realizing that we have to deal with problems as we go versus coming back later and cleaning things up," explained Tom Tompkins, general manager, Technical, TIT Environmental. "Part of this mindset is because there are more federal regulations in place than there used to be; but a good percentage of people are doing it because they believe in being good stewards of the environment."

POLLUTION THAT LASTS A LIFETIME

Many of today's contaminated sites are the result of the actions of previous generations. According to Alaska's Legacy of Oil and Hazardous Substance Pollution, published by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation's Spill Prevention and Response Division in 2006, contaminated soil and groundwater are typically the result of fuels, lubricants and cleaning fluids for vehicles, machinery and industrial processes that were used or discarded in the past. These include petroleum products and other chemicals used at Alaska's military sites. Out of a total 6,287 contaminated sites documented by the DEC's Prevention Emergency...