Site History

The Chilkoot Lumber Dock Facility includes 18 acres which is owned and leased by Chilkoot Lumber Company Inc. in Haines. The former sawmill property is comprised of both fee simple lands, and Alaskan State owned, leased property. It is located along Lutak Inlet, bordering Lutak Road, approximately 5 miles northwest from Haines, Alaska. The lumber mill was built in 1968 reaching a capacity of 300,000 board feet per day. The site included a 600 foot dock, extensive mill infrastructure and a 5 megawatt thermal power plant that operated on wood waste.

The 1970's:

the 1980's:

The Chilkoot Lumber Dock Facilities were purchased by the current owner in 1986 and operated as a sawmill until 1991. While the dock remains in use by sublease to Chilkoot Fish & Caviar, a small seafood processor, the lumber mill and associated infrastructure have been removed.

Environmental Clean-up

The Chilkoot Lumber Dock Facility purchased by the current owner in 1986, closed operation in 1991 and was listed as an ADEC Contaminated Site in 1995 documented as file 1508.38.009.

In 1999 the Yukon Government hired Access Consulting Group to conduct an extensive Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment for the property in pursuit of purchase by Canada that was discontinued. During their activities about 2000 cubic yards of petroleum contaminated soil were excavated and stockpiled.

During the summer of 2008 the mill was removed and recycled producing 2,700 tons of metal. All hazardous materials were contained and removed from the property for proper disposal by Chilkat Environmental. Our consultant is waiting for final certificates of destruction from disposal facilities to submit closure documentation to ADEC and EPA. The project is currently in compliance with state and federal requirements.

Final project activities include removal of contaminated ash planned for May, characterization and removal action for 4 areas of soil contamination planned for June, characterization of 2 contaminated soil piles to direct management of the material. Upon completion of these remaining items Chilkat Environmental will author a site closure request for the site planned for August 2009.