History:
In 1963, the fish processing plant was built in Golovin by AYK Fisheries. Due to the decline in the fishing industry, AYK went bankrupt within a few years and in 1988 Chinik Enterprises was formed to purchase the plant. Chinik Enterprises was a private business formed by one Golovin local and a business partner. Their intent was to revitalize the fish plant but those plans did not come to fruition. By the early 2000s, the fish plant building was in serious decline and started causing concern for local Golovin residents. The Golovin environmental program coordinator sought assistance from EPA and received a Targeted Brownfields Assessment in 2016. EPA contractors found hazardous building materials such as asbestos, PCB ballasts, lead-acid batteries, fluorescent tubes as well as petroleum and leaded soil contamination present in and around the fish plant. The contractors were able to abate the property.
Concerns:
At this time, since the property’s hazardous materials and soils contamination has been cleaned up, the only concern is for the dilapidated structure that remains. Funding has been found and plans are in place to remove the building in the summer of 2023.
Actions:
2016: Chinik IGAP Program receives EPA TBA award
2018: Assessment of property completed
2019: ABCA completed
2019: Abatement of property
2022: Funding received for demolition of fish plant, contractor in place.
2023:Kawerak hosts Community reuse Vision meeting
2023: Demolition of fish plant.
Project Complete! https://kawerak.org/a-brownfields-success-story-the-golovin-fish-plant-project/
WEAR Report : https://dec.alaska.gov/eh/solid-waste/wear-project/
