Parents and staff press Ketchikan school board over diesel odors at Point Higgins Elementary

Parents, staff and union leaders pressed the Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District board on Jan. 14 about lingering diesel odors and contaminated materials at Point Higgins Elementary, saying staff and families deserve clearer access to air-quality tests and a plan to remove contaminated waste.

"Smelling diesel close to the crawl space made me lightheaded and nauseous," borough resident Matthew Boyd told the board, after distributing Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) site reports. "I respectfully request that all contaminated material is securely stored, removed immediately, and barriers are in place to prevent young children from accessing the spill site."

Lindsey Tucker, president of the Ketchikan Education Association, said staff were not given answers about the district's protocol when odors are reported and flagged the Oct. 6 Nortek report; she asked that air-quality assessments and remediation plans be shared with staff and the public.

Interim superintendent said Nortek conducted twice-daily air screening through Dec. 5 and will perform further testing after installation of a permanent venting (vapor-barrier) system. She told the board district staff are monitoring the temporary venting system, have restricted public access to parts of the site with temporary fencing, and are coordinating with borough officials and local volunteers on containment and cleanup.

Todd Hinkke, principal at Point Higgins Elementary, addressed safety directly: "No diesel fuel contaminants of concern for acute, intermediate, or chronic exposure" were identified in the state health review based on the sampling, he said, and the Alaska Department of Health advised continued normal use of classroom areas while recommending limited access to downstairs storage, continued ventilation operation per DEC guidance, and additional sampling after the vapor barrier is in place.

Board members requested a written report after the on-site meeting scheduled the next day describing the permanent ventilation plan, timeline and when additional air sampling will occur. The board did not take action at the meeting; members said they want more information before making further decisions about closures or remediation.

What's next: the district will meet on-site with borough representatives and contractors, produce a summary of the permanent ventilation plan and timeline, and schedule follow-up air-quality testing after the vapor barrier is installed.