Navy is told to try again on the plan for Red Hill

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Health rejected the Navy’s proposed plan to address the leaks at its underground fuel tanks at Red Hill, and gave the Navy until mid-October to rework the plan submitted May 4.

The EPA and DOH said in a letter dated Sept. 15 that the Navy and the Defense Logistics Agency have 30 days from that date to resubmit the work plan, citing 11 points where the plan is inadequate.

In the five-page letter with a 28-page attachment of technical comments, the EPA and Health Department told the Navy and logistics agency that they must gather data to show the directions the groundwater likely flows under and around the facility. There are concerns that drinking water is at risk from past and potential future releases.

A consent agreement signed Oct. 1, 2015, came in response to the January 2014 leak of about 27,000 gallons of jet fuel from one of the facility’s 20 underground fuel tanks.

The fuel storage facility sits only 100 feet above the aquifer, which provides 25 percent of urban Honolulu’s drinking water. Tests have shown water in the area is safe to drink, the city Board of Water Supply said.

One of the flaws in the plan is that it fails to describe how a well network will be established for early detection of contaminants, the EPA-DOH letter said.

The letter said the plan does not adequately describe how the groundwater flow model will be kept useful as a transparent, up-to-date tool for regulators and experts.

It also criticizes the plan for failing to provide schedules of work to be performed, including data collection, comment periods and decision meetings.

A public meeting on the Red Hill fuel tanks is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday at Moanalua Middle School, 1289 Mahiole St.

“We are so grateful that the EPA and DOH took a hard look at the Navy’s proposal (and) took action to ensure the Navy does more to meet our expectations for the Red Hill fuel tanks and the protection of our water supply in the future,” Sierra Club of Hawaii Director Marti Townsend said Monday in a written statement.

The Sierra Club is calling for more wells to monitor drinking water sources, double linings on all the tanks in use at Red Hill, and the cleanup of fuel already released.

“If the Navy cannot guarantee their tanks will not leak again, and clean up the fuel that has already leaked, then these tanks should be retired and the fuel stored in modern facilities elsewhere,” Townsend said. “There is no evidence that the Navy constructed the Red Hill fuel tanks in 1943 with the intent that the tanks would be in operation forever.”

In a written response to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s request for comment on the Sept. 15 letter, the Navy said it is meeting all EPA and DOH requests for more data and details for implementation, that it is following normal administrative processes, and that it has a cordial and professional working relationship with the agencies.

“Our common goal is to keep the drinking water safe,” the Navy said.

Navy officials said they had participated in meetings this week and will continue discussions with regulators and interested parties.

“We are committed to a comprehensive, collaborative and fact-based approach to operating and upgrading Red Hill, one that meets or exceeds expectations of regulators and local community stakeholders,” the Navy said.

The Board of Water Supply said in a written response to a request for comment: “BWS remains very concerned about the structural integrity of the 70-year-old tanks due to their age.”

The Board of Water Supply has also expressed various concerns including “the 20-plus years being given to the Navy to make improvements, and the need for more transparency and public and stakeholder participation in the process.”