SBCT Draft EIS  (June 2007)

Chapter 3 . Affected Environment

3.1.1 GEOLOGY, SOILS, AND SEISMICITY
 

3.1.1.1 Schofield Barracks Military Reservation

Chemical Constituents in Soils

Depleted Uranium. In August 2005, during the cleanup of unexploded ordnance from a range complex on Schofield Barracks, the Army identified 13 tail assemblies to the M101 spotting round for the Davy Crockett Weapons System. The spotting rounds, which contained DU, were fired for training purposes in
order to determine the proper trajectories for the Davy Crockett warhead. The Army confirmed these items to have low-level radioactivity.

The Davy Crockett Weapons System consisted of a recoilless rifle, a spotting rifle, and a small nuclear warhead. Recently declassified records indicate the M101 spotter round was used in Hawaii from 1961 to 1968. Until the initial discovery of the tail assemblies in 2005, current Army staff was unaware of the existence
of the items in Hawaii. There is no evidence indicating that the warhead was ever fired or stored in Hawaii.

A ground survey of the immediate and surrounding area detected no readings above background levels. A subsequent survey of the area with more sophisticatedequipment again detected no readings above background levels.

In October 2006, a third survey of the area was conducted in areas made more accessible by a successful prescribed burn of the impact area. The survey consisted of visual reconnaissance, handheld field instrument scans for the detection of low energy radiation, uranium analysis, and alpha/gamma spectroscopy. During this survey, several areas were found with DU particles on top of the ground and several 20mm tail fin sections were located and left in place. Forty-five separate locations showed Gamma levels higher then background. All of these locations were recorded by GPS and marked with orange flags. In total nine samples were collected (six soil samples and three fragments) and sent to an offsite laboratory for analysis. Laboratory analyses indicated that three soil samples exhibited uranium-238 above background levels. Additionally, spectroscopy analyses confirmed that the three fragments collected are comprised of DU.

 
To date, the Army has found no records or other information to indicate that the weapons system was used for training exercises at MMR, PTA, or other locations in Hawaii. However, the Army is still reviewing historical records to determine if there is potential that the M101 spotter rounds were used at these locations, and the Army plans to survey ranges with appropriate characteristics to have been used with the weapons system at MMR and PTA.

Currently, Army policy prohibits the use of DU ammunition for training worldwide (AR 385-62).  

 
 
3.1.2 WATER RESOURCES
3.1.2.1 Schofield Barracks Military Reservation
Surface Water Quality

The classification of the Kaukonahua watershed was based largely on the fact that the coastal receiving water, Kaiaka Bay, is classified as an impaired water body based on pathogens, nutrients, ammonium, algal growth, and turbidity (HDOH 2004). Kaukonahua Stream is not identified as an impaired water body. HDOH has been developing total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) for Kaiaka Bay Watershed with completion expected in 2005, and Wahiawa Reservoir, phased TMDL (HDOH 2004).

Waikele Stream is listed as an impaired water body based on nutrients and turbidity. TMDL development is in progress (HDOH 2004). The Waikele watershed drains to Pearl Harbor, which is also listed as an impaired water body based on nutrients, turbidity, suspended solids, and PCBs. HDOH has also been developing
TMDLs for listed water bodies in Pearl Harbor Watershed with completion expected in 2005 (HDOH 2004).

Water quality in the Wahiawa Reservoir has been affected by nutrients in the past. As mentioned above for SBMR, the State of Hawaii classifies the Kaukonahua and Waikele watersheds as second tier Category I, under the Hawaii Unified Watershed Assessment (HDOH 1998b).

 
Groundwater Quality

The Southern Oahu Basal Aquifer, which underlies SBMR and part of the East Range, was designated by the USEPA as a Sole Source Aquifer in 1987 under Section 1424(e) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (USEPA 2003). A sole source aquifer supplies at least 50 percent of the drinking water consumed in the area overlying the aquifer and represents a water supply source for which there is no alternative that could “physically, legally, and economically supply all those who depend on it for drinking water.” Under the program, all federally funded projects in the area overlying a sole source aquifer are subject to review by USEPA to ensure that they do not endanger the water source.

The quality of groundwater in the Schofield groundwater area is generally good. However, the regional groundwater system has been affected by pesticides and fertilizers related to agricultural practices, and groundwater quality in the SBMR has been affected by contaminants from industrial activities. The two major groundwater contaminants at SBMR are chlorinated solvents (TCE) and carbon tetrachloride.

For the purpose of cleaning up the contaminated groundwater, the groundwater beneath SBMR has been identified as an “operable unit” (OU2), requiring remediation under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA). The source of the carbon tetrachloride contamination was identified as a former landfill located on SBMR. The source of the TCE contamination was not determined. The distribution and extent of groundwater contamination is discussed further in detail in 25th ID Transformation
EIS (USAG-HI 2004). The ROD for OU2 identified the groundwater remedy as continued pumping of contaminated groundwater by SBMR supply wells and treatment of the extracted water at the wellhead by air-stripping (Harding Lawson Associates, Inc. 1996). In August 2000, the USEPA delisted SBMR from the NPL because it determined that the site remediation, including continued wellhead treatment of groundwater and long-term monitoring, was adequate to protect human health and the environment (USAG-HI 2004).

Groundwater quality in the dike-impounded groundwater system of SBER is generally excellent, with chloride concentrations lower than 20 mg/L. Dike-impounded groundwater is not known to be contaminated with organic chemicals within the central Oahu flow system (Oki 1998 as cited in USAG-HI 2004). As described above, high-level groundwater in portions of SBER is contaminated by TCE. The contamination is being addressed by treating the water pumped by wells at the wellhead.

No groundwater quality data are available for the SRAA. Several wells have been installed and are being monitored in the Kunia area, south of the SRAA, as part of a remedial investigation of the Del Monte Corporation Superfund Site. The primary contaminants of concern at this site are pesticides resulting from accidental spills. Monitoring wells in this area are also periodically sampled as part of the SBMR groundwater-monitoring program. Carbon tetrachloride, as a know groundwater contaminant in the area, has not been detected in these wells. TCE, another known groundwater contaminant, has been detected in these wells, but at concentrations below the USEPA Region IX maximum contaminant level (MVCL).

 3.1.8 HAZARDOUS MATERIALS AND HAZARDOUS WASTES
The ROI for hazardous materials and wastes is the area on and surrounding the potentially affected Army installations. Because fences or mountain ranges cannot always confine or reduce impacts from spills or releases of hazardous materials or wastes, areas immediately adjacent to these project locations are considered part of the ROI.

Specific regulations generally govern the use, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials and wastes. The U.S. Army Pamphlet 200-1 governs all aspects of managing hazardous materials and regulated waste by military or civilian personnel and on-post tenants and contractors at all Army facilities. The Army maintains site-specific spill prevention, control, and countermeasure (SPCC) plans and pollution prevention plans that regulate the storage and use of petroleum products and hazardous materials, respectively. Hazardous material and waste management continues to follow Army, federal, and state regulations in order to minimize potential impacts to human health or the environment.

According to CERCLA, a hazardous substance can be defined as any substance that, due to its quantity, concentration, or physical and chemical characteristics, poses a potential hazard to human health and safety or to the environment. CERCLA has created national policies and procedures to identify and remediate sites contaminated by hazardous substances.

The following specific hazardous materials and wastes are addressed:

 
Ammunition, Live-Fire, and Unexploded Ordnance (UXO);
Petroleum, Oils, and Lubricants (POLs) and Storage Tanks;
Contaminated and Installation Restoration Program (IRP) Sites;
Lead;
Asbestos;
Polychlorinated Biphenols (PCBs);
Pesticides/Herbicides;
Radon; and
Hazardous Wastes.


Hazardous materials and wastes at the Army installations in Hawaii include ammunition, live-fire, and UXO; POLs; contaminated and IRP sites; lead; asbestos; PCBs; pesticides/herbicides; radon; and hazardous wastes, including waste oils, depleted uranium, and biomedical waste. The Transfer Accumulation Point at SBER, Building 6040, stores hazardous materials and wastes used and generated at SBMR, SBER, and WAAF. The Army maintains updated material safety data sheets for all hazardous materials used. The hazardous materials and wastes used and generated within the ROI in Hawaii are summarized in the following subsections.

 
3.1.8.1 Ammunition, Live-Fire, and UXO
Live-fire training exercises occur within the range areas and various types of ordnance are used. The general public is not allowed into areas where ammunition is stored or used. Any unused ammunition must be returned to the original storage facility at the end of the exercise.

Live-Fire Training

Live-fire training takes place at SBMR and PTA. Live-fire activities include artillery and mortar (A&M) training, which requires the use of bags filled with explosive propellant for artillery and similar explosive propellant charges for mortars. Charges that are not used during training are burned, creating a residue. Residues from burned propellant are the only hazardous wastes temporarily stored at the range burn site in a designated hazardous waste satellite storage point.

SDZs are associated with live ammunition firing at range training facilities (SBMR and PTA). SBMR’s SDZs exist roughly within an arc formed by Area X (the eastern boundary), Trimble Road (the southern boundary), and the Waianae Mountain Range (the western boundary). The direction of fire is generally west to north. The area supports small arms, mortar, and artillery training. No live tube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided missile, air-to-ground, or ground-to-air firing is conducted at the SBMR ranges (Belt Collins 1993). In recent years, there have been no problems involving the public and the storage, transportation, and use of ammunition for training at SBMR (Borja 2002b).

SDZs are also designated for the ranges at PTA (Sato 1996). Their construction is based on information in AR 385-63 and the draft update of this regulation. Increased emphasis is placed on the effects of ricochets at closer ranges in the draft version. SDZs are configured toward a cumulative ordnance impact area (approximately 51,000 acres) in the central portion of PTA. In addition, although improved conventional munitions (ICMs) are no longer used on any Army training land due to the extreme safety risk (HQDA 2001), there is a 16,800-acre ICM impact area within the larger impact area. ICMs, also referred to as cluster bombs, are artillery munitions that contain multiple submunitions. The ordnance impact area and ICM area are not accessible to the public.

Permanent ammunition storage is not authorized on SBMR or PTA. During training, ordnance is temporarily stored in ammunition holding areas. At completion of training, unused ammunition is returned to the ammunition storage point (ASP) located on WAAF in buildings 1538 and 1551. Weapons are stored in the unit areas between training sessions. The Naval Magazines at Lualualei provide ammunition to WAAF (Belt Collins 1993). These buildings act as permanent ordnance storage for all of USAG-HI (Borja 2002b).

There are no live-fire areas at WAAF; however, the airfield has an ammunition storage point with an established explosive safety quantity-distance arc (Belt Collins 1994). The safety arc around the ammunition storage point is in the south-central portion of the installation. Explosives quantity distance regulations (TM 9-1300-206) are imposed on ammunition storage facilities for the safety of personnel and supplies. All explosives and ammunition are stored within the ASP on WAAF under the supervision of the US Army Support Command, Hawaii Directorate of Logistics (DOL).
 
Results from recent soil sampling of SBMR and PTA ranges produced some samples with levels above USEPA Region IX residential and industrial PRGs. At SBMR, two samples for RDX and one sample for nitroglycerin slightly exceeded the industrial PRG, but the level of exposure on a range (days or weeks) compared with the level of exposure used to calculate an industrial PRG (25 years) minimizes the concern. Five samples from PTA exceeded the PRG for RDX. Lead concentrations of two samples from Ranges 9, 10, and 11 exceeded the industrial soil PRG. The exceedances of heavy metal PRGs are attributable to naturally occurring high background levels.

Although metals such as aluminum and iron occur naturally in Hawaiian soils, byproducts of munitions, such as lead and RDX, contribute contaminants that could create health and safety concerns in the natural environment. Hazardous waste is transferred to the SBMR or PTA transfer and accumulation point facilities, as appropriate, for proper storage until disposal contractors and the defense reutilization and marketing office (DRMO) coordinate to ensure proper disposal.

Unexploded Ordnance (UXO)

DOD 6055.9 Standard defines UXO as “explosive ordnance that has been primed, fused, armed, or otherwise prepared for action, and that has been fired, dropped, launched, projected, or placed in such a manner as to constituted a hazard to operations, installations, personnel, or material and remains unexploded either by malfunction or design or for any other cause.” Grenades, mortars, and artillery weapons used in live-fire training can produce UXO; all other ammunition is inert. When a live-fire training range is closed, all UXO is normally is destroyed where it is found. No known dud rounds are left in place at the conclusion of a training exercise.

UXO is suspected in various training areas and presents a potential threat to Army personnel. UXO is not cleared before maneuvers commence because there is a low level of suspected UXO. Soldiers are taught how to identify UXO and how to handle it properly.

3.1.8.2 Petroleum, Oils, Lubricants (POLs) and Storage Tanks
POLs include engine fuels (gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel), motor oils and lubricants, and diesel and kerosene heating fuels. Vehicle and heating fuels include a mixture of aliphatic hydrocarbons and such aromatic organic compounds as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX). CERCLA definitions of hazardous substances (42 USC 9601[14]) and pollutants exclude petroleum unless specifically listed. The USEPA interprets petroleum to include hazardous substances found naturally in crude oil and crude oil fractions, such as benzene, and hazardous substances normally added to crude oil during refining. Petroleum additives or contaminants that increase in concentration in petroleum during use are not excluded from CERCLA regulations.

Most industrial operations for the Army installations in Hawaii use the “Super Station” centralized motor pool southwest of Lyman Road at Building 2805 on SBMR. All fuel for industrial use is transported from the Hickham Air Force Base (HAFB) Fuel Farm via Tesoro and stored in aboveground storage tanks (ASTs) at the Super Station (Akasaki 2002a). Two Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) retail filling stations are located on SBMR at buildings 80 and 1167. Each distributes different grades of unleaded gasoline, with diesel fuel also sold at the first station.

Both underground storage tanks (USTs) and ASTs are used to store petroleum products and fuels at locations throughout the project area. POL storage is summarized in the following paragraphs by location including USTs, ASTs, and oil-water separators.

Underground Storage Tanks

There are a number of in-use and permanently out-of-use USTs and leaking underground storage tanks (LUSTs) at SBMR and WAAF. For both DMR and KTA, only one UST remains in use at each area.

Aboveground Storage Tanks

There are 18 motor pools at SBMR. Some motor pools use ASTs to store diesel fuel or used oil in conjunction with vehicle maintenance. All fuel for industrial use is transported from the Hickam AFB Fuel Farm via Tesoro and stored in four ASTs at the Super Station (Akasaki 2002). Additionally, ASTs are used by many buildings on base to store liquid petroleum gas (LPG), also known as propane, to fuel hot water heaters.

Several ASTs on WAAF in the area of the aircraft runway contain diesel or aviation gas. Emergency generators can be found throughout SBMR, SBER, and WAAF. Many of these units contain integrated tanks to store fuel as opposed to being connected to separate ASTs. A list of these units is maintained by the DPW (McGinnis 2002). There are no known ASTs on DMR. There is one AST on KTA used to store propane.

Oil-Water Separators, Wash Racks, and Grease Traps

Oil/water separators (OWSs) separate oil, fuel, and grease from water by gravity because these substances have a specific gravity that is lower than that of water (i.e., gasoline floats on water). OWSs can create environmental issues similar to those associated with USTs. Oils are skimmed from the surface of these OWSs or USTs and recycled or disposed of; sediments are removed every 6 months or more frequently, if needed, by a service contractor. The DPW maintains a list of all OWSs, grease traps, and wash racks on SBMR and these facilities are inspected regularly by the USAG-HI Environmental Compliance Office (ECO), and DPW is responsible for maintaining these devices (McGinnis 2002). There are no known OWSs on DMR, KTA, or PTA.

3.1.8.3 Contaminated and Installation Restoration Program (IRP) Sites
The IRP is an ongoing DoD-administered program for identifying, evaluating, and remediating contaminated sites on federal lands under DoD control. A comprehensive identification and evaluation of all IRP sites on all existing Army training areas on Oahu and Hawaii was completed for the SBCT FEIS (USAGHI 2004). There are several IRP sites within the Hawaii installations on SBMR, WAAF, and PTA. No IRP sites are under investigation on DMR or KTA.

An investigation was performed to evaluate contamination in surface soil and water samples from the SBMR and PTA firing ranges. Secondary explosives compounds, primarily TNT and RDX, which are the major ingredients in nearly all munitions formulations, were found on SBMR and PTA firing ranges. In addition, several metals (aluminum, iron, lead, and antimony), explosives (RDX, TNT, and nitroglycerin), and semivolatile organic compounds (PAHs) were found at levels exceeding USEPA Region IX PRGs on both SBMR and PTA.

Trichloroethylene (TCE) is mainly used as a solvent to remove grease from metal parts. In 1985, TCE was found in four wells supplying potable water to SBMR at levels exceeding regulatory limits. The SBMR was put on USEPA’s National Priorities List (NPL), and an IRP was established for the site in 1990. The SBMR NPL site has been remediated and was removed from the NPL in August 2000.

3.1.8.4 Lead
Lead sources within the ROI include lead-based paints and lead from ordnance and ammunition. Lead was a major ingredient in house paint used throughout the country for many years. Lead-based paint (LBP) is defined as any paint or surface coating that contains more than 0.5 percent lead by weight. Buildings constructed before 1978 are considered to be a risk for LBP. LBP is a hazard because it can slough off as dust or chips that children can easily inhale or ingest.

The Army environmental department maintains a database of lead surveys. The most recent version of the lead survey database for SBMR, WAAF, KTA, and DMR is available through the Army DPW. As of 2005, structures on PTA have not been surveyed for lead.

Lead is also used in manufacturing ordnance/ammunition, such as that used for small arms training. The Army recognizes the potential health threats associated with lead. The Army document, “Prevention of Lead Migration and Erosion from Small Arms Ranges” (USAEC 1998) provides management practices to minimize adverse impacts on human health and the environment from small arms ranges. The Army implements general cleanup procedures following training events to remove shell casings and other munitions residue from the ranges, and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) specialists destroy all UXO.

3.1.8.5 Asbestos
Buildings constructed prior to 1980 are considered to be at risk for asbestos-containing materials. Building surveys to identify asbestos materials are conducted prior to the start of renovation and demolition work. Asbestos-containing materials were used in some of the older buildings within the ROI. Current asbestos survey information for the USAG-HI facilities is maintained on the DPW database.

An installation asbestos management program has been established by the DPW to ensure the health and safety of Soldiers and civilians within USAG-HI.

3.1.8.6 Polychlorinated Biphenyls
PCBs may be found in the cooling fluid of electrical equipment, including transformers and capacitors, particularly if such equipment was manufactured before the early 1970s. PCBs are also found in fire retardants and other solid materials. The Army is committed to removing or retrofilling all electrical equipment containing regulated amounts of dielectric fluid containing PCBs.

A survey was conducted in 1991 to determine the concentration of PCBs in the electrical distribution equipment on military installations in Hawaii. The survey results indicated that there were PCB-containing transformers and electrical equipment throughout SBMR and in a few transformers at DMR and KTA. PCB concentrations in soil samples from PTA were below the listed PRG. Devices that are found to contain regulated levels of PCB are either removed and upgraded with non-PCB devices, or are being retrofilled or removed, drained, packaged, and disposed of in accordance with 40 CFR Part 761 (PRC Environmental Management, Inc. 1995).

3.1.8.7 Pesticides/Herbicides
Various types of pesticides, including insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, avicides (bird poison), and rodenticides, have been used at USAG-HI installations to maintain the grounds and structures and prevent pest-related health problems. Pesticides and herbicides are primarily stored in four locations on SBMR and one location on KTA (Yamamoto 2002). Pesticides and herbicides are stored at PTA in approved containers at the ENV Office facilities.

3.1.8.8 Radon
Radon is a naturally occurring, slightly radioactive gas that is produced by the decay of rock containing uranium. Inhalation of radon gas may be associated with an increased risk of lung cancer, and the USEPA has made recommendations for safe radon levels in both residential housing and schools. Radon occurs in low concentrations in the Hawaiian Islands. As part of the National Radon Database, the USEPA and the USGS have evaluated the radon potential in both Honolulu and Hawaii Counties. Data from several radon surveys in Hawaii show that concentrations are much lower than the USEPA’s recommended action level of 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). Therefore, radon is not addressed in the individual installation analyses.

3.1.8.9 Hazardous Wastes
The primary function of the motor pool facilities on SBMR is vehicle maintenance. Although motor fuels were previously stored and distributed at these motor pools for military vehicles, all fueling for industrial purposes now takes place at the Super Station. Most of the motor pool facilities have a designated waste storage/holding areas with both primary and secondary containment for wastes generated by shop and vehicle servicing. Normally, the waste products are temporarily collected and stored in containers at a far corner of each motor pool, which is surrounded with sandbags for secondary containment of potential leaks, and cordoned with barbed wire (Belt Collins 1993). The waste is separated into hazardous waste such as lithium batteries or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) chemicals, and non-regulated waste such as recyclable oil. The hazardous waste is brought to the hazardous waste shope storage point (HWSSP), while the recyclable materials are brought to the Recyclable Material Shop Storage Point (RMSSP) (Akasaki 2002).

Biomedical Waste

The Army follows strict guidelines according to AR 200-1 in the handling, use, and disposal of medical, dental, and veterinary supplies. Most medical waste within the project vicinity is produced and temporarily stored outside of the project area at Tripler Army Medical Center. The medical clinics on SBMR and PTA produce small amounts of regulated chemical and medical waste. The medical waste is combined and temporarily stored before being disposed of at a regulated off-base disposal site. Emergency medical training medics accompany units on deployment at KTA and DMR, and biomedical waste is shipped back to SBMR with the units.