SBCT Final EIS - Govsupport.us

Chapter 3 ⎯ Affected EnvironmentThere are no live-fire areas at WAAF; however, the airfield has an ammunition storage point with anestablished explosive safety quantity-distance arc (Belt Collins 1994). The safety arc around the ammunitionstorage point is in the south-central portion of the installation. Explosives quantity distanceregulations (TM 9–1300–206) are imposed on ammunition storage facilities for the safety of personneland supplies. All explosives and ammunition are stored within the ASP on WAAF under the supervisionof the US Army Support Command, Hawaii Directorate of Logistics (DOL).During 8 or 9 months of the year, ammunition is brought from WAAF or Lualualei to PTA via boator helicopter (USAG-HI 2004). If boats are used, the ammunition is driven from Kawaihae Harbor toPTA. There have been no accidents involving the transport of ammunition in the last 5 years.Non-live-fire training occurs on SBER, SRAA, DMR, KTA, and KLOA. The Army also conductsnon-live-fire maneuver training on training areas around PTA. Exercises at SBER use pyrotechnicsand blank ammunition, and no live-fire exercises occur at SBER; therefore, no surface danger zonesexist because the range is used for bivouac, maneuver, and dummy fire training activities (Army1993).Results from recent soil sampling of SBMR and PTA ranges produced some samples with levelsabove USEPA Region IX residential and industrial PRGs. At SBMR, two samples for RDX and onesample 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 oftwo samples from Ranges 9, 10, and 11 exceeded the industrial soil PRG. The exceedances of heavymetal 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 inthe natural environment. Hazardous waste is transferred to the SBMR or PTA transfer and accumulationpoint facilities, as appropriate, for proper storage until disposal contractors and the defense reutilizationand marketing office (DRMO) coordinate to ensure proper disposal.Unexploded OrdnanceDoD 6055.9 Standard defines UXO as “explosive ordnance that has been primed, fused, armed, orotherwise prepared for action, and that has been fired, dropped, launched, projected, or placed in sucha manner as to constituted a hazard to operations, installations, personnel, or material and remains unexplodedeither by malfunction or design or for any other cause.” Grenades, mortars, and artilleryweapons used in live-fire training can produce UXO; all other ammunition is inert. When a live-firetraining range is closed, all UXO is normally is destroyed where it is found. No known dud roundsare 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 isnot cleared before maneuvers commence because there is a low level of suspected UXO. Soldiers aretaught how to identify UXO and how to handle it properly.3.1.8.2 Petroleum, Oils, Lubricants, and Storage TanksPOLs include engine fuels (gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel), motor oils and lubricants, and diesel andkerosene heating fuels. Vehicle and heating fuels include a mixture of aliphatic hydrocarbons andsuch aromatic organic compounds as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX). CERCLAdefinitions of hazardous substances (42 USC 9601[14]) and pollutants exclude petroleum unless spe-February 2008 3–54 2/25th SBCT Final EIS