SBCT Final EIS - Govsupport.us

Appendix D ⎯ Responses to Comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statementcontamination of aquifers with nitrates. The EIS needs to address the effects of this potentialcontamination.Response: The Army has started an assessment of offsite potential for contaminants atSBMR and MMR under the Operational Range Assessment Program (ORAP).While still in the early stages of the assessment, preliminary results show nocontamination of surface water and groundwater by explosive residues. Pleaserefer to Section 3.1.2.1 to review the revised text. A similar ORAP sampling ofsurface water is also in its early stages, and preliminary results show no contaminationof surface water by explosive residues.147. The Army should include procedures to monitor the long-term effects of spills of petroleumproducts on aquifers.Response: The Army has institutional programs like the Installation Restoration, undergroundstorage tank/aboveground storage tank (UST/AST) inspection program,and the Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures (SPCC)/stormwater NPDES programs to address potential spills and releases of petroleumproducts. The Army feels that these programs are sufficient to control effectsfrom petroleum spills and their impacts on water aquifers. See Section5.2.9 to review the public health and safety discussion.148. The Army must control the flow of water into Kaiaka Bay to prevent further destruction ofthe reef.Response: The Army recognizes this concern. Per 5.2.3.4, the Army’s ITAM and IWFMPare continually working to reduce water quality impacts from SBMR to KaiakaBay. Furthermore, the Army is working cooperatively with the Hawaii Departmentof Health to assess impacts to water quality through the establishmentof Total Maximum Daily Loads for sediment in streamflow.149. The Army needs to identify what compounds are in the streams that drain Schofield Barracksand other training areas on Oahu and Hawaii Island. It must ensure that toxic runoff is not occurringand if it is, the Army needs to clean it up.Response: The Army has started an assessment of offsite potential for contaminants atSchofield Barracks and Makua under the Operational Range Assessment Program(ORAP). While still in the early stages of the assessment, preliminary resultsshow no contamination of groundwater by explosive residues. Please referto Section 3.1.2.1 to review the revised text.150. The DEIS minimizes the impacts to water quality at PCMS. It assumes that training activitieswill have limited impacts because prior levels of use have not resulted in significant statisticalimpacts. An increase in the number of vehicles training at PCMS and crossing dry drainageswill cause more compaction and erosion. The DEIS fails to adequately disclose or analyze theincrease in effects that will result from an increase in training activities. It also fails to disclosewhether the training will violate requirements of the regional 404 permit or if the Armywill need an NPDES permit for discharges. Decision makers cannot determine whether the2/25th SBCT will violate the Clean Water Act.February 2008 D–50 2/25th SBCT Final EIS