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Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response Office

Fourth Hawaii Brownfields Forum

Fourth Hawaii Brownfields Forum

Warning barrier tape placed on top of capped, contaminated soil.

Warning barrier tape placed on top of capped, contaminated soil.

Public meeting in East Kapolei.

Public meeting in East Kapolei.

Installation of geofabric and metallic delineation tape.

Installation of geofabric and metallic delineation tape.

Collection of increments from soil boring.

Collection of increments from soil boring.

Excavation of impacted soil.

Excavation of impacted soil.

Aerial view of former pesticide mixing area.

Aerial view of former pesticide mixing area.

Subsampled soil cores.

Subsampled soil cores.

Collection of soil increments with a sampling tube.

Collection of soil increments with a sampling tube.

Removal of an underground storage tank.

Removal of an underground storage tank.

Remediation of former fuel tank farm.

Remediation of former fuel tank farm.

Push-drive rig used to collect soil cores in tight places.

Push-drive rig used to collect soil cores in tight places.

Collection of soil gas samples with summa canisters and sorbent tubes.

Collection of soil gas samples with summa canisters and sorbent tubes.

What's New

October 2012 - Draft Updates to Section 7 of our Technical Guidance Manual (TGM): Soil Vapor and Indoor Air Sampling Guidance are available on the TGM Website.

August 2012 - Community Meeting and Upcoming Cleanup Action of Former Pesticide Mixing Area, Kilauea, Hawai‘i
Kilauea Kekaha Landfill Disposal Fact Sheet August 2012pdf link
Kilauea Removal Action Community Meeting Noticepdf link
EPA Cleanup of Kilauea Pesticide Mixing Area Fact Sheet July 2012pdf link
News Release: U.S. EPA, Hawaii Department of Health clean up soil in Kilauea neighborhoodlink to external website

June 2012 - 1,2,3-Trichloropropane Report
The Hawaii State Department of Health is making available a reportpdf link on the human health risks of 1,2,3-Trichloropropane (TCP), a contaminant found in some sources of drinking water in Hawai‘i. The purpose of the report is to review the available data on the potential human health effects of TCP as a drinking water contaminant and evaluate the adequacy of Hawaii’s MCL for TCP.

June 2012 – Draft RAM available for Hickam Communities Remedial Action site
HDOH is soliciting public comment on its Draft Response Action Memorandumpdf link for the Hickam Communities Remedial Action site. Soils at the site contain elevated levels of organochlorine pesticides due to past application of termiticides. HDOH is proposing a remedy to address this hazard that combines engineering controls (soil caps and geotextile marker layers) with institutional controls. The official public comment period on the proposed remedy begins June 11, 2012, and ends July 11, 2012. A fact sheetpdf link is available. The following supporting documents for the proposed remedy are also available: (1) Removal Action Report (RAR)pdf link (28MB); (2) Remedial Investigation Report (RI)pdf link (5MB), RI Report Appendices Apdf link (1MB), Bpdf link (12MB), C-1pdf link (9MB), C-2pdf link (7MB), C-3pdf link (8MB), C-4pdf link (7MB), C-5pdf link (8MB), Dpdf link (4MB), and Fpdf link (1MB); (3) Environmental Hazard Evaluation (EHE, RI Report Appendix E)pdf link (28MB); (4) Remedial Alternatives Analysis (RAA)pdf link (3MB); (5) Environmental Hazard Management Plan (EHMP)pdf link (29MB); and (6) Land Use Controls Inventory Document (LUCID)pdf link (17MB).

May 2012 - Hanalei River
The Hawaii State Department of Health is providing the following information in response to an AP story posted by the Star Advertiser on April 30 (Biologist: Hanalei river, bay should be tested): The concentrations of arsenic, barium, chromium and lead reported by Hanalei River Heritage Foundation are within anticipated, natural background levels for the volcanic soils and related sediments of the Hawaiian Islands. The metals are naturally occurring, are tightly bound within minerals in the soil and are not toxic to humans or wildlife. The terrestrial and aquatic flora and fauna of Kaua‘i have lived with these metals since the island was created millions of years ago. They are similar to levels of metals in soil that would be found anywhere on the islands as well as much of the world, and are not related to manmade pollution. This is well documented in numerous reports over the past several decades, and summarized in the recent draft report “Hawaiian Islands Soil Metal Background Evaluation Reportpdf link” prepared for the Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response Office of the Department of Health. Hanalei River Heritage Foundation incorrectly compared the sediment (mud) data to regulatory standards for drinking water. These are completely unrelated standards and are not applicable to metals in soil or sediment.
If you need more information or have any questions, please contact the Site Discovery, Assessment & Response Supervisor Fenix Grange at 586-4249.

May 2012 - The Hawaiian Islands Soil Metal Background Evaluation Report Now Available
The Hawaiian Islands background metals study has been in progress for several years and incorporates soil sample data from several technical and scientific sources. This report presents an evaluation of naturally occurring background concentrations of metals and related elements in the volcanic soils of the seven main Hawaiian islands (Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, Moloka‘i, Lana‘i, Maui, Kaho‘olawe, and Hawai‘i Island). Soil sample data were evaluated using cumulative probability plots, spatial and soil type distribution univariate plots, detailed spatial analysis, elemental association, geochemical analysis and professional judgment to estimate Hawai‘i-specific background concentration ranges. For more information on the report see the Cover Memopdf link. View the full Hawaiian Islands Soil Metal Background Evaluation Reportpdf link. View the summary tablepdf link comparing background concentration ranges to HDOH Environmental Action Levels (EAL).

April 2012 - Kilauea, Kauai Pesticide Mixing Area Investigation Final Report Now Available
The HEER Office has completed extensive subsurface soil sampling of the former pesticide mixing and storage operation affecting three properties on Aalona Place in Kilauea on the island of Kauai. The final report is now available for public review. The report findings will be used by US EPA, DOH and the County of Kauai to determine appropriate actions needed to remediate the soils and restore safe use of the properties affected.

Download the Kilauea Site Inspection report to learn more:

January 2012 - HEER Office Public Record, State Response and Superfund Program Sites Activities for the latest Federal Fiscal Year
This file Link to a PDF file contains detailed, single page summaries for approximately 450 sites under HEER jurisdiction. The pages are ordered by Island and Locality name and are easily searchable within Adobe Acrobat. This subset of sites includes sites that have ongoing environmental concerns or have been closed after 9/30/2010. This file does not include military sites or sites that were closed earlier. Refer to the Public Record page for information on these and other sites under SDAR and Emergency Response jurisdiction.

December 20, 2011 to Febuary 3, 2012 at 3:00pm - Request for Proposals for the HEER Emergency Response Contract 2012

  • Public Noticepdf link published in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and the State Procurement Office website on December 20, 2011.
  • Informational Packetpdf link in reference to the Notice.

The public inquiry period is closed. HDOH received no public inguiries.

December 05, 2011 - KEKAHA EMERGENCY DIESEL GENERATOR UPDATE:
HDOH has completed their response to public comment and made the Final Kekaha Emergency Generator Installation Site Remedial Decision and Responsiveness Summarypdf link. There are a number of attachments to the document, which are listed below as separate items for ease of downloading.

As part of the on-going State remedy selection process for the Kekaha Diesel Generator, the following document is available to the public.

For additional information, please visit the Kekaha Diesel Generator page.

October 2011 – New Fact Sheet and Sampling Guide for Termiticides
A new Fact Sheet and Sampling Guide for Organochlorine Termiticides at Residential Sites have been posted on the HEER Office Website, Technical Guidance and Fact Sheet page.

October 06, 2011 - EPA FY2012 Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund and Cleanup Grant Guidelines
The Request for Proposals has been posted! For details, visit EPA Home >> Brownfields >> Grants & Funding >> Apply for Funding. link to external website

June 2011 - Hawaii Business News Article link to external website
Read how Brownfields and contaminated sites affect development in Hawaii.

June 2011 - Kilauea Pesticide Mixing Area Investigation
The HEER Office is continuing investigation of soil contamination from a former pesticide mixing and storage operation affecting two properties on Aalona Place in Kilauea on the island of Kauai. This summer we plan to collect more than 90 samples to further delineate the areas of contamination in preparation for a removal action. Download the following materials to learn more:

May 2011 - Fifth Hawai‘i Brownfields Forum Access agenda, presentations and other event information.

March 2011 - New Guidance. Two new guidance documents have been posted to the HEER TGM website under the "Additional Guidance Documents" link:

  • Use of Decision Unit and Multi-increment Soil Sample Investigation Approaches to Characterize a Subsurface Solvent Plume. HEER Office report on investigation of TCE-contaminated subsurface soil located at a site on Hickam Air Force Base, O‘ahu using Decision Unit (DU) and Multi-increment Sampling (MIS) techniques, and
  • Technical Guidance Manual Notes: Decision Unit and Multi-increment Sample Investigations. A compilation of notes and recommendations for Decision Unit (DU) and Multi-increment Sampling (MIS) site investigations.

The Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response (HEER) Office is part of the HDOH Environmental Health Administration whose mission is to protect human health and the environment.  The HEER Office reports directly to the Deputy Director, Environmental Health. The HEER Office provides leadership, support, and partnership in preventing, planning for, responding to, and enforcing environmental laws relating to releases or threats of releases of hazardous substances.

Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response Office
State of Hawai‘i Department of Health
919 Ala Moana Boulevard, Room 206
Honolulu, HI 96814


Telephone: (808) 586-4249
Fax: (808) 586-7537
Release Reporting Number (808) 586-4249 After Hours (808) 247-2191

Webpage maintained by Marsha Mealey.
Last Update 28 Dec 2012