JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii – The Navy, in coordination with the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), released validated results from soil samples collected in December in response to the November 2022 Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) concentrate spill. Results are available on the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Safe Waters website (www.jbphh-safewaters.org) on the PFAS Sampling page of the Environmental site. DOH has not received results from all of their collected samples.
The Navy’s sample results are above DOH Environmental Action Levels, and EPA Regional Screening Levels, which are non-regulatory and used to determine if further evaluation is required. Based on the levels present in the samples, these results indicate that most of the AFFF concentrate was successfully recovered and removed from the spill site.
Excavation and sample collections were completed Dec. 15, 2022. Following excavation of the impacted area, and in coordination with DOH, the Navy covered the site with asphalt to protect it from elements such as rain. The Navy will coordinate with DOH to determine what further action is required to complete the spill response, and will coordinate with DOH and EPA on any further required environmental response for the site.
Groundwater sample results from December 2022 are posted on the Safe Waters website, with no exceedances observed. The Navy also continues to collect groundwater samples from nearby monitoring wells and the Red Hill Shaft to ensure PFAS from the AFFF concentrate release has not migrated to the groundwater. More broadly, the Navy is continuing our installation-wide assessment of potential PFAS releases.
For more information on the Navy’s Red Hill environmental efforts visit www.jbphh-safewaters.org.