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The U.S. Navy held a public Scoping Meeting on Thursday (Aug 26) at Hilo High School on the current and future impact of military installations and training in Hawaii and California waters.

The meeting is a precursor to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement (EIS/OEIS) for military training and testing in Hawaii and Southern California. The Draft EIS/OEIS is scheduled to be released in the Spring of 2012 and public comments for consideration in the draft will only be taken up until Tuesday (Sept 14).

Organizers of the Scoping Meeting allowed time for opposing comments to be heard from members of Malu ‘Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action, the Sierra Club along with other Hawaii residents. The comments were not part of the Scoping Meeting but were allowed to be heard.

Concerns by those opposed to present and future military training raised questions about the impact on marine mammals by the use of active sonar and presence of depleted uranium at Pohakuloa Training Area which is not a part of the EIS/OEIS. Protests about the war in the Mid-East and overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom were also voiced.

Mark Matsunaga, Environmental Public Affairs Officer, said the Navy no longer uses depleted uranium in its weapon systems. The meeting was for the public to be informed on what the Navy has been doing so the public can submit comments for the Draft EIS/OEIS.

The deadline for public comment submission is Tuesday (Sept 14). The comment form can be found at www.hstteis.com where the information presented by the Navy at the Scoping Meeting can also be found.

MEDIA RELEASE

POHAKULOA TRAINING AREA, Hawaii – Results of the Army’s recent depleted uranium (DU) Basic Human Health Risk Assessment (BHHRA) for the Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) impact area indicate no likely adverse impacts to current and potential future persons working on or living near PTA due to DU present at PTA.

This survey was conducted in full partnership and disclosure with representatives of several other organizations with interests in environmental radiological and chemical contamination. These agencies include, but are not limited to the:

• Hawaii Department of Health (DOH)
• U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

DU was first found within the boundary of the Pohakuloa Training Area impact area in October 2006. Subsequent investigations, conducted in coordination with state and expert partners, indicate that DU is not present outside of the impact area.

The purpose of the BHRRA is to evaluate the potential risk posed by residual DU in the PTA impact area. The results of the risk assessment demonstrate that the presence of DU in the soil at the PTA impact area results in radiological doses, as well as chemical and radiological risks, well within limits for what is considered safe, by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC). Following USEPA guidance and with input from partner organizations, five potential exposure scenarios were evaluated:

1. Current and future range maintenance workers
2. Future construction/clean-up workers
3. Future adult cultural monitors
4. Future site workers/visitors/trespassers
5. Subsistence farmers living at the site boundary

Each scenario, considered four possible methods of contact:

1. Incidental swallowing of soil containing DU
2. Dust inhalation
3. Skin contact with DU
4. Direct exposure to gamma radiation

Although access to the PTA impact area is tightly controlled and restricted to qualified, trained personnel, the Army is taking additional steps to ensure the health and safety of workers and that the local community is protected. For example, the Army submitted a license application, which the USNRC is processing, to possess the residual DU in the impact area. In addition, the Army requires that those allowed routine access to the PTA impact area are qualified and trained to identify DU and to follow appropriate safety precautions and notification procedures while on-site.

The BHHRA is available for public viewing on the U.S. Army Garrison – Hawaii website, www.garrison.hawaii.army.mil/du The Army has also published an informational pamphlet; “Depleted Uranium (DU) in Hawaii”. The pamphlet is available on the website.

For additional information, contact Mike Egami at 656-3152, U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii Public Affairs Office.

Video by Sgt. Jacob Fadley, 196th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

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