News Releases from Region 09

EPA News Advisory: ASIG Sand Island Hawaii Fuel Spill Response Update 2/2/15

(02/02/15) HONOLULU - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Hawaii State Department of Health (DOH) continue response operations to recover spilled jet fuel at the Airport Service Group International (ASIG) facility on Sand Island Access Road in Honolulu. EPA is leading the response effort and working with DOH's Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response branch and ASIG

Amount of fuel recovered:
Response activities have resulted in the recovery of over 19,800 gallons of spilled jet fuel, with fuel recovery continuing.

Accomplished and Ongoing response activities:
In the past week 15 exploratory trenches and 5 monitoring bore holes have been dug inside the tank farm. Two of several planned fuel extraction trenches have been installed inside the tank farm. These trenches are designed to optimize capture of the fuel inside the perimeter wall. A total of 42 exploratory bore holes have been dug outside the tank farm to define and monitor the offsite jet fuel plume.

The ongoing recovery effort includes pumping fuel from extraction trenches and tank monitoring wells. Work continues in monitoring the extent of the spill, and to contain and remove the spilled fuel to reduce impact to the environment.

Status of fuel migration off-site:
Fuel has been detected off site of the facility through subsurface contamination about 150 feet from the water. Spill containment booms have been deployed in the waters near the facility as a precaution. The booms on the water are monitored daily for any signs of fuel, and there is no indication that the spill has migrated into the near shore waters or entered Keehi Lagoon.

DOH has reported that the fuel spill has not affected harbor activities and there are no closures. Boaters, fishermen, pier construction workers, office workers, wildlife and marine life are safe from the fuel spill as the fuel is underground. There are no drinking water wells in the area.

Once the extraction trenches inside the facility are able to maintain hydraulic control of the release and demonstrate containment of the spill, a system to extract fuel outside the facility will be built. This system may include pumping from bore holes and/or an extraction trench or trenches. Also, in order to ensure containment of the off-site plume, an interceptor trench will be installed the full length of the area of concern between the onsite extraction trenches and the waterfront.

EPA Order - January 30
EPA issued an Clean Water Act compliance order on January 30 that requires ASIG, the facility operator, and Hawaii Fueling Facilities Corp., the facility owner, to submit to EPA by Feb. 5 a work plan for daily response activities, clean up all petroleum or contaminated materials released to the environment as a result of the spill, prevent further releases and impacts to the environment resulting from releases of oil/fuel to waters and adjoining shorelines, repair all damaged equipment at the facility to prevent future spills of petroleum, and submit a plan by Mar. 2 for confirmatory sampling to ensure that the cleanup activities are complete.

Spill Background
The ASIG reported to DOH that the 42,000 gallon spill was the result of a leak in the bottom of ASIG's Tank #2. The above ground storage tank has a 2.8 million gallon capacity. The ASIG facility has 16 above ground tanks with a total facility capacity of 44.8 million gallons of fuel and supplies fuel to the Honolulu International Airport.
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