Navy Discusses Environment

October 14, 2009
By Eric J. Cutright
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Eric J. Cutright
Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class

Navy News Service

PEARL HARBOR - The Pearl Harbor Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) met Sept. 29 at Leeward Community College, to discuss environmental issues at Navy properties and to inform the public of what is being done to facilitate restoration projects.

The role of the RAB is to educate the public about ongoing projects. The Navy provides the public, via these RAB meetings, information on the investigations and cleanups being conducted.

“The RAB meeting is an important part of Navy community outreach, and it informs the community of what we’re doing at our sites. It’s taxpayer’s money that we’re using to clean up the contaminated areas,” said Wes Ching, a remedial project manager for Naval Facilities Engineering Command Hawaii.

The Pearl Harbor RAB consists of concerned citizens from the affected areas and a Navy representative as part of the Navy’s Environmental Restoration Program.

“Historically, we had gone to the communities and the neighborhood boards to see if there was interest in representing their group in the RAB,” said Janice Fukumoto, the manager of the Navy’s Environmental Restoration Program in Hawaii and employee at NAVFAC Hawaii.

One of the items on the RAB agenda was an Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA) report being conducted by the Navy at the Church of Christ and St. George’s Church, located on Navy property by the Moanalua Navy Housing Area.

A Removal Site Evaluation (RSE) was conducted at a parking area shared by the two churches. The RSE revealed metal concentrations in the sand blast grit, which is covering the parking lot, exceeding risk-base screening criteria levels. The next steps will include a removal action and a verification report to be taken in accordance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act.

“This is not a closed process,” said Ching. “It’s open to the public, and we welcome input or concerns.”