DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY 

COMMANDER 

NAVY REGION HAWAII 

850 TICONDEROGA ST STE 110 

JBPHH, HAWAI196860-5101 

5090 

Ser N45/712 

September 22, 2014' 

CERTIFIED N0: 7014 1200 0000 9858 5196 

Mr. Steven Chang, P.E., Chief 

Hawaii State Department of Health 

Environmental Management Division 

Solid and Hazardous Waste Branch 

919 Ala Moana Boulevard, Room 212 

Honolulu, HI 96814 

Dear Mr. Chang, 

SUBJECT: RED HILL TANK 5 RELEASE FREE PRODUCT RECOVERY 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (DOH) FACILITY ID NO. 9-102271, 

DOH RELEASE ID N0. 140010 

The following information is provided to update your 

Department on the free product recovery efforts underway for the 

Red Hill Tank 5 fuel release of January 2014. 

a. From the Soil and Rock: The Navy has submitted a 

Site Characterization Work Plan/Sampling and Analysis Plan for 

your review. The characterization may, pending DOH approval, 

include boring into the basalt beneath the tank to determine the 

nature and extent of any contamination. If recoverable free 

product is discovered during this investigation into the 

subsurface, efforts will be made to remove the free product. 

Geology and contamination information gathered from the 

characterization will be used to determine the best remediation 

solutions. The results of this site characterization will be 

submitted to your office. 

b. From the Tank Structure: The Navy has also been 

evaluating courses of action to investigate whether recoverable 

free product resides within the tank structure (i.e., within any 

voids between the steel tank and concrete backing). It has been 

determined at present that the most likely path of any released 

fuel would be between the steel and the concrete tank 

containment toward the bottom of the tank. To access the area 

at the bottom of the tank some of the epoxy coating/liner and 

welded patch plates will be removed in several areas. Holes 

drilled through the steel liner plates will be explored for 

existing free product. If found, the recoverable free product 
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5090 

Ser N45/712 

Septeber 22, 2014 

will be retrieved. This destructive exploration will be 

conducted in a manner that will allow the integrity of the tank 

to be reestablished and avoid creating vulnerabilities for 

future fuel releases. Upon completion, the tank integrity 

impacted by this effort will be restored. The results of this 

free product investigation from the tank structure will be 

shared with your office. 

We will continue to keep you informed on our progress. If 

you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact 

Aaron Poentis at (808) 471-1171, extension 226. - 

Sincerely, 

D. A. TUFTS 

Captain, CEC, U.S. Navy 

Regional Engineer 

By direction of the 

Commander 

Copy to: Steven Linder, EPA Region IX 

CAPT Wheeler, NAVSUP FLC Pearl Harbor 

CAPT Bower, DLA Energy Pacific 

CAPT Edelson, NAVFAC EXWC 

CAPT Williamson, NAVFAC PAC 

K 
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