Army Corps briefs commission on Kihei FUDs; DHHL and Corps plan surveys, site inspections and phased investigations

The Army Corps of Engineers (Honolulu District) briefed the Hawaiian Homes Commission on activities under the Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDs) program focused on the Kihei Artillery Range on Maui. Richard Tanaka, the Corps’ FUDs program chief in Honolulu, described the program’s eligibility screens and the steps in the CERCLA process: a preliminary assessment, an inventory property report, site inspections and remedial investigations, and—where necessary—time‑critical removal actions (TCRAs).

Tanaka said the Corps completed a preliminary assessment and is creating an inventory of properties and project scoping. The Corps plans site inspections and remedial investigations in areas the Corps characterized as maneuver areas and impact areas where historical artillery training and reports of munitions finds suggest possible munitions and explosive hazards. For locations where imminent construction or infrastructure work (for example water lines) is planned, the Corps described a TCRA option to reduce immediate risk to workers and the public.

Commissioners and beneficiaries pressed for faster communication, local notification and close coordination with DHHL because cleanup and investigation funding is limited and project timetables are driven by development needs. The chair noted the significant cost and complexity of large cleanup programs and said DHHL will engage the military and federal funding partners to pursue resources for prioritized projects.

Key points: the Corps emphasized that eligibility and the presence of contamination determine whether a full CERCLA response is needed; some DHHL parcels will require additional investigation and, if munitions are likely, phased removal or mitigations. The Corps also plans worker training (recognize, retreat, report) for personnel who may encounter munitions in construction areas.