Page 1 GAO-24-106812 PFAS at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of heat and stain
resistant chemicals that can persist in the environment—including in water, soil,
and air—for decades or longer. According to the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA), exposure to certain PFAS may have adverse effects on human
health, including effects on fetal development, the immune system, and the
thyroid, and may cause liver damage and cancer.
During November 2022 maintenance activities at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-
Hickam in Hawaii, 1,300 gallons of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF)
concentrate was released from a pipe in a tunnel at the installation’s Red Hill
Bulk Fuel Storage Facility. Some of the concentrate migrated out of the tunnel
and into the environment. Because AFFF—a product used to fight flammable
liquid fires—contains PFAS, this incident raised concerns about how the Navy
would remediate PFAS contamination at the installation.
We were asked to examine the Department of Defense’s (DOD) efforts to
address PFAS at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. This report describes DOD
processes for the ongoing monitoring and long-term cleanup of PFAS at Joint
Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam; DOD’s response to the November 2022 AFFF
release at the installation; and DOD and EPA policies addressing PFAS in the
environment.
• As of February 2024, DOD testing has not detected PFAS in the active
drinking water shaft at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. According to
installation officials, they monitor drinking water for PFAS at frequencies
required by DOD policy and requests by EPA and the state of Hawaii.
• DOD has policies and guidance related to monitoring PFAS levels in drinking
water at its installations, conducting long-term cleanup and remediation of
PFAS in the environment, and using and disposing of products containing
PFAS—including AFFF.
• On April 10, 2024, EPA issued a National Primary Drinking Water Regulation
that established allowable levels for six PFAS in drinking water. Prior to this,
PFAS in drinking water were not regulated at the federal level. In addition,
EPA has proposed a rule that designates certain PFAS as hazardous
substances, which is expected to facilitate nationwide cleanup of sites
contaminated by these compounds. Once this proposed rule is finalized,
DOD plans to update its policies to reflect the new regulation.
• The Navy, as part of DOD’s departmentwide environmental restoration
program, has identified 32 sites of known or potential PFAS contamination at
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. The Navy is taking steps to assess these
sites and, where appropriate, develop plans for their long-term cleanup.
U.S. Government Accountability Office
Persistent Chemicals: Navy Efforts
to Address
oint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam
-24-106812
Report to Congressional Requesters
15, 2024
