EPA, Guam air force base agreement to improve spill prevention plans, water resources

HONOLULU, HAWAII, April 28, 2014 -- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized an agreement with Andersen Air Force Base (AAFB) in Guam requiring the base to update its oil spill prevention plan and address other spill prevention deficiencies to better protect the island's water resources.

The Federal Facility Compliance Agreement (FFCA) between EPA and AAFB will require an updated Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) plan and changes to the facilities to comply with newer, more stringent oil spill prevention requirements. The new plan will include AAFB, the Navy Base and the petroleum pipeline between the two facilities.

"This agreement improves the base's ability to safeguard Guam's drinking water and the ocean environment," said Jared Blumenfeld, Regional Administrator for the EPA's Pacific Southwest Region. "We will continue to work with the base to ensure that the island's important natural resources are protected for future generations."

The compliance agreement sets a schedule with deadlines for AAFB to:

• Submit a certified updated SPCC plan by December 5, 2014
• Complete a drainage assessment and necessary improvements to the underground injection control wells to ensure protection of groundwater
• Complete all fuel containment improvement projects
• Follow the specified reporting schedules outlined in the agreement

EPA conducted a Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure inspection at the base in 2010 and found several areas where the base was not in compliance with the SPCC requirements. Based on that inspection, EPA issued a Finding of Violation (FOV) on April 5, 2011.

Since the FOV was issued, the base worked closely with EPA to identify and address all SPCC-related deficiencies under this agreement. This compliance agreement is one of the first with a federal facility since the new EPA SPCC regulations took effect in 2010.

See also:

"EPA proposes new NPDES permits for Guam wastewater treatment plants"

"Guam Waterworks Authority on EPA notice for drinking water system deficiencies"

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