PUBLIC NOTICE
Finding of No Significant Impact for the Final Environmental Assessment Pipeline and Contaminated Soil Removal Former Aua Fuel Farm FUDS, Aua Village
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Honolulu District, has published the Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for removal of fuel pipeline and petroleum-contaminated soil at the former Aua Fuel Farm in Aua Village, American Samoa.
The former Aua Fuel Farm site encompasses 44 acres in Aua Village on the northeast side of Pago Pago Harbor on Tutuila Island, American Samoa. The former Aua Fuel Farm consisted of 12 above ground storage tanks, 13 pump houses, and approximately 7,500 feet of 12-inch-diameter pipeline. While most of the tank remnants and associated contaminated soil have been removed, buried sections of the fuel pipeline network have been discovered during work activities since 2020. The purpose of the proposed action is to remove remaining fuel pipeline components and associated petroleum-contaminated soil and to treat petroleum-impacted soil and construction dewatering fluids.
The 30-day public comment period for the Environmental Assessment was completed on June 17, 2024. All comments received during that time were addressed in the Responsiveness Summary and were added to the document. The Environmental Assessment has been prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Council on Environmental Quality regulations, and Army regulations for implementing NEPA.
In addition to the FONSI, a Finding of No Practicable Alternative has been prepared pursuant to Executive Orders 11988 and 13690, because there is no practicable alternative to the project that would avoid floodplains.
The Final Environmental Assessment is available at the offices of the American Samoa EPA (Utulei, Eastern District 96799, American Samoa). A digital copy is available at the project website.
https://www.poh.usace.army.mil/Missions/Environmental/FUDS/Aua-Fuel-Farm/.
Questions or concerns can be submitted by postal mail or email to HonoluluDistrictFUDSInfo@usace.army.mil or U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu District ATTN: Matty Haith, COR, 230 Otake St., Fort Shafter, Hawaii 96858-544.
USACE is responsible for the cleanup of properties eligible under the Formerly Used Defense Sites Program under the direction of the Department of the Army and the Department of Defense. Together in consultation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and in partnership with state agencies USACE is making progress at the Former Aua Fuel Farm and is committed to the environmental restoration of lands due to past Department of Defense activities.