Aloha,
Pursuant to the public records law, I would like to request the following records in electronic format sent to my email address.
REQUEST TO ACCESS A GOVERNMENT RECORD Pursuant to the Uniform Information
Practices Act Chapter 92F, Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes
Date: March 23, 2026 Agency: Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation (HDOT) Submitted via
email to: <<email address>> Organization: North Kona Noise ACTION (NKNA) Contact:
<<email address>> Preferred format for records: Electronic copies via email (PDF or native format)
DESCRIPTION OF REQUESTED RECORDS
Pursuant to Chapter 92F, HRS, I am requesting access to government records maintained by
the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation, including but not limited to the Airports Division,
the Office of the Director, and any other HDOT division or office that may maintain
responsive records. This request pertains to the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport
at Keāhole (KOA/PHKO), State Project No. AH2011-07 (KOA Master Plan Update), and all
associated Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) operations and environmental activities.
This request covers the following categories of records:
CATEGORY 1: Proposed or Planned ARFF Training Facility at KOA
All documents, studies, proposals, internal memoranda, correspondence (including emails),
meeting minutes, feasibility assessments, site plans, architectural or engineering drawings,
and communications with consultants (including HNTB Corporation) related to any
proposed, planned, or contemplated Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) training facility,
fire training pit, burn pad, or similar facility at KOA or on HDOT airport lands at Keāhole,
including but not limited to:
a) Any reference to such a facility in the KOA Master Plan Update (State Project No.
AH2011-07) working documents, alternatives analyses, or facility requirements
assessments;
b) Any presentations, talking points, or briefing materials prepared for the community
informational meetings held on August 26–28, 2025 and March 16, 2026, that reference fire
training operations or facilities;
c) Any environmental review, NEPA documentation, or HRS Chapter 343 analysis related to
such a facility;
d) Any correspondence between HDOT Airports Division personnel (including Deputy
Director Curt Otaguro and Airport Administrator Ford Fuchigami) and federal, state, or
county agencies regarding a fire training facility at KOA.
CATEGORY 2: AFFF and PFAS Use, Storage, and Release History at KOA
All records from January 1, 2000 to the present pertaining to the use, storage, procurement,
inventory, testing, discharge, release (intentional or accidental), and disposal of Aqueous
Film Forming Foam (AFFF) or any other Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance (PFAS)-
containing materials at KOA, including but not limited to:
a) Procurement records, invoices, or contracts for AFFF or PFAS-containing firefighting
agents;
b) ARFF training exercise logs, schedules, and after-action reports documenting foam
discharge;
c) Any spill reports, incident reports, or notifications filed with state or federal agencies
related to AFFF or PFAS releases;
d) Current inventory of AFFF or PFAS-containing materials stored on KOA property,
including quantities, product names, and manufacturers;
e) Records of monthly or periodic pump tests of ARFF vehicles or foam dispensing
equipment, including locations where such tests were conducted on airport property.
CATEGORY 3: Fluorine-Free Foam (F3) Transition Status at KOA
All records pertaining to KOA’s transition from AFFF to fluorine-free foam (F3) pursuant to
FAA guidance and the FAA Aircraft Firefighting Foam Transition Plan, including but not
limited to:
a) KOA’s current ARFF foam type (AFFF or F3) and, if AFFF is still in use, the planned
transition timeline;
b) Any applications submitted to the FAA’s PFAS Replacement Program for Airports ($350
million grant program established under the FAA Reauthorization Act) or any Airport
Improvement Program (AIP) grants related to AFFF-to-F3 transition;
c) Decontamination records for ARFF vehicles, including any rinsing, cleaning, or PFAS
removal activities;
d) Correspondence with the FAA, DoD, or foam manufacturers regarding KOA’s F3
transition.
CATEGORY 4: Environmental and Groundwater Monitoring at or Adjacent to KOA
All records from January 1, 2000 to the present pertaining to environmental monitoring,
testing, or assessment of soil, groundwater, surface water, or stormwater at or adjacent to
KOA for PFAS, PFOS, PFOA, or any related contaminants, including but not limited to:
a) Soil sampling results, groundwater monitoring well data, or stormwater discharge
monitoring reports;
b) Any Phase I or Phase II Environmental Site Assessments conducted on KOA property;
c) Any communications with the Hawaiʻi Department of Health (Safe Drinking Water Branch,
Environmental Health Administration, or Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response
Office) regarding PFAS contamination at or near KOA;
d) Any hydrogeological studies, aquifer assessments, or water quality analyses that address
the potential migration of contaminants from KOA property into the surrounding
environment, with particular attention to the porous basalt substrate underlying the Keāhole
area;
e) Any records of PFAS testing of drinking water sources within a five-mile radius of KOA.
CATEGORY 5: Live Fire Training Exercises at KOA — Environmental Compliance
All records pertaining to the environmental compliance and community impact of live fire
training exercises conducted at KOA from January 1, 2015 to the present, including but not
limited to:
a) Air quality monitoring or emissions data from live burn exercises;
b) The type and quantity of fuel and foam agents used in each training exercise;
c) Any community complaints received related to smoke, air quality, or health effects from
fire training exercises;
d) Any environmental permits, Clean Air Act compliance documents, or National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits related to ARFF training activities at KOA.
FORMAT, FEES, AND RESPONSE TIMELINE
I request that responsive records be provided in electronic format (PDF or native format
preferred) to the email address listed above. Pursuant to HRS §92F-21, I request that
search, review, and segregation costs be waived or reduced, as disclosure of this
information is in the public interest. The requested records concern potential environmental
contamination and public health risks to the community surrounding KOA, and their
disclosure will contribute significantly to public understanding of HDOT operations. If fees
will exceed $100, please notify me before proceeding.
Pursuant to HRS §92F-11(c), I understand that HDOT is required to respond to this request
within ten business days of receipt. If additional time is required to compile responsive
records, I request written notification of the expected completion date and the specific
reasons for any delay.
****CONTEXT FOR THIS REQUEST
North Kona Noise ACTION is a community advocacy organization that has filed formal public
comments with HDOT regarding the KOA Master Plan Update. At the March 16, 2026
community informational meeting for the KOA Master Plan Update, HDOT personnel
discussed the potential development of fire training facilities on airport land. Given the well-
documented history of PFAS contamination from AFFF use at airports nationwide —
including HDOT’s own ARFF operations at Kalaeloa Airport — and the porous volcanic
substrate and aquifer dependence of the North Kona community, we are seeking records to
understand the scope of AFFF use at KOA, the current PFAS contamination status of airport
lands, and the environmental implications of any proposed expansion of fire training
operations.
This request is submitted during the active public comment period for the KOA Master Plan
Update. Timely disclosure of these records is essential for the community to provide
informed comments on proposed airport facilities.
Mahalo for your prompt attention to this request.
<<email address>>
IF SEEKING PUBLIC INTEREST WAIVER, PROVIDE PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT BELOW THIS LINE
FORMAT, FEES, AND RESPONSE TIMELINE
I request that responsive records be provided in electronic format (PDF or native format
preferred) to the email address listed above. Pursuant to HRS §92F-21, I request that
search, review, and segregation costs be waived or reduced, as disclosure of this
information is in the public interest. The requested records concern potential environmental
contamination and public health risks to the community surrounding KOA, and their
disclosure will contribute significantly to public understanding of HDOT operations. If fees
will exceed $100, please notify me before proceeding.
Pursuant to HRS §92F-11(c), I understand that HDOT is required to respond to this request
within ten business days of receipt. If additional time is required to compile responsive
records, I request written notification of the expected completion date and the specific
reasons for any delay.
Mahalo,
<< Name removed >> << Name removed >>