United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
EPA Region 9 Brownfields Program Success Stories
East Kapolei II • Oahu, HI
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Kapolei Project Brings Affordable Housing to Second City
Project Description
Property Address:
Property Size:
Former Uses:
Contaminants Found:
Current Use:
Planned Use:
Current Owner:
Off Palehua Road, Honouliuli,
Ewa, Oahu, 96706
404 acres (Brownfields portion:
0.634 acres)
Agriculture; pesticide mixing and
loading facility
Dioxins/furans, agricultural
pesticides
Agricultural; vacant land;
construction for residential
complex
Affordable homes and rental
units, two schools, three parks,
100,000-square foot community
center facility
State of Hawaii, Department
Hawaiian Home Lands
Project Partners
• U.S. EPA
• State of Hawaii, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands
• State of Hawaii, Department of Business, Economic
Development & Tourism
• State of Hawaii, Department of Health
• EnviroServices & Training Center LLC
• The Limtiaco Group
Property History
From approximately 1890 to 1994, the property was
used to cultivate sugarcane, first by the Ewa Plantation,
and then from 1970, by the Oahu Sugar Company, Ltd.
Pesticide mixing and loading operations are believed to
have begun at the site in 1953, and ended in 1994 when
Oahu Sugar ceased operation and closed. Soils at the site
became contaminated by periodic chemical spills over the
years. While the 404-acre site is considered abrownfield,
only a small portion is contaminated by hazardous
substances associated with agricultural pesticides. The
State of Hawaii acquired the entire 404-acre site in 1994
and in 2009 it was conveyed to the Department Hawaiian
Home Lands (DHHL).
Former agricultural pesticide mixing and loading facility (above)
Construction of East-West Road, the primary arterial for East Kapolei II (below)
Highlights
• All buyers and many renters of East Kapolei II units will be
native Hawaiian people, many of whom have been waiting
decades for an opportunity to purchase a home through
DHHL's Homestead Program
• Site is centrally located in a region that has been designated
as Oahu's Second City in the City and County of Honolulu's
adopted General Plan and regional Ewa Sustainable
Communities Plan. Cleanup of the brownfield site was
central to allowing development to proceed as planned.
The East Kapolei II project plays a large role in the
transformation of former agricultural lands to the regional
urban center envisioned in these plans. The new community
will have all the facilities needed for the residents to work,
play, go to school, and shop.
From 1990 to 2000, subsurface soil sampling, well water
sampling and analysis, and preliminary assessment and
site investigation studies discovered contamination by
many chemicals associated with the agricultural pesticides.
A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) was
completed in 2004 by the State Department of Health
(DOH) with EPA Assessment Grant funds, followed by
a Phase II ESA with funding from the Department of
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Business, Economic Development & Tourism's (DBEDT),
EPA Brownfields Assessment grant and DOH. The
brownfield site is the only portion that requires cleanup
and received $200,000 in EPA Cleanup grant funds in
2009. The larger portion of the site was assessed at the
same time the last Phase II was being conducted on
the brownfield site, but it was determined not to have
contamination above actionable levels. Currently, portions
of the property are being used for diversified agriculture
or are fallow while other portions are under construction
for future residential and community service uses. The
brownfield site is fenced-off and currently unused.
Drivers for Redevelopment
The DHHL East Kapolei II Master Planned Community
development is a vitally important part of the larger
regional transformation of the Ewa Plain and City of
Kapolei, which has long been designated by the City and
County of Honolulu as the secondary urban center, or
"Second City," for the island of Oahu. The population of
the Ewa District, estimated to be approximately 60,000
people in 2010, is projected to reach 177,000 by the year
2030. The goal for both the Second City and DHHL's East
Kapolei developments is to provide residents with alternate
facilities where they can work, play, go to school, and shop
without the need to drive into the urban core. For some this
could eliminate a daily commute of up to two hours.
Project Results
The 404-acre East Kapolei II project is a planned
community that will include approximately 1,000 for-sale
affordable homes, 1,000 affordable rental units, two schools,
three parks, and a 100,000-square foot community center
facility. The end use of the brownfield site has not yet been
determined; however, decisions on future use will involve
community and future resident input. DHHL received a loan
from the Hawaii Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund
(HBCRLF), which was established with EPA Revolving
Loan Fund grant monies. The loan is being used to pay
for the development of remedial work plans, community
involvement activities, and site remediation work. Site
remediation is scheduled to be complete in December 2011.
An ecocharrette is being considered to gather ideas from
future residents on reuse and redevelopment options for
the site. Currently single-family and multi-family homes
are planned for the lands immediately surrounding the site,
thus it is important that the final reuse relates well to these
communities, and remains protective of environmental
Funding Information
$200,000 EPA's Brownfields Cleanup Grant
$1,970,000 EPA's Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund
$109,100 Hawaiian Home Lands Trust Fund, covering
required activities not authorized under the
Cleanup Grant or RLF
Project Timeline
1994 Oahu Sugar Company, Ltd. ceased all operations
and closed down; site acquired by State
09/2004 Phase IESA completed
08/2007 Phase II ESA completed
02/2009 Site conveyed to DHHL
05/2009 EPA Brownfields Cleanup grant ($200,000) and
EPA Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund loan (up
to $1.97 million) awarded to DHHL
11/2010 Remedial Action Work Plan approved
05/2011 Anticipated start of remedial action
12/2011 Anticipated completion of remedial action
and human health. Specifically, DHHL's East Kapolei II
development will consist of:
• Approximately 1,000 single-family homes for native
Hawaiian beneficiaries of the federal Hawaiian Homes
Commission Act (HHCA) of 1920. DHHL is currently
constructing "backbone" infrastructure and mass
grading. Occupancy of the first houses is expected
in 2013.
• Approximately 1,000 units of multi-family affordable
housing for native Hawaiians and the general public.
• An elementary school and middle school to be
developed by the State Department of Education.
• The Salvation Army Kroc Community Center, a
120,000-square-foot regional community center will be
the largest of its kind in Hawaii. Facilities will include
conference and banquet rooms; a 150-student preschool;
a 500-seat worship and performing arts center; an
athletic center with an NCAA-regulation gymnasium; a
state-of-the-art health and wellness center; an aquatics
center featuring a competition pool and a recreation
pool with giant water slides; and a 3-acre multipurpose
field for outdoor programs. Construction started in
March 2010, and opening is expected in late 2011.
For additional information, please contact:
Darrell Ing • Real Estate Development Specialist/ Project Manager • State of Hawaii,
Department Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) • (808) 620-9276 • Darrell.H.lng@hawaii.gov
Brownfields Region 9 Success Story
East Kapolei II, Oahu, HI
April 2011
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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