On Friday, U.S. Space Force started excavating soil at the site of a diesel fuel spill at the summit of Haleakala on Maui, according to a news release. 

What You Need To Know

  • The U.S. Space Force began the first phase of the cleanup of 700 gallons of diesel fuel that was spilled on Jan. 29 at the Maui Space Surveillance Complex

  • The remediation calls for excavating 200 cubic yards of earth at the site 

  • The excavation was delayed because of cold and wet weather

  • Soil for the restoration of the site will be gathered from the summit

On Jan. 29, the U.S. Space Force spilled 700 gallons of diesel fuel at the Maui Space Surveillance Complex, a satellite tracking and research facility, after a fuel pump for a generator failed to shut off. The agency said a power surge during a lightning storm likely caused the failure.

Haleakala rises 10,000 feet and is home to a number of plant and animal species found nowhere else in the world. It is also a sacred site for Native Hawaiians.

The U.S. Space Force said at a news conference in February that the remediation team would excavate 200 cubic yards of earth around the generator, reaching a depth of about six feet. 

The excavation was delayed because of cold and wet weather at Haleakala’s summit.

The Hawaii Department of Health approved the first phase of the cleanup plan, which is being done by U.S. Ecology, a remediation firm that specializes in fuel spill recovery. 

As the excavation is underway, U.S. Space Force will collect samples, which will be sent to a lab for testing. 

The excavated materials will be stored at the summit until the second phase of the cleanup plan is approved.

Soil for the restoration of the site will be gathered from the summit, so no new material will be introduced.

Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii. Email her at michelle.brodervandyke@charter.com.