State legislators push for stronger regulations on Red Hill fuel facility
Eighteen state lawmakers sent a joint letter to state and federal regulatory agencies insisting the “real danger” of contamination to drinking water not be ignored.
Calling the proposed agreement between federal and state regulatory agencies and the U.S. Navy unacceptable, 18 state legislators from both the House and Senate are calling for stronger and swifter measures to ensure the safety and security of Oʻahu’s drinking water supply following the most recent fuel leak from the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.
In response to data that shows contaminants have been found in the groundwater beneath the Red Hill fuel tanks, a letter signed by nearly all Oʻahu senators and a number of Oʻahu representatives asks the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Hawaiʻi State Department of Health (DOH) to reject a proposed Administrative Order on Consent (AOC). Instead, the lawmakers want the agencies to renegotiate with the Navy to strengthen the requirements for leak prevention and detection of underground storage tanks, and bring them up to federal conformance standards within in no more than 10 years, with at least half of the operating tanks being brought up to standards within 5 years.
“The Navy claims their rigorous inspection and repair standards will ensure the tanks are safe. However, after repairing one tank last year, it immediately leaked approximately 27,000 gallons of fuel,” said Senator Laura Thielen (Senate District 25, Kailua, Lanikai, Enchanted Lake, Keolu Hills, Maunawili, Waimānalo, Hawaiʻi Kai, Portlock). “It would be unconscionable to delay measures any longer that would prevent further leaks and risk the spread of any contamination to our water supply.”
The tanks hold 250 million gallons of fuel and are now 70 years old, with a known history of leaks. The joint letter calls for the state to require the Navy to increase the pace of the AOC investigation and installation of new groundwater monitoring wells.
“While we recognize the important role the U.S. Navy and Pacific Command has amongst our nation and understand the Navy has provided assurances that significant efforts have been made to maintain the fuel tanks and protect these tanks from fuel leaks, it is simply unacceptable the ostensible lack of urgency to do more to protect this island’s aquifer that is critical to one-fourth of Honolulu’s population,” said Thielen. “We respectfully request that the tangible risk to our water supply be considered a much higher priority and the tanks be completely overhauled or replaced sooner as opposed to later.”
The letter also requests the Navy provide to the DOH and Honolulu Board of Water Supply records and data regarding the operations of the Red Hill fuel tanks so that the agencies can be better informed and negotiate further on equal footing.
“Ways in which we would be able to make the necessary repairs to these tanks and provide jobs that will help the local economy should be part of the discussion,” said Thielen. “If negotiations are to consider the cost feasibility of repairing or replacing the fuel tanks, we should also consider the cost that contamination of our aquifer will have on Oʻahu residents and our natural resources.”
The legislators that have signed the joint letter are Senators Sam Slom, Les Ihara, Jr., Brickwood Galuteria, Suzanne Chun Oakland, Donna Mercado Kim, Glenn Wakai, Breene Harimoto, Clarence Nishihara, Michelle Kidani, Will Espero, Maile Shimabukuro, Gil Riviere and Laura Thielen; and Representatives Bertrand Kobayashi, Della Au Belatti, Jarrett Keohokalole, Cynthia Thielen and Chris Lee.
The letter is being presented as part of the public comment period on the proposed AOC which has a deadline of July 20, 2015.
Information about the Red Hill Fuel Facility and links to the proposed AOC are available here and here.
