Join our Red Hill pizza party this FRIDAY at the capitol!

You may have heard the news - the Department of Health has issued a new emergency order for the defueling and decommissioning of Red Hill - and the Navy has decided not to contest it.

While this new emergency order is not perfect, it has clearer milestones for the defueling and shut down of the Red Hill facility, and includes deadlines for the sharing of critical information relating to the integrity of the facility and the safety of our water.  The Navy’s concession is a positive step, but we cannot let our guard down while over 100 million gallons of fuel still remain above our aquifer - nearly half a year after a leak poisoned the drinking water system for nearly 100,000 people.  

Meanwhile, the Fuel Tank Advisory Committee has scheduled its first biannual meeting for 2022 this Friday, May 13, beginning at 9 a.m.  While you can register to testify remotely here, you can also come to the Hawai‘i State Capitol, where there will be the opportunity to meet other water protectors, watch the Committee presentations via Zoom broadcast, and testify to the Committee as well.  This is a critical opportunity to keep up the pressure on the Navy and our government officials, and let them know we will tolerate no more denials, foot-dragging, or downplaying of the existential threat that the Red Hill Facility still poses to our island.  

To help celebrate our recent victories and to encourage folks to come, connect, and ask the right questions to the Committee and its members - including Navy officials, Department of Health, Environmental Protection Agency, Board of Water Supply, state and federal legislators, and community members - the Sierra Club and our partners will be providing pizza, keiki activities, and a raffle with special prizes for those who are able to make this meeting.  Questions and talking points below and provided in-person on Friday.  Please come if you can, and spread the word to others as well! Can't make it? You can still submit written testimony by May 31 to thu.perry@doh.hawaii.gov

RED HILL PIZZA PARTY!

What:

Pizza, keiki activities, raffle prizes, and more for FTAC attendees and testifiers

When: 

Friday, May 13, 2022 from 9 a.m. (public testimony beginning around 11 a.m.)

Where: 

Hawai‘i State Capitol Auditorium and Room 016

Talking points:

1. Department of Health workers are protectors of the public trust. 

   1. DOH must prioritize and work in the interests of the community – and to do that, they must ensure that community experts and affected communities are part of the conversation and decision-making on timeline, remediation, and accountability. 

   2. Use all mechanisms, including full and strict enforcement of the emergency order, to get the 100 plus million gallons of fuel out of Red Hill.

2. Even though the Navy waived its right to contest the new Emergency Order, we do not trust them to protect our water and take accountability.

   1. Even though the Navy waived its right to contest the new Emergency Order, we do not trust them to protect our water and take accountability.

   2. The Navy is not forthcoming, has lied, and straight-up refused to answer questions from the community. 

   3. The Navy must release all documents and reports regarding the contamination, aquifer remediation, water testing, and the timeline to defuel and shut down the facility.