Red Hill Fuel Tank Advisory Committee (FTAC) Meeting October 2021
The twice-annual task force meeting was held on October 28, where we witnessed a record-breaking number of almost 200 participants. In light of the lack of transparency from the Navy and the recent leaks, the community was eager to get answers to their burning questions and express their frustrations, and they showed up to do just that!
We know watching a 3-hour meeting is not ideal for anyone, so we hope you find the time stamps below helpful:
Review of Duties of the Committee, Joanna Seto, DOH – 22:18
Role, Function, and Status of Red Hill Administrative Order on Consent – Gabriela Carvalho, EPA & Roxanne Kwan, DOH - 30:57
Carry Over Issues from May 20, 2021 Meeting and Related Issues, Thu Perry, DOH – 46:00
DOH Compliance Inspection of Red Hill, Roxanne Kwan, DOH – 47:17
Navy Updates on Carry Over Items and Related Issues, Captain Hornyak, U.S. Navy (May 2021 leak, Hotel Pier & Kilo Pier leaks) – 50:53
Technical Updates, Captain Meyer, U.S. Navy – 59:29
Secondary containment study updates – 1:16:03
FTAC Committee Discussion – 1:35:54
What does the Navy plan to do in the event of a catastrophic spill? – 1:36:29
Alternative site planning and relocation – 1:43:45
Does water from near the Red Hill tanks flow across the valley toward Hālawa shaft? Can the fuel leaks at Red Hil eventually make its way to Hālawa shaft? – 1:51:18
How does the DOH and EPA plan to hold the Navy accountable besides issuing fees? – 2:00:37
We also highly recommend watching and listening to all the powerful testimonies and questions from the community! They start at 2:12:18 and go up to when the meeting ends.
The Red Hill Fuel Tank Advisory Committee was convened to study the effects of the January 2014 fuel tank leak at the facility. It has become a critical avenue for holding the Navy accountable for its inaction and negligence. The public deserves answers and this forum is one place to get them. During the May 2021 meeting, we learned the Navy was not honest about the 1,000-gallon leak in May seeping into the soil around the tanks. There are at least two other major fuel releases from 2020 and 2021 that seem connected to Red Hill. Through a whistleblower’s intel, we also learned that top Navy officials have not been truthful about leaks from the facility and its supporting infrastructure. This latest October meeting once again highlighted the importance of community voice in the protracted Red Hill water security fight. Click here to see information on all the past Red Hill FTAC meetings.
Thank you to all the community members who were able to show up in solidarity to demand for the protection of our water and aquifer! We will continue advocating for greater accessibility to these important meetings. Don’t forget, public comments will be accepted up to November 21st!