Column: Mr. Defense Secretary, add water advocates to task force

TL;DR - I am a kanaka maoli resident of Waimanalo and a member of the O‘ahu Water Protectors. I was part of a delegation of kia‘i wai, water protectors, who traveled to Washington, D.C., last week to meet with Hawaii’s U.S. Rep. Kai Kahele, U.S. Rep. Ed Case and U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz to discuss accelerating the defueling and decommissioning of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.

We are happy to hear that U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will be visiting Red Hill this week. We applaud his March 2022 decision to shut down Red Hill, and his commitment to defueling and decommissioning as quickly and safely as possible.

I would like to extend an invitation for him to meet with our delegation of water protectors and community organizers, as well as representatives from the affected military and civilian families who live on the Navy’s waterline.

September 29, 2022: Column: Mr. Defense Secretary, add water advocates to task force, Honolulu Star-Advertiser