New Hawaii Governor Plans A Tougher Stance On Red Hill

TL;DR - As Hawaii’s new governor promises enhanced oversight of the Navy’s Red Hill fuel facility, environmental advocates hope that means his administration will press for faster action and increased transparency from the military.

Gov. Josh Green’s commitment in his State of the State address last week comes amid community criticism that federal regulators haven’t done enough to hold the Navy to account for contaminating the Pearl Harbor area’s drinking water in 2021, sickening some 2,000 people.

The Red Hill tanks still hold some 100 million gallons of fuel over Oahu’s primary drinking water aquifer, and emptying them could take until July 2024, according to the Navy.

January 31, 2023: New Hawaii Governor Plans A Tougher Stance On Red Hill, Honolulu Civil Beat