Earthjustice and Sierra Club of Hawai‘i Statement on Navy’s Compliance with Red Hill Emergency Order
MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, January 11, 2022
HONOLULU, HAWAIʻI - Earthjustice and the Sierra Club of Hawai‘i expressed cautious optimism over the Navy’s announcement that it “is complying” with a state emergency order requiring the defueling of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.
“We can only hope that Navy officials have seen the light and are finally recognizing the inherent danger of this facility,” said Wayne Tanaka, Sierra Club of Hawai‘i Chapter Director. “At the same time, it is unsettling that, in today’s Congressional hearing, Rear Admiral Converse still could not explain why the Department of Health ordered the defueling of the Red Hill Facility.”
Prior to the Navy’s announcement, Secretary of Defense Carlos Del Toro stated that he would view the state’s emergency order as a “request.” In response to questions by Congressman Kai Kahele in a Congressional hearing today, Navy officials have now confirmed that they have begun the contracting process for a plan to defuel the Red Hill Facility.
“This is encouraging, but words are one thing, and actions are another,” said David Henkin, the Earthjustice attorney who represented the Sierra Club of Hawai‘i in its contested case hearing to uphold the emergency order. “There are crucial deadlines under the order that must be met in the coming weeks. We need the Department of Health to strictly enforce its emergency order, and not cave in to foot-dragging and excuses.”
Under the emergency order, the Navy has until February 2 to develop a work plan and implementation schedule for the defueling of the Red Hill Facility, and thirty days after the completion of any “corrective actions” under the work plan to actually remove the millions of gallons of fuel still being stored in Kapūkakī, or Red Hill.
“There are two things that need to be done: defuel the Red Hill Facility, and shut it down permanently,” added Tanaka. “Placing over 100 million gallons of fuel directly over our drinking water supply is simply insane, and can never be allowed to happen again, under any circumstance.”
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