STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1472-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.C.R. No. 6

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness and Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 6 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE UNITED STATES NAVY TO PREPARE A PLAN TO DECOMMISSION THE RED HILL BULK FUEL STORAGE FACILITY, STORE ITS FUEL IN A MANNER COMPLIANT WITH STATE LAW, ESTABLISH A NEW WATER TREATMENT FACILITY, PAY FOR ALL COSTS TO THE STATE, AND COMPLY WITH ALL FUTURE REMEDIATION EFFORTS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the United States Navy to prepare a plan to decommission the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, store its fuel in a manner complaint with the law, establish a new water treatment facility, pay for all costs to the State, and comply with all future remediation efforts.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Health, Honolulu Board of Water Supply, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Livable Hawaii Kai Hui, 350Hawaii.org, Our Revolution Hawaii, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Sierra Club of Hawai‘i, Wai Ola Alliance, and eight individuals.

Your Committees find that the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility is located approximately one hundred feet directly above the Southern Oahu Basal Aquifer, which is the principal source of drinking water for Oahu. In November 2021, approximately fourteen thousand gallons of a mixture of water and fuel from a crack in a fire suppression drain line at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility contaminated the groundwater aquifer where the Honolulu Board of Water Supply wells and the Navy's water supply wells obtain their water.

Your Committees further find that the Honolulu Board of Water Supply has had to shut down its Halawa Shaft, Halawa Wells, and Aiea Wells due to fuel releases from the facility. The contamination of the Navy's water supply well, the Red Hill Shaft, has caused a water contamination crisis at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam unlike any experienced in the State's history and has upended the lives of thousands of Oahu residents.

According to testimony from the Board of Water Supply before your Committees, the shutdown of the affected Board of Water Supply wells includes a possibility of mandatory water conservation and other measures during the hot summer months in the event the maximum use of available Board of Water Supply wells is unable to compensate for the loss of Halawa Shaft, Halawa Wells, and Aiea Wells.

Your Committees also find that a recent contested case hearing and Navy incidences of fuel releases reveal the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility has reached its useful life, the chances of further leaks are real, and the Navy is unable to safely operate the facility without releases. Collaborative action between federal, state, and county agencies is necessary to address the ongoing Red Hill water contamination crisis and ensure that Oahu's water supply remains safe now and in the future.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness and Energy & Environmental Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 6 and recommend that it be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness and Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________ NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair

____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair