STAND. COM. REP. NO. 586-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1926

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 1926, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RED HILL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Appropriate funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources for studies on the remediation of substances released from the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility; environmental monitoring and testing; research on groundwater modeling and sampling; and independent testing and verification of water data, to be published on a public dashboard; and

(2) Require the Department of Land and Natural Resources to seek reimbursement from the United States Department of Defense.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Honolulu Board of Water Supply; Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi; Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; Chamber of Sustainable Commerce; Ka Lāhui Hawaiʻi; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that numerous fuel spills have occurred over the decades at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, including the most recent occurrence on November 20, 2021. One of the results of the November 2021 fuel spill was the birth of the Red Hill Water Alliance Initiative (WAI), a working group that met regularly in 2023 and posed questions, conducted research, listened to subject-matter experts, and recommended policies on how to address the various, complex environmental and public-health hazards caused by the various releases of fuel. Your Committee further finds that the findings of the Red Hill WAI gave rise to an urgent and crucial need for further research on how to quickly degrade fuel in the environment to prevent it from reaching potable water sources and on the unique hydrology of Red Hill through groundwater modeling. This measure provides the funds needed to timely conduct this research but, in requiring the Department to seek reimbursement from the federal government, acknowledges the Red Hill WAI's assertion that the ultimate responsibility for the contamination and its impacts rests with the United States Navy, Department of Defense, and government.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1926, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair