Thread by @oahuWP

Huge news for Water Protectors: the Hawai‘i Department of Health’s state hearing officer ruled against the Navy and supports the Governor’s Emergency Order to Defuel the Decrepit, Leaking Red Hill Fuel Tanks!

Here are a few key takeaways on the hearing officer’s determinations:

- Navy’s contamination crisis is a “humanitarian and environmental disaster”.

- The fuel leaks and ensuing crisis “constitute an imminent peril to human health and safety” and to “the environment”.

- Red Hill Facility is a “ticking timebomb located 100 feet above the most important aquifer on Hawai‘i’s most populous island.”

- “The Navy lacks the ability to control the substantial risks associated with the Red Hill Facility, as currently situated.” The words “as currently situated” arguably goes further than the Gov’s Emergency Order to defuel, implying the entire location in Kapūkaki is perilous.

- The Navy “is not reliable with respect to monitoring whether leaks are occurring, determining how much fuel is released into the environment when leaks occur, and ascertaining threats”.

- Over 76 fuel leaks that we know of (!!!)
- 96% chance of 1,000-30,000 gallon release over next 10 years
- Red Hill Facility has reached its “end of life” phase
- The problems with the Red Hill Facility are systemic and “beyond the Navy’s ability to control”.
#ShutDownRedHill

Water contamination was substantiated by testimony from folks like Kim Charters and other video evidence - “perhaps the most important to the overall factual balancing in a finding that the November 2021 Release caused a humanitarian and environmental emergency and disaster.”

Mahalo to all who have joined the fight to #ShutDownRedHill. The Navy will likely appeal this decision but now they’ll be doing so in order to defend the existence of something the DOH describes as a direct threat to our health and safety! The struggle continues.

Ola i ka wai!

You can read the ruling and orders in their entirety here: health.hawaii.gov/about/files/20…