Hawaii groups want US to shut down military fuel tanks
Environmental groups are calling on President Joe Biden and military leaders to shut down tanks that provide an important fuel reserve for U.S. forces in the Pacific
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Citing threats to Honolulu s drinking water, the Sierra Club of Hawaii and other groups on Wednesday called on President Joe Biden and military leaders to shut down tanks that provide an important fuel reserve for U.S. forces in the Pacific.
“Enough is enough. We've lost all faith in the local Navy command,” said Wayne Tanaka, the director of the Sierra Club of Hawaii, at a rally and news conference.
The military built 20 fuel tanks, each the equivalent of 25 stories tall, during World War II near Pearl Harbor on top of an aquifer that supplies drinking water to one-quarter of Honolulu.
The call to shut them down comes after a series of recent revelations about fuel leaks associated with the Red Hill fuel tanks or Pearl Harbor.
Tanaka called the tanks “an unacceptable threat to the drinking water supply for 400,000 Oahu residents.”
Navy Region Hawaii said in a statement that it is committed to safeguarding the environment and drinking water while protecting national security.
“We will closely monitor all aspects of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility to ensure the safety of our operations,” it said.
On Monday, the Navy said 14,000 gallons (52,995 liters) of a water and fuel mixture leaked into the Red Hill facility’s lower tunnel from a fire suppression system drain line. No fuel leaked into the environment.
Last month, Honolulu Civil Beat reported that officials waited months to report a January leak at Pearl Harbor to the state Department of Health “amid concerns it would hamper its ability to secure a state permit” for the Red Hill tanks.
Hawaii’s four-member congressional delegation has asked the Department of Defense’s inspector general to investigate the January leak, saying they want to know whether the Navy properly investigated and notified state authorities.
The state health department last month fined the Navy more than $325,000 for Red Hill operations and maintenance violations.
A 2014 fuel leak prompted the Navy to sign an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state Health Department to upgrade the tanks and better prevent and detect leaks.