Senator Schatz Statement on Red Hill Fuel Leak Agreement

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i‘) released the following statement in response to the Environmental Protection Agency and the State of Hawai‘i announcement of a proposed agreement with the U.S. Navy and the Defense Logistics Agency requiring the military to take action to minimize the threat of future leaks at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.

“The proposed agreement between the EPA, the Hawai‘i State Department of Health, and the U.S. Navy will help reduce the risk of future fuel leaks at the Red Hill facility and protect our drinking water,” said Senator Schatz.  “It also ensures that the Navy will continue to operate this strategic fuel depot in the Asia Pacific while continuing to meet its commitment to be good environmental stewards to the people of Hawai‘i.”

Since the discovery of a fuel leak from Red Hill’s tank 5 in January 2014, Senator Schatz has worked with the Navy and the State of Hawai‘i to ensure that their long-term remediation and recovery efforts are coordinated, and that the community has remained informed about the potential safety concerns with the drinking water so that families could have the information they need to make important decisions regarding their health and the health of their loved ones.

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