Hawaii lawmakers grill top Navy officials on Red Hill defueling
Sen. Donna Mercado Kim said public trust in the Navy has been eroded even more by the defueling plan. Read more
Latest Stories by Sophie Cocke
Fire code violation contributed to Red Hill fuel leak, report finds
Navy officials and their contractors violated the Department of Defense’s fire code when they installed PVC piping instead of steel throughout a new fire suppression system at Red Hill. Read more
Citing lack of details, Hawaii health officials plan to reject Navy’s Red Hill defueling plan
The Navy released the 20-page plan June 30, in accordance with a department deadline, but noted in the document that it didn’t expect DOH would accept it and that it planned to submit supplemental information by September to help satisfy regulatory requirements. Read more
Hawaii health officials will reject the Navy’s Red Hill defueling plan
Under the Navy’s plan, over 100 million gallons stored in the tanks would be drained by the end of 2024 — a timeline that has alarmed many advocates. Read more
Kaiser Hawaii under scrutiny for lack in behavioral health
A national organization focused on improving the quality of health care has determined that Kaiser Permanente’s health plans in Hawaii need to improve and has put them under “corrective action” for failing to meet national quality standards. Read more
Hawaii health officials question Navy’s Red Hill fuel spill findings
The state Department of Health says the Navy’s conclusion that just a small amount of fuel likely escaped into the environment following a May 6, 2021, fuel release doesn’t comport with its own analysis showing spikes in petroleum contamination in monitoring wells around the Red Hill fuel storage facility in the months following the spill. Read more
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Navy says footage of Red Hill fuel spill unlikely to result in disciplinary action
The Navy was swiftly criticized for not publicly disclosing the existence of the footage or releasing it on its own in the months following the fuel spill. Read more
Navy investigating leaked footage of Red Hill fuel spill
The Navy is investigating the publication of video and photos this week showing fuel gushing from a Red Hill pipe on Nov. 20, according to a Navy official who said the person who released the footage to the media could face disciplinary action. Read more
Lava tube raises fears about Red Hill fuel contamination
The existence of the lava tube has raised alarm that the petroleum that leaked from the Navy’s Red Hill fuel facility in 2021 may have quickly traveled to an unknown area of the aquifer. Read more
Long list of failures caused Red Hill leak, Navy investigation finds
An alarming list of operational and leadership failures, communication breakdowns and cavalier attitudes toward oversight at the Navy’s Red Hill fuel storage facility contributed to two leaks in 2021 that ultimately contaminated the Navy’s drinking water system with jet fuel, according to a long-awaited investigation released Thursday by the Navy. Read more
Long list of failures contributed to Red Hill water contamination, Navy investigation finds
The investigation concludes about 5,542 gallons of fuel escaped into the environment after a Nov. 20 pipeline rupture, a portion of which made its way to the tap water of residents in and around Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Read more
No end in sight for Red Hill water pumping
The Navy continues to pump about 4.5 million gallons of water daily out of its Red Hill shaft in an effort to remediate the aquifer that was polluted with fuel from its Red Hill tanks in 2021. Read more
Hawaii still struggles with abortion access
Abortion providers say the state’s strong legal protections belie the experience of many women in Hawaii, particularly on the neighbor islands. Read more
Repairs before defueling Red Hill facility might cost $100 million
It could take more than two years and cost upward of $100 million in repairs before the Navy can begin safely draining its Red Hill fuel tanks, according to Hawaii U.S. Rep. Kai Kahele, who held a town hall meeting Monday night with U.S. Rep. Ed Case at Moanalua High School Performing Arts Center. Read more
Contractor’s report: It’s not safe to drain Red Hill fuel tanks due to pipeline, valve damage
Rear Adm. Dean VanderLey said there’s no indication of problems with the fuel tanks, but that the distribution system, including the pipelines and valves, needs repairs. Read more
Another $1.1 billion sought to address Red Hill
The tab for the Navy’s Red Hill calamity could double to $2.2 billion, which includes estimated costs for repairing the fuel facility so that it can be safely drained, remediating the environment and reimbursing service members and their family members who were displaced last year when jet fuel contaminated their drinking water, among other costs. Read more
Hawaii tops national ranking for COVID-19 response
Hawaii has ranked first in the nation for its management of the COVID-19 pandemic, faring much better than other states on metrics such as pandemic-related deaths, vaccination rates and strains on hospital resources, according to an assessment by the Commonwealth Fund, which focuses on improving the quality and efficiency of the country’s health care system and improving access to care. Read more
Rocky Point homeowner has history of shoreline violations
A Rocky Point property owner who is facing $92,000 in fines for orchestrating a major sand push to protect his two oceanfront homes and refusing to remove sandbags and other debris littering the public beach is requesting a contested case hearing that will likely prolong the case for many months. Read more
Major repairs needed for Red Hill fuel to be drained
Survey details ills from Navy’s fuel-tainted water
Some 75% of survey participants who reported health effects said their symptoms lasted for 30 days or more. Read more
Vast majority of residents surveyed by CDC report health symptoms from Red Hill fuel contamination
Some 75% of survey participants who reported health effects said their symptoms lasted for 30 days or more. Read more
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