Honolulu City Council statement on Red Hill closure announcement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE         

March 7, 2022

Statement on the impending permanent closure of fuel tank facility at Kapūkakī, by Honolulu City Council Chair and Presiding Officer, Tommy Waters:

“The decision by the Biden Administration to permanently shut down the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility is what the Honolulu City Council has been fighting for, right alongside the community. Mahalo to Honolulu Board of Water Supply Manager and Chief Engineer Ernie Lau for his steadfast commitment to our water. We look forward to seeing how the U.S. Navy will continue to work with our residents, the Board of Water Supply, and elected officials to ensure the protection of our wai.”

The Honolulu City Council on Feb. 23, passed Bill 48 to protect O‘ahu’s irreplaceable drinking water aquifers. It requires a permit to store any regulated substance in any underground storage tank with a capacity of 100,000 gallons or more. Each of the 20 Red Hill tanks can store 12.5 million gallons of fuel, for a total capacity of 250 million gallons. They are located 100 feet above O‘ahu’s sole source aquifer.

Bill 48 was signed into law by Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi on March 1.

The Council also passed Resolution 21-276 calling for the immediate defueling and permanent removal of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility underground tanks, on Dec. 15 of last year. It also ordered transmittal of the resolution to President Joseph Biden and to the Chair of the State Commission on Water Resource Management, to relay the wishes of the people of the City and County of Honolulu to those and other jurisdictions with authority relating to the tanks. A copy of the letter to President Biden by Council Chair Waters and Vice Chair Esther Kiaʻāina, is attached.