Bill > SB543

This bill addresses water resource management and remediation efforts in Hawaii, particularly focusing on the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility's environmental impact. Part I establishes a Water Alliance Initiative (WAI) Policy Coordinator within the Commission on Water Resource Management to oversee Red Hill remediation efforts, creates a Red Hill Remediation Special Fund to support monitoring and research, and requires annual reporting to the legislature, governor, and Honolulu city officials. Part II makes several significant changes to the Commission on Water Resource Management, including allowing the commission to retain independent legal counsel, establishing an executive director position, modifying the commission's composition, authorizing challenges to emergency orders, and creating a more comprehensive penalty structure for water use violations. The bill responds to the environmental contamination caused by fuel leaks from the Red Hill facility, which threatened Oahu's primary drinking water aquifer, and aims to improve water resource management, enhance transparency, and provide more robust mechanisms for addressing water-related emergencies. The legislation creates new positions, appropriates funds for ecosystem monitoring, and expands the commission's authority to manage and protect water resources, with a particular emphasis on addressing the long-term environmental and public health challenges posed by the Red Hill facility.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=543&year=2026