Bill > HB505

This bill addresses the environmental and water contamination issues surrounding the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, a United States Navy storage site near Honolulu that has experienced significant fuel leaks threatening Oahu's primary groundwater aquifer. The legislation establishes a Water Alliance Initiative (WAI) Policy Coordinator within the Department of Land and Natural Resources to coordinate remediation efforts across state, county, and federal agencies, with specific responsibilities including monitoring ecosystem health, developing a public-facing dashboard of test results, and implementing a 36-month public education program about the site's post-defueling remediation. The bill also creates a Red Hill Remediation Special Fund, which can receive appropriations, gifts, donations, and grants from various sources, to be used for addressing contamination through monitoring, research, public outreach, and evaluation, while explicitly noting that the federal government should bear the cost of aquifer remediation. The WAI Policy Coordinator will be required to submit annual reports detailing activities and expenditures to the legislature, governor, and Honolulu city officials, and state and county agencies are mandated to provide requested information within 30 days. This legislation stems from a significant fuel spill in November 2021 that affected nearly 93,000 residents, forced 1,000 people from their homes, and highlighted the critical need for comprehensive environmental stewardship of Hawaii's water resources.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=505&year=2025