Bill > SB1634

This bill addresses environmental and public health concerns related to the Red Hill bulk fuel storage facility on Oahu, which has a history of fuel leaks that threaten the island's primary groundwater aquifer. The legislation authorizes the issuance of $20,000,000 in general obligation bonds to the Honolulu Board of Water Supply to plan, design, and construct up to six monitoring wells, including a sentinel monitoring grid. The monitoring wells are intended to help track and assess potential contamination from the facility, which has reportedly released up to 1,500,000 gallons of fuel during its 80-year operation and recently spilled hazardous substances like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The bill emphasizes the critical need for additional data to understand the groundwater condition and potential migration of contaminants near the facility, which sits approximately 100 feet above the southern Oahu basal aquifer—the island's primary drinking water source. The appropriated funds will not lapse until June 30, 2028, and the act is set to take effect on May 13, 2040, providing a long-term framework for monitoring and protecting Hawaii's water resources.

Budget and Finance, Government Affairs

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=1634&year=2026