Shut down Red Hill by supporting SB2172 + SB2600

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APRIL 26 UPDATE:

LAST CALL TO HELP PASS THE #SHUTDOWNREDHILL BILL, SB2600 SD2 HD2!

Please e-mail and/or call the conference committee members for this bill as well as your own legislators and ask them to PASS SB2600.

Click here to email the conference committee members

Click here to find your own legislator(s) to send them an e-mail as well

Sample testimony:

Dear Chair Keohokalole, Co-Chairs Gabbard, Acasio, and Wakai, Co-Chairs Yamane, Lowen, Johanson, and Tam, and members of the Conference Committee on SB2600 SD2 HD2,

*(or Dear [your legislator's name],)*

Please work to ensure that the protections in SB2600 SD2 HD2 pass into law, so that the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility and similarly massive underground storage tank facilities will never threaten our islands' water sources again. We must all do what it takes to protect our most precious resource for present and future generations, and are counting on your continued leadership and support in responding to the Red Hill crisis. I therefore respectfully urge you pass this important measure.

Mahalo nui,

[your name]

March 15 update:

The Senate Red Hill bills are moving in the House! SB2172 SD2 and SB2600 SD2 have been scheduled for a committee hearing this Thursday at 11 a.m.! Both of these measures would prohibit large scale underground storage tank facilities, including the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, from being permitted or operated above our drinking water aquifers.

Even though the Pentagon has ordered the Red Hill Facility to be shut down, the Navy still has not withdrawn its legal appeals and permit application, continues to refuse to share its investigative reports and documents with the public, and has given no concrete indication of where and how it might seek to store fuel in the future.  Either of these bills will let the Navy know that we will not let up until their decrepit facility is actually defueled and that we are refusing to repeat the mistakes of the past, in allowing inherently dangerous facilities like Red Hill to ever be operated near our precious water resources. 

Please take a moment to submit written testimony and if you can, sign up to provide remote or in-person verbal testimony. Instructions and sample testimony below. Please feel free to add your own thoughts about why we need to protect our water resources, how you may have been impacted, etc.  

What these bill do: SB2172 SD2 and SB2600 SD2 are largely identical in prohibiting the issuance of permits to operate large-capacity underground storage tank systems above our drinking water aquifers after July 1, 2022, and prohibiting the operation of these systems above our drinking water aquifers beginning January 1, 2023.

Why it is important: These bills would make clear that Red Hill needs to be defueled and shut down and that nothing like this can ever be allowed to happen again—like the Navy’s previous proposal, as an alternative to Red Hill, to build new “safer” underground storage tanks still above the drinking water aquifer.

Sample testimony:

Dear Chair Yamane, Chair Lowen, Vice Chair Tam, Vice Chair Marten, and members of the House Health, Human Services, & Homelessness and Energy & Environmental Protection Committees,

I SUPPORT SB2172 SD2 and SB2600 SD2, which seek to protect our islands' most precious resource from potentially catastrophic contamination. Our water is precious and we all have a duty to protect our islands' source of life for present and future generations.  

While the Pentagon has agreed that Red Hill must be shut down, our water is still in harm’s way, the Navy still refuses to withdraw its legal fight against the emergency order to defuel the Red Hill Facility, and we must therefore continue to make clear that we will never allow the Red Hill facility or anything like it to threaten our islands’ most precious resource ever again.

Accordingly, please PASS SB2172 SD2 and SB2600 SD2. Mahalo nui!

[Your name]

  

Testimony instructions: 

  1. Register for a capitol website account if you havenʻt yet (youʻll need to confirm your registration by responding to an automated email)

  2. Sign in to capitol.hawaii.gov with your registration information and click the orange "Testimony" button.

  3. Enter "SB2172" where it says "Enter Bill or Measure."

  4. Input your information and your written testimony, and where it says "How will you be testifying?" make sure to check the bubble up to testify in person or remotely via Zoom if you can! 

  5. If you are testifying verbally via Zoom, sign back into your account on the capitol website three hours before the hearing and click on the orange "Testimony" button again; on the left hand side youʻll be able to scroll down and there will be a Zoom link next to SB2172 SD2 (for more information see here)

  6. Repeat steps 3-5 with “SB2600” instead of “SB2172.”

  7. Don’t forget to let your friends know you testified, and ask them to testify as well! 

March 2 update:

Both bills passed out of committee with amendments. You can watch the livestream here. They will now move to the House. Thank you to everyone who testified in support!

February 27, 2022:

Two bills to #ShutDownRedHill are scheduled for their final Senate committee hearing this Wednesday.  Please support SB2600 SD1 and SB2172 SD1!

When is the hearing?

Wednesday, March 2, 9:30 a.m. before the Senate Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee.

What these bills do:

SB2600 SD1 and SB2172 SD1 would both prohibit large-capacity underground storage tanks like the Red Hill Facility from being permitted above our drinking water aquifers after July 1, 2022, except for their repair and removal, and would prohibit the operation of large-capacity underground storage tanks above our drinking water aquifers after January 1, 2023.

Why they are good:

This is the final hearing for these measures before they “cross over” to the House.  If passed, either of these measures would prevent large-capacity underground storage tanks from threatening our drinking water aquifers, and hopefully force the U.S. Navy to focus solely on defueling and shutting down its Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.

Sample testimony

Dear Chair Dela Cruz, Chair Rhoads, Vice Chair Keith-Agaran, Vice Chair Keohokalole, and members of the Senate Ways and Means and Judiciary Committees,

I SUPPORT SB2600 SD1 and SB2172 SD1,  which seek to protect our islands' most precious resource from contamination.  Our water is precious and we all have a duty to protect our islands' source of life for present and future generations.  We have already seen the devastating impacts that water contamination from leaky underground storage tanks may have on people and the environment, with additional effects likely to ripple across our island over the summer and into the foreseeable future.  The legislature must do all that it can to remove the threat of something far worse happening to our water supply, both now and for future generations to come.  Accordingly, I respectfully urge you to PASS SB2600 SD1 and SB2172 SD1.

Mahalo nui,

 [Your name]

Testimony instructions: 

Watch this video with instructions on how to submit testimony!

  1. Register for a capitol website account if you haven’t yet (you’ll need to confirm your registration by responding to an automated email)

  2. Sign in to capitol.hawaii.gov with your registration information and click the orange "Testimony" button.

  3. Enter "SB2600" where it says "Enter Bill or Measure."

  4. Input your information and your written testimony (no oral testimony will be taken), and click “Submit.”

  5. Repeat for SB2172. (for more information see here)

January 26, 2022:

The first Red Hill bill (SB2172) of the year passes HTH/AEN committees! Mahalo to everyone that submitted testimony—there were over 275 written testimonies in support. A few amendments were made that ideally make the bill stronger, we will wait for the SD1 for the details.

You can watch the hearing here.

SB2172 will be heard next in the Senate Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means. Stay tuned for next steps on this bill and others!

January 24, 2022:

Here we go! The first Red Hill Bill is scheduled for its first hearing this Wednesday at 1:10 pm in a joint hearing of the Senate Health and Agriculture and Environment Committees! While it needs a few changes to make sure it can best protect our groundwater aquifers, this could be our first and best chance to pass a Hawaiʻi law that would effectively shut down Red Hill, and make sure nothing like this situation can ever happen again.

Please take a moment to submit written testimony by Tuesday, 1:10pm (late testimony is accepted), and if you can, sign up to provide remote verbal testimony. Instructions and sample testimony below. Please feel free to add your own thoughts about why we need to protect our water resources, how you may have been impacted, etc.  

What this bill does:

SB2172 prohibits the operation of existing underground storage tanks by a date to be determined as well as the future construction of underground storage tanks within half a mile of an aquifer.

Why it is important:

This bill seeks to protect our precious drinking water resources today and for generations to come. SB2172 could essentially shut down the Red Hill tanks and ensure nothing like this ever happens again—like the Navy’s previous proposal, as an alternative to Red Hill, to build new “safer” underground storage tanks still above the drinking water aquifer.

 

Sample testimony:

Dear Chair Keohokalole, Chair Gabbard, Vice Chair Baker, Vice Chair Nishihara, and members of the Senate Health and Agriculture and Environment Committees,

I SUPPORT WITH AMENDMENTS SB2172, which seeks to protect our islands' most precious resource from fuel contamination. Our water is precious and we all have a duty to protect our islands' source of life for present and future generations.  

Please amend this measure by: 1) removing reference to the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility in the preamble, to avoid potential federal preemption challenges; 2) amending the proposed new definition of "underground fuel storage tank" to apply to facilities with field-constructed tanks, or with a capacity over 100,000 gallons; and 3) ensuring that no permit may be issued or renewed for an underground fuel storage tank, and that no underground fuel storage tank may be operated after the end of this year, for a facility located mauka of the underground injection control line.  

Please PASS SB2172 with the above amendments. Mahalo nui!

[Your name]

Testimony instructions: 

  1. Register for a capitol website account if you havenʻt yet (youʻll need to confirm your registration by responding to an automated email)

  2. Sign in to capitol.hawaii.gov with your registration information and click the orange "Testimony" button.

  3. Enter "SB2172" where it says "Enter Bill or Measure."

  4. Input your information and your written testimony, and where it says "How will you be testifying?" make sure to check the bubble up to testify remotely via Zoom if you can! 

  5. If you are testifying verbally via Zoom, sign back into your account on the capitol website three hours before the hearing and click on the orange "Testimony" button again; on the left hand side youʻll be able to scroll down and there will be a Zoom link next to SB2172 (for more information see here)

  6. Don’t forget to let your friends know you testified, and ask them to testify as well!  

Red Hill House bill scheduled for last hearing!

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March 31 update:

HB2514 HD1 SD1 passed w no amendments & SB2600 SD2 HD1 passed w/ amendments: to take BWS suggestion to clarify UIC.

March 29 update:

The one surviving #shutdownredhill House bill,  HB2514 HD1 SD1, has been scheduled for its final standing committee hearing on Thursday, March 31, at 9:30 a.m., before the Senate Judiciary Committee.  This bill would prohibit the operation of any underground storage tank with a capacity greater than 100,000 gallons after July 1, 2023. 

 This will be our last chance to submit testimony on this potentially historic measure (note: SB2600 SD2 HD1 is also still alive, and will need a hearing by next week)!  Please see below for sample testimony.

 Even though the Pentagon has ordered the Red Hill Facility to be shut down, we are still in harm’s way, the Navy still has not withdrawn its legal appeals and permit application, and we have been given no concrete commitments regarding when the facility will actually be defueled and decommissioned.  If passed, this bill will make clear that we will not tolerate the Navy’s continued foot-dragging, and that we will not allow this facility or others like it to be operated in Hawai‘i even if the Pentagon does decide to change its mind.

Please take a moment to submit written testimony (no verbal testimony will be taken for this hearing). Instructions and sample testimony below. Please feel free to add your own thoughts about why we need to protect our water resources, how you may have been impacted, etc.  

 What this bill does: HB2514 HD1 SD1 would prohibit the operation of an underground storage tank with a capacity greater than 100,000 gallons after July 1, 2023.

Why it is important: This bill makes clear that continued foot-dragging and delays will do the Navy no good: the Red Hill Fuel Facility will need to be defueled and shut down under state law, and we will never allow dangerously massive facilities like this to threaten our islands again.

 

Sample testimony:

 Dear Chair Rhoads, Vice Chair Keohokalole, and members of the Senate Judiciary Committee,

I SUPPORT HB2514 HD1 SD1, which seeks to protect our islands' most precious resource from potentially catastrophic contamination. Our water is precious and we all have a duty to protect our islands' source of life for present and future generations.  

 While the Pentagon has agreed that Red Hill must be shut down, our water is still in harm’s way, the Navy still refuses to withdraw its legal fight against the emergency order to defuel the Red Hill Facility, and we must therefore continue to make clear that we will never allow the Red Hill facility or anything like it to threaten our islands’ most precious resource ever again.

Accordingly, I respectfully urge your Committee to PASS HB2514 HD1 SD1.

[Your name]

Testimony instructions: 

  1. Register for a capitol website account if you havenʻt yet (youʻll need to confirm your registration by responding to an automated email)

  2. Sign in to capitol.hawaii.gov with your registration information and click the orange "Testimony" button.

  3. Enter "HB2514" where it says "Enter Bill or Measure."

  4. Input your information and your written testimony (no verbal testimony will be taken). 

  5. Don’t forget to let your friends know you testified, and ask them to testify as well!  

March 21 update:

The House Red Hill bills are moving in the Senate! HB2514 HD1 and HB2274 HD2 have been scheduled for a hearing before the Senate Health and Agriculture and Environment Committees on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m.  With amendments, these bills will protect our drinking water aquifers from Red Hill, and make clear that we will not back down until our water is actually out of harm’s way, and never threatened by this facility or another like it ever again.

HB2514 HD1:  This bill would prohibit the operation of any underground storage tank with a capacity greater than 100,000 gallons, after an unspecified date.  Testimony is needed to amend this bill to specify this date as July 1, 2022.

HB2274 HD2:  This bill is similar to SB2600 SD2, which passed out of the Senate and was just heard and passed with amendments by the House Health, Human Services, & Homelessness and Energy & Environmental Protection Committees.  This measure seeks to prohibit the operation of large-capacity underground storage tanks above our drinking water aquifers after January 1, 2045.  This date needs to be amended to be as soon as possible, i.e. by July 1, 2022.

See below for sample testimony.

Even though the Pentagon has ordered the Red Hill Facility to be shut down, the Navy still has not withdrawn its legal appeals and permit application, continues to refuse to share its investigative reports and documents with the public, and has given no concrete indication of where and how it might seek to store fuel in the future.  Either of these bills will let the Navy know that we will not let up until their decrepit facility is actually defueled and that we are refusing to repeat the mistakes of the past, in allowing inherently dangerous facilities like Red Hill to ever be operated near our precious water resources. 

Please take a moment to submit written testimony and if you can, sign up to provide remote or in-person verbal testimony. Instructions and sample testimony below. Please feel free to add your own thoughts about why we need to protect our water resources, how you may have been impacted, etc.  

What these bill do: HB2514 HD1 would prohibit the operation of an underground storage tank with a capacity greater than 100,000 gallons after an unspecified date; HB2274 HD2 would prohibit the issuance of permits to for new large-capacity underground storage tank systems above our drinking water aquifers after July 1, 2022, and prohibit the operation of these systems above our drinking water aquifers beginning January 1, 2045.

Why it is important: These bills would make clear that Red Hill needs to be defueled and shut down and that nothing like this can ever be allowed to happen again—like the Navy’s previous proposal, as an alternative to Red Hill, to build new “safer” underground storage tanks still above the drinking water aquifer.

 

Sample testimony:

For HB2514 HD1: 

Dear Chair Keohokalole, Chair Gabbard, Vice Chair Baker, Vice Chair Nishihara, and members of the Senate Health and Agriculture and Environment Committees,

I SUPPORT WITH AMENDMENTS HB2514 HD1, which seeks to protect our islands' most precious resource from potentially catastrophic contamination. Our water is precious and we all have a duty to protect our islands' source of life for present and future generations.  

While the Pentagon has agreed that Red Hill must be shut down, our water is still in harm’s way, the Navy still refuses to withdraw its legal fight against the emergency order to defuel the Red Hill Facility, and we must therefore continue to make clear that we will never allow the Red Hill facility or anything like it to threaten our islands’ most precious resource ever again.

To ensure that our water is protected in as timely a manner as possible, please amend HB2514 HD2 to specify that the operation of large-capacity underground storage tanks be prohibited as of July 1, 2022. 

Accordingly, I respectfully urge your Committees to PASS WITH AMENDMENTS HB2514 HD1.

[Your name]

For HB2274 HD2: 

Dear Chair Keohokalole, Chair Gabbard, Vice Chair Baker, Vice Chair Nishihara, and members of the Senate Health and Agriculture and Environment Committees,

I SUPPORT WITH AMENDMENTS HB2274 HD2, which seeks to protect our islands' most precious resource from potentially catastrophic contamination. Our water is precious and we all have a duty to protect our islands' source of life for present and future generations.  

While the Pentagon has agreed that Red Hill must be shut down, our water is still in harm’s way, the Navy still refuses to withdraw its legal fight against the emergency order to defuel the Red Hill Facility, and we must therefore continue to make clear that we will never allow the Red Hill facility or anything like it to threaten our islands’ most precious resource ever again.

To ensure that our water is protected in as timely a manner as possible, please amend HB2274 HD2 to prohibit the operation of large-capacity underground storage tanks above our drinking water aquifers as of July 1, 2022. 

Accordingly, I respectfully urge your Committees to PASS WITH AMENDMENTS HB2274 HD2.

[Your name]

 

Testimony instructions: 

  1. Register for a capitol website account if you havenʻt yet (youʻll need to confirm your registration by responding to an automated email)

  2. Sign in to capitol.hawaii.gov with your registration information and click the orange "Testimony" button.

  3. Enter "HB2514" where it says "Enter Bill or Measure."

  4. Input your information and your written testimony, and where it says "How will you be testifying?" make sure to check the bubble up to testify in person or remotely via Zoom if you can! 

  5. If you are testifying verbally via Zoom, sign back into your account on the capitol website three hours before the hearing and click on the orange "Testimony" button again; on the left hand side youʻll be able to scroll down and there will be a Zoom link next to SB2172 SD2 (for more information see here)

  6. Repeat steps 3-5 with “HB2274” instead of “HB2514.”

  7. Don’t forget to let your friends know you testified, and ask them to testify as well!  

February 25 update:

HB2514 passed out of CPC with no amendments and HB2274 passed out of CPC with amendments. You can watch the hearing here.

Thank you to everyone that submitted testimony!

The bills will now be voted on on the House floor, assuming all goes well, they will move to the Senate.

February 22 update:

HB2514 and HB2274 are scheduled to be heard on Thursday, February 24 at 2pm in the House Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce. This is the last hearing in the House before the bills move to the Senate.

Please take a minute to submit testimony in support of both bills—with one important amendment to both: implementing July 1, 2022 as the date after which no underground storage tank can be operated except to defuel and decommission. Sample testimony, instructions to submit and summaries of previous hearings and bill versions below.

Sample testimonies:

HB2514 —

Dear Chair Aaron Ling Johanson, Vice Chair Lisa Kitagawa and members of the House Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce,

I SUPPORT HB2514, which seeks to protect our islands' most precious resource from fuel contamination. Our water is precious and we all have a duty to protect our islands' source of life for present and future generations.

The threat to our water is imminent and we can wait no longer to know that our water is truly safe from any further contamination, therefore I urge you to amend the measure by implementing July 1, 2022 as the date after which no underground storage tank can be operated, except to defuel and decommission.

We have already seen the devastating impacts that water contamination from leaky underground storage tanks may have on people and the environment, with additional effects likely to ripple across our island over the summer and into the foreseeable future. The legislature must do all that it can to remove the threat of something far worse happening to our water supply, both now and for future generations to come. Accordingly, I respectfully urge you to PASS HB2514 with the above amendment.

Mahalo nui for the opportunity to testify,

[your name]

HB2274 —

Dear Chair Aaron Ling Johanson, Vice Chair Lisa Kitagawa and members of the House Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce,

I SUPPORT HB2274, which seeks to protect our islands' most precious resource from fuel contamination. Our water is precious and we all have a duty to protect our islands' source of life for present and future generations.

The threat to our water is imminent and we can wait no longer to know that our water is truly safe from any further contamination, therefore I urge you to amend the measure by implementing July 1, 2022 as the date after which no underground storage tank can be operated, except to defuel and decommission.

We have already seen the devastating impacts that water contamination from leaky underground storage tanks may have on people and the environment, with additional effects likely to ripple across our island over the summer and into the foreseeable future. The legislature must do all that it can to remove the threat of something far worse happening to our water supply, both now and for future generations to come. Accordingly, I respectfully urge you to PASS HB2274 with the above amendment.

Mahalo nui for the opportunity to testify,

[your name]

Testimony instructions:

  1. Register for a capitol website account if you havenʻt yet (youʻll need to confirm your registration by responding to an automated email)

  2. Sign in to capitol.hawaii.gov with your registration information and click the orange "Testimony" button.

  3. Enter "HB2514 or HB2274" where it says "Enter Bill or Measure."

  4. Input your information and your written testimony, and where it says "How will you be testifying?" make sure to check the bubble up to testify remotely via Zoom if you can!

  5. If you are testifying via Zoom, sign back into your account on the capitol website three hours before the hearing and click on the orange "Testimony" button again; on the left hand side youʻll be able to scroll down and there will be a Zoom link next to the bill # (for more information see here)

February 8 update:

HB2514 and HB2274 were both passed out of committee with amendments. You can watch the hearing here.

Both are headed to the House Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce next.

February 6, first call to action:

HB2514 and HB2274 are being heard on Tuesday at 11 a.m. in the House Committees on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness and Energy & Environmental Protection. These bills would effectively prohibit the state from permitting the Red Hill Facility and similarly massive underground storage tank facilities that may threaten our precious public trust water sources.

HB2514: Prohibits the issuance of permits for any underground storage tank greater than 100,000 gallons.

HB2274: Similar to SB2172, which was passed out of the Senate Committee on Health and Senate Committee on Agriculture and the Environment, with much-needed amendments. This measure seeks to prohibit underground fuel storage tanks of greater than 100 gallons within a half mile of an aquifer. See below for sample testimony with critical amendments to ask for.

Sample testimony

For HB2514:

Dear Chair Yamane, Chair Lowen, Vice Chair Tam, Vice Chair Marten, and members of the House Health, Human Services, & Homelessness and Energy and Environmental Protection Committees,

I SUPPORT HB2514, which seeks to protect our islands' most precious resource from fuel contamination. Our water is precious and we all have a duty to protect our islands' source of life for present and future generations. We have already seen the devastating impacts that water contamination from leaky underground storage tanks may have on people and the environment, with additional effects likely to ripple across our island over the summer and into the foreseeable future. The legislature must do all that it can to remove the threat of something far worse happening to our water supply, both now and for future generations to come. Accordingly, I respectfully urge you to PASS HB2514.

Mahalo nui for the opportunity to testify,

[your name]

For HB2274:

Dear Chair Yamane, Chair Lowen, Vice Chair Tam, Vice Chair Marten, and members of the House Health, Human Services, & Homelessness and Energy and Environmental Protection Committees,

I SUPPORT WITH AMENDMENTS HB2274, which seeks to protect our islands' most precious resource from fuel contamination. Our water is precious and we all have a duty to protect our islands' source of life for present and future generations.

To best protect our groundwater now and in the future, please amend this measure by: 1) removing reference to the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility in the preamble, to avoid potential federal preemption challenges; 2) amending the proposed new definition of "underground fuel storage tank" to apply to facilities with field-constructed tanks, or with a capacity over 100,000 gallons; and 3) ensuring that no permit may be issued or renewed for an underground fuel storage tank or tank system, and that no underground fuel storage tank or tank system may be operated after the end of this year, for a facility located mauka of the underground injection control line.

Please PASS HB2274 with the above amendments.

Mahalo nui for the opportunity to testify!

[Your name]

Testimony instructions:

  1. Register for a capitol website account if you havenʻt yet (youʻll need to confirm your registration by responding to an automated email)

  2. Sign in to capitol.hawaii.gov with your registration information and click the orange "Testimony" button.

  3. Enter "bill #" where it says "Enter Bill or Measure."

  4. Input your information and your written testimony, and where it says "How will you be testifying?" make sure to check the bubble up to testify remotely via Zoom if you can!

  5. If you are testifying via Zoom, sign back into your account on the capitol website three hours before the hearing and click on the orange "Testimony" button again; on the left hand side youʻll be able to scroll down and there will be a Zoom link next to the bill # (for more information see here)