Federal and state environmental regulators Monday ducked out of a Honolulu Board of Water Supply meeting early, leaving the board and community members frustrated that they couldn't get more answers to questions they have about a recent spill of toxic fire suppressant chemicals at Red Hill and a host of other issues relating to the Navy's underground fuel facility that is being shut down.
The state Department of Health and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency were on the BWS' meeting agenda to discuss safe thresholds for certain contaminants in groundwater and drinking water and November's spill of an estimated 1, 300 gallons of aqueous film-forming foam, which the Navy keeps on hand in the event of a fuel fire.
BWS officials expressed hope that DOH officials would attend the meeting in downtown Honolulu in person. Instead, four DOH officials attended virtually via Zoom and filled most of two hours going over lengthy technical presentations before cutting out, along with four EPA officials, at 4 p.m.
Members of the Water Board tried to cut short the presentations and said they were disappointed that EPA and DOH officials hadn't allowed for more time to answer questions or listen to testimony from the community.
“I think it is really important for you folks to hear from the community members who have taken time out of their busy schedules in order to be here today to testify, ” Kapua Sproat, vice chair of…
