Washington state has underground fuel storage tanks similar in age to Red Hill, although about one-third the size. Naval Base Kitsap’s Manchester Fuel Depot, at a cost of $200 million, plans to move fuel to above-ground tanks by 2026. The underground tanks will be decommissioned.

Contrast that to Red Hill, where we are still writing reports, analyzing and generally foot-dragging our way to the newly proposed end date of 2045. We must not allow the Navy to add seven years to the deadline. The Navy proposes 2045 and soon after the state Department of Health (DOH) crafts a rule change to extend the deadline.

We testify against, and DOH carefully documents our opposition, but then does whatever the Navy wants. The Department of Health should be renamed the Department of Navy Doorknob Polishers. They are not protecting our health or our clean water.

If other Navy facilities have solved the problem, we should be able to, as well. Please shut down Red Hill, and relocate the fuel to above-ground tanks away from our precious aquifer.

Protect Oahu’s water. You can’t drink jet fuel.

Alison Bhattacharyya

Nuuanu

Common bioplastic difficult to recycle

I’m in full support of reducing single- use plastics on the islands, but Hawaii isn’t yet ready for a statewide ban (“Single-use plastics ban likely to pass,” Star-Advertiser, Dec. 2).

With this ban, businesses would need to transition to compostable packaging, such as polylactic acid (PLA), a common bioplastic.

Most compostable cold cups and utensils that feel like plastic are likely made of PLA.

PLA can only be industrially composted, where regulated high heat, oxygen and microbes break it back down into organic matter. Unfortunately, Hawaii doesn’t have any industrial composting facilities that can process this bioplastic, so these will either contaminate our existing green waste pick-ups, end up in the landfill where it can’t degrade due to its oxygen-deprived environment, or contaminate recycling.

PLA is not recyclable and contaminates recycling loads. Even though PLA is industrially compostable, if it ends up in the ocean, it will behave similarly to conventional plastic since it’s only designed to break down in industrial composting processes. It’s not going to magically dissolve in a few weeks, months, or possibly even years.

Brent Kawamura

Nuuanu

U.S. House fails to get support for legislation

Craig Stevaux noted that the House of Representatives has passed hundreds of bills while the Senate has failed to consider them (“GOP Senate blocks bills from House,” Star-Advertiser, Dec. 1).

Unfortunately, the House has failed to pass those bills that are most important to the whole country regarding immigration reform, border security, national defense, the federal budget, infrastructure development and other issues for which President Donald Trump has advocated.

Passing bills is only part of the job of the House. Coordination with the Senate is equally important. But most important is passing bills that the president wants and will sign.

Until the House does a complete job, they have achieved nothing. The House has spent most of its time on impeding the administration from managing the government and trying to impeach Trump rather than doing its primary job.

Russel Noguchi

Pearl City

President needs to go to stop further damage

This has now been going on for three years with no end in sight. We have a president who doesn’t obey laws or our Constitution, and is in process of being impeached as I write this.

President Donald Trump has disrupted the government of the people, for the people, for too long and needs to be removed before further damage is done to our allies. He has been a disgrace to our core values and as an American president, and only looks to enrich himself and the entire Trump family. We have got to impeach.

William Pirtle

Waipahu

Some drivers show courtesy, others don’t

I would like to say a big “mahalo” to those very considerate drivers on Kaneohe Bay Drive who are kind enough to permit those of us who live in Bay View Estates to make a left turn into the neighborhood or out of the neighborhood. It is the best example of real aloha that is peculiar to Hawaii.

However, I wish that some drivers on the Likelike and the H-3 would embrace a little more aloha. There are signs on both roads that implore slower drivers to keep right. Nevertheless, I continue to see drivers in the left lane get passed by drivers in the right lane because they are impeding the flow of traffic. I have seen in excess of 10 cars in a row pass on the right side of a vehicle in the left lane when the driver was likely unaware of the fact that he or she was holding up traffic.

Ray Downing

Kaneohe

EXPRESS YOURSELF

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser welcomes all opinions. Want your voice to be heard? Submit a letter to the editor.

>> Write us: We welcome letters up to 150 words, and guest columns of 500-600 words. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Include your name, address and daytime phone number.

>> Mail: Letters to the Editor, Honolulu Star-Advertiser 7 Waterfront Plaza, 500 Ala Moana, Suite 210 Honolulu, HI 96813

>> Contact: 529-4831 (phone), 529-4750 (fax), letters@staradvertiser.com, staradvertiser.com/editorial/submit-letter

SHARE YOUR RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS

“Pay it forward”: a situation in which the recipient of an unexpected good deed pays forward a kindness to someone else.

In this season of goodwill, think about it: Have you ever benefited from a “pay it forward” gesture, which in turn inspired you to bestow a random act of kindness?

If so, let us know in a 150-word letter to the editor, or in a well-written essay (500-600 words) — and submit it by Dec. 16 via email to letters@staradvertiser.com, or via snail mail to 500 Ala Moana Blvd., #7-210, Honolulu, HI, 96813, c/o Letters. A collection of these will run on Dec. 22.