It’s a fair criticism: To say the Navy’s fuel tanks under Red Hill must be forever emptied is one thing; to come up with an alternative is another. This point is driven home with news that Par Hawaii Refining has been fined $176,899 for violations of the Clean Air Act. The Kapolei facility has been identified by state officials as one place that could store a good share of the Navy’s millions of gallons of jet fuel.

The violations were not connected to fuel storage, but they underscore the fear that every alternative carries some new set of risks.

What to know about reusing masks

People have been upgrading from their old, less-effective cloth masks and use the disposable filtration masks for COVID-19 protection instead. And now the Biden administration plans to distribute free N95 masks at pharmacies and federal community health centers, starting next week.

There’s still a lot for us to learn about these masks — including their reusability. One study showed the masks remained 97% effective after three days of use. But handle them carefully, by the edges — and no laundering.