COURTESY U.S. ARMY
Workers used tools to relocate contaminated soil after an estimated 1,300 gallons of aqueous fi lm forming foam (AFFF) concentrate spilled from the fire suppression system at Red Hill on Nov. 29.
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Recent public meetings between the Environmental Protection Agency, the state Department of Health and the U.S. Navy have clearly demonstrated that it is not the regulators that are in charge, but the Navy.
The EPA and DOH continue to fail the people of Hawaii, because there are no consequences for the Navy in its failure to comply with timelines and requests from the EPA and DOH (“EPA gives Navy more time for Red Hill spill data,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 15).
While the EPA continues to tell everyone that it is the regulator, it gives the Navy a free pass and the Navy can continue to do everything in a way it sees fit, with absolutely no consequences from the regulators.
Oahu residents are wondering what these regulators regulate. If you do not have any power to enforce laws and regulations and have no way to hold bad actors accountable for their environmental crimes with some serious consequences, what good does a regulatory agency do?
This is beyond irresponsible and such a disservice to Hawaii residents.
Angelika Burgermeister
Haleiwa
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