Are the people of Hawaii second- class citizens?
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan was in East Palestine, Ohio, within three weeks of the Feb. 3 train derailment and chemical release. He vowed, “In no way, shape, or form will Norfolk Southern get off the hook for the mess they created” (“Company must fund train cleanup, EPA says,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 22).
Contrast that with the milquetoast response to the Navy’s spill of petroleum in November 2021. It took the EPA three months to arrive in Honolulu to announce it would study the problem (“EPA launching investigation into Navy’s Red Hill fuel facility,” Star- Advertiser, Feb. 25, 2022).
Congress grilled Norfolk Southern’s CEO and the EPA. But those who were in charge of Red Hill at the time of the spill received medals, promotions and hefty retirements.
We deserve better attention and enforcement by the EPA.
Melanie Lau
Moanalua
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