| Support letter for HR.4061 which would require the Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to establish an exposure registry and conduct epidemiological studies to assess negative health outcomes due to the water contamination at the Red Hill Underground Fuel Storage Facility at Joint base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. In May 2021 20000 gallons of fuel leaked from a storage tank and sat in the drain line for six months until the drain line ruptures and released the fuel where it then flowed into the ground surrounding the facility and into an underground aquifer. The Navy's water well nearest to the Red Hill facility was found to be heavily contaminated with diesel and petroleum hydrocarbons associated with gasoline. A survey found that 87% of individuals reported being sickened and 37% seeking medical care to address their symptoms. The Navy water system serves approximately 93000 people on Joint Base Pearl harbor-Hickam and the long-term health impacts caused by the contaminated water supply need to be determined. |