Health officials in Hawaii criticized the U.S. Navy after it appealed the state's order for it to drain the contaminated water that made its way to Pearl Harbor homes.
Hawaii and the Navy have been in a dispute over the stored water since harmful chemicals began to leak from the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility into tap water in November, making thousands sick. Though the state's Department of Health laid out a plan for the Navy to fix the issue, the Navy seems to be backtracking, arguing the state is wrong in saying the water poses an immediate danger, according to the Associated Press.
When learning of the appeal, state health department Deputy Director of Environmental Health Kathleen Ho made a statement expressing her disappointment in the decision.
"The Navy committed to Congress and in multiple public forums that it would comply with the emergency order," she said. "Today's announcement that they intend to appeal the emergency order is yet another breach of trust between the Navy and the people of Hawaii."
The statement added that the department's order will remain in effect while the appeal process plays out.
"This appeal proves undeniably the Navy is unwilling to do what's right to protect the people of Hawaii and its own service members," she said in a separate statement.
In a statement sent to Newsweek, the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Public Affairs said the government hopes to "resolve its differences" with Hawaii, but filed the lawsuit "out of an abundance of caution," as state law has a 30-day statute of limitations on "judicial review of such orders."
"There is ongoing, good-faith and senior level engagement at the Department
of Defense, the Navy, and the Department of Justice towards a negotiated
resolution that protects human health and the environment, as well as our
national security," it said.
The Red Hill well has been closed since November 28, after about 1,000 households reported their water smelled like fuel and they began experiencing symptoms of petroleum contamination, USA Today reported. According to the report, the affected aquifer provides water to about 20 percent of urban Honolulu. The health department found the petroleum level in the water was 350 times greater than what is safe to drink.
This has caused more than 3,000 military members to have to leave their homes and move into hotels, according to USA Today.
For some, the issues didn't end with leaving contaminated homes. Task & Purpose reported Army Major Amanda Feindt's 4-year-old daughter had to go to the emergency room in December for uncontrollable vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea despite them living in an area the Navy said was fine.
The doctor told Feindt and her husband that even if they are not drinking the water, they can still be poisoned by things like plastic cups and fabrics washed in the contaminated water. After a call to her daughter's daycare, the Feindts realized the Navy had not informed the daycare, which takes care of hundreds of children.
In the health department's statement, Ho said the battle would continue in court.
"DOH will continue to act to protect Hawaii residents and our environment," she said.
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