D008 Protection of Water “Ola i Ka Wai - Water is Life”
Resolved, the House of ________________ concurring,
That the 81st General Convention reaffirm the work of previous General Conventions regarding the protection of water, such as 2018-C064, 2018-B025, and 1973-B106, and that the General Convention recognize the “grave injustice wrongfully committed with the aid of American militia to the sovereign nation of Hawaiʻi” as noted in the whereas clause of the 1979-B058 resolution; and be it further
Resolved, That the General Convention support and encourage the Presiding Bishop and Staff, the Executive Council and its Committees, and each of the Dioceses of The Episcopal Church to continue affirmation of the above with actions, statements, prayers, and witness that are consistent with the recognition of Native Hawaiians in their stewardship of water; and be it further
Resolved, That the General Convention adds its voice to those of Native Hawaiians calling for the protection of the water of Oʻahu that continues to be threatened by the storage and removal of jet fuel and the closure of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility which the U.S. Navy manages; and be it further
Resolved, That the General Convention instructs the Office of Government Relations to advocate for safe and complete defueling and closure of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, restoration of the land on which the facility sits, and transparency by the U.S. Navy and other government agencies in this process; and be it further
Resolved, That the General Convention instructs the Office of Government Relations to advocate for indigenous and native people’s rights to safety, transparency, and restoration in cases where the U.S. government and/or its agencies and military forces threaten or damage clean water and other natural resources; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be sent to the President of the United States, the Secretary of Defense, and Hawaiʻi’s U.S. Congressional delegation.
Explanation
In Hawaiian teaching, ola i ka wai (water is life), and in Christian teaching, water is the source of life, renewal, and rebirth. For many years the drinking water on the island of Oʻahu has been threatened by the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, maintained by the U.S. Navy. In the latest leak in 2021, the fuel tanks leaked thousands of gallons of jet fuel into the local aquifer that provides drinking water to the residents of O‘ahu. Many families suffered and continue to suffer from the physical and emotional consequences of unknowingly using tainted water. Though the Navy has attempted to clean the water and has defueled most of the fuel from the tanks, the water still shows signs of contamination. The Navy’s actions were too late, inadequate, and resulted in a loss of trust of the people of Hawai‘i as well as permanent damage to the aquifer.