Schatz urges Navy Secretary to stay on track with Red Hill defeuling timeline

US Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) pressed Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro during a Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee hearing today, calling on the Navy to stay on track with the defueling timeline for Red Hill.

Sen. Schatz also secured a commitment for the Navy to working with state and local partners to help impacted residents get the health care they need.

Del Toro responded to questioning saying the Navy is “very much on track” for defueling Red Hill. According to his testimony, the Navy has submitted its closure plan for Red Hill.

Schatz sked Del Toro for a commitment to ensure the health care aspect and environmental remediation are addressed.

“Senator, you’ve always had my commitment on that subject, and you will continue to have my commitment on that subject – working with the Office of the Secretary of Defense and DHA in particular to ensure that servicemembers and also the people of Hawai‘i have the services they need from a health care perspective moving forward,” said Sec. Del Toro.

Video of Senator Schatz’s exchange with Secretary Del Toro is posted above.