Sen. Perez: Red Hill scenario on Guam possible

With the military closing down the Red Hill jet fuel facility in Hawaii after underground fuel tanks leaked and contaminated the local water supply there, legislative environmental chair Senator Sabina Perez says a similar situation on Guam is a possibility because we have jet fuel pipelines on island.

"There has been historical leakage," she noted. "I just need to follow up and see what data they have. Whenever there's a pipeline it's always a concern they tend to leak, especially when we're talking about earthquake prone areas such as Guam, so this is something that is a concern, especially if the pipelines are running through the northern part of Guam where our aquifer is."

Senator Perez has written Guam EPA regarding the issue. KUAM News files show a Department of Defense contractor was fined $350,000 in 2017 for leaking 110 gallons of jet fuel over a five-month period. NOVA UCCO was hired to build a new pipeline from Sasa Valley to Andersen Air Force Base.

They ended up only paying $100,000 after cleanup efforts and negotiation brought the initial fine down.