HONOLULU (AP) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Health are giving the public more time to comment on a proposal to better prevent and detect leaks from 20 giant fuel storage tanks near Pearl Harbor.
The agencies said Tuesday they’ve extended the public comment period through July 20, about three weeks past the earlier end-of-June deadline.
The proposal is based on an agreement committing the Navy to upgrade the tanks over the next 20 years.
The Navy last year detected a leak of 27,000 gallons of fuel from one tank. Samples from nearby water-monitoring wells indicated a spike in hydrocarbons.
The Navy owns the tanks, which were built in the 1940s. The tanks supply fuel to Navy ships and aircraft as well as to other military services.