THE CARROLL COX SHOW

NEWS AND COMMENTARY

First, in answer to the complaint, Ms. Ward, the city spokesperson, told us the dumped material was all contained within a fenced area.  Carroll then sent her pictures, with the following statement, clearly showing the many items outside the fence to clarify the issue.

Ms. Ward,

Please take a look at the attached photographs.  They clearly show that much of the material is outside of the fence.

We should allow the DoH to decide what is legal about this practice.  State law prohibits the stockpiling of solid waste anywhere without a permit with conditions to protect human health and the environment.

Thank you,
Carroll

Outside the fence

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HERE IS THE COMPLAINT:

April 3, 2016

Dear Mr. Chang,

Please accept this letter and attached photographs as my formal complaint against the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources for operating and allowing an illegal open dump site.

More specifically, the DLNR knowingly places derelict automobiles, boats, tires, white goods(refrigerators, hot water heaters, air conditioners containing hydrochlorinated oil and ozone depleting refrigerant gases), treated lumber possibly containing arsenic, bromide, creosote, paint, oil, hydraulic fluids, styrofoam,  metal, municipal and household waste as well as food waste.

We ask that you take immediate action to have the DLNR remove this unlawfully placed solid and hazardous waste from the area because of its immediate threat to human health and the ocean(waters of the state).   

As you can see from the photographs, a large portion of the unlawfully dumped materials are dumped only a few feet from the water.

We also observed oils of various types dumped and staining the soil suggesting the shallow ground water is being impacted.

During my visit today 4/3/16 I detected a very strong odor of jet fuel and observed an apparatus on the adjacent fuel tank farm connected to a number of small tubes appearing to be extracting spilled jet fuel that spilled earlier last year on state property.  I also saw children playing on some of the materials that were illegally dumped.

I recognize the fact that the DLNR is a state agency(sister agency of the Department of Health) and expect you to place the health of the people and the environment first and ask that you use your authority to bring a closure to this illegal practice of operating an open dump.

I note that your agency has been quite lenient and failed to take regulatory action against the DLNR for earlier violations of operating an open dump.  Last year nearly one hundred tons of  materials similar to what we see today were unlawfully dumped and were hauled away to allow workers to address the jet fuel leaking onto the Keehi Harbor and adjoining property.

If you are interested, I would be happy to provide copies of photographs showing the amount of trash that was removed and disposed of.

I will send other separate emails with photos of the current situation.

I respectfully ask that you treat the DLNR as you would any other violator and do the right thing to prevent further damage to the environment and threats to human health.

I have provided this information to various media sources.

Sincerely,

Carroll Cox