A proposal touching landfill siting, wastewater discharge rules and the possible reuse of ash in road materials drew extended testimony from health officials and island residents at the House Committee on Water & Land hearing on Tuesday, Feb. 11.

Supporters and opponents framed the issue as a public‑health and legacy decision. Roger Babcock, representing the City and County of Honolulu Department of Environmental Services, told the committee the city “own[s] and operate[s] the only municipal solid waste landfill on the island and we do need to, have a, new landfill.”

But residents and environmental advocates warned that landfills over or near aquifers will eventually leak. “We oppose landfills above the aquifer anywhere, not just this proposal, because, it will leak eventually,” said Larry Meach, who said about 250 people attended a town hall on the subject. Meach said the city suggested building successive landfills when capacity is exhausted, and he urged the committee to consider alternate locations.

Mike Iwo of Energy Justice Network cautioned against allowing ash from municipal solid‑waste incinerators to be used in road surfaces without liners. “This would create linear unlined landfills in the form of roads everyone drives over risking the workers who put the roads down and everyone who lives near it,” Iwo said, arguing that similar projects elsewhere had failed and that the Legislature should explicitly restrict reuse of ash where it would be spread without containment.

Testimony from other speakers emphasized personal and health concerns. Deborah King said she has long‑term health problems she attributes to contaminated water exposure and urged lawmakers to “really consider no landfills near, clean water.”

The Department of Health, represented at the hearing, stood on its written testimony and answered members’ technical questions about statutory language and permitting. In oral remarks the department noted that federal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits regulate point discharges and that bacterial and water‑quality limits are enforced through those permits. Glenn High of the Department of Health said the department “stands on its written testimony providing comments, and I’m available to answer any questions.”

Committee members focused on how current state law treats discharges and treatment plants. During questioning, staff and lawmakers referenced the statutory carve‑outs in HRS discussed in testimony (transcribed as “3 42 d 50.5” and a related provision), and asked whether the bill’s wording would create unintended exceptions for certain facilities. The Department of Health emphasized that the broader water‑pollution control statutes remain in force and that NPDES permits and state water‑quality standards continue to apply.

The exchange reflected two main technical concerns: whether ash considered “safe” for landfill placement can safely be used in asphalt or other unlined road applications, and whether statutory language that mentions treatment plants or an unnamed gallons‑per‑day threshold would create unintentional carve‑outs that permit discharges into state waters.

The committee received written testimony proposing an amendment to prohibit reuse of ash in unlined road applications if the ash is considered unsafe for lined landfills; the amendment was identified on page 15 of the testimony packet by at least one testifier. Testifiers urged the committee to coordinate with the Department of Health and other agencies before approving statutory changes.

The measure discussed in that segment (HB 969, HD1) later received the committee’s recommendation to pass as is. The record shows the committee adopted the chair’s recommendation. The committee heard a mix of government agency comments in favor or with technical comments (Department of Health, Board of Water Supply, City and County Department of Environmental Services) and multiple citizen and advocacy group statements urging stronger limits on landfill siting and on reuse of ash in applications without liners.

Why it matters: Hawaii relies on groundwater in many communities; residents and public‑health advocates told lawmakers that potential leaks from landfills or the uncontrolled reuse of toxic ash pose long‑term risks to drinking water and marine ecosystems.

What’s next: The committee moved HB 969 forward with the chair’s recommendation. Lawmakers and agency staff signaled they will continue discussions on statutory language and any technical amendments; several testifiers and the department urged clearer limits on ash reuse and closer coordination on implementation details.