WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:01.944 Greetings . Ladies and gentlemen , 00:01.944 --> 00:05.480 Aloha , I want to begin by thanking the 00:05.490 --> 00:07.546 state and local officials that we've 00:07.546 --> 00:09.657 worked with for their cooperation and 00:09.657 --> 00:11.879 their assistance . Uh , after this very 00:11.879 --> 00:14.046 regrettable event that happened here , 00:14.046 --> 00:16.200 I spoke with General with Governor 00:16.200 --> 00:18.530 Green shortly after the event occurred . 00:18.530 --> 00:20.570 And uh , he was very gracious in 00:20.570 --> 00:22.990 offering his assistance . And I spoke 00:22.990 --> 00:25.850 with the mayor of Maui , uh , mayor 00:25.850 --> 00:29.310 bison here today . Uh , and I can't say 00:29.310 --> 00:30.977 enough about the help and the 00:30.977 --> 00:33.032 assistance and cooperation we've had 00:33.032 --> 00:34.866 from these local officials . And 00:34.866 --> 00:36.977 despite this very regrettable event , 00:36.977 --> 00:39.143 uh , the local community has been been 00:39.143 --> 00:41.199 great to work with . So we're deeply 00:41.199 --> 00:43.310 appreciative of that , spent a lot of 00:43.310 --> 00:45.310 time this morning with our cultural 00:45.310 --> 00:47.532 expert that we're , we're using to help 00:47.532 --> 00:49.477 us do this in the right way . Dane 00:49.477 --> 00:49.310 Maxwell and I learned a great great 00:49.310 --> 00:51.421 deal from him which I think will help 00:51.421 --> 00:53.588 us all as we work our way through this 00:53.620 --> 00:55.842 today , we want to provide an update on 00:55.842 --> 00:58.100 our progress at the space surveillance 00:58.100 --> 01:00.100 complex and convey our department's 01:00.100 --> 01:02.860 commitment to Hawaii to Maui and to 01:02.860 --> 01:04.916 completely restoring the environment 01:04.916 --> 01:07.082 here as much as can possibly be done . 01:07.082 --> 01:09.530 We're all familiar . The malfunctioning 01:09.530 --> 01:12.000 equipment led to some 700 gallons of 01:12.000 --> 01:14.680 diesel fuel being spilled on Haleakala . 01:15.510 --> 01:17.232 Since that time , our response 01:17.232 --> 01:18.899 notifications have moved with 01:18.899 --> 01:21.010 determined speed . We want to do this 01:21.010 --> 01:23.180 right . This incident hurts the 01:23.180 --> 01:25.780 environment , It harms our reputation , 01:26.290 --> 01:28.660 calls into question the trust placed on 01:28.660 --> 01:31.630 us by our local communities to be clear , 01:31.640 --> 01:35.140 I apologize for what has happened and 01:35.140 --> 01:37.830 this department will put our full a 01:37.830 --> 01:39.997 sustained effort in repairing what has 01:39.997 --> 01:42.550 been done When General Mast earlier 01:42.550 --> 01:44.772 updated the community in February six , 01:44.772 --> 01:46.883 he stated this effort would be guided 01:46.883 --> 01:49.390 by three basic principles , promote 01:49.390 --> 01:51.446 openness and transparency throughout 01:51.446 --> 01:54.380 the process , deliver a remediation 01:54.380 --> 01:56.900 plan consistent with legal requirements 01:56.910 --> 01:59.030 and sensitive to local and cultural 01:59.030 --> 02:02.190 imperatives and earn public trust every 02:02.190 --> 02:04.910 single step of the way . I share my 02:04.910 --> 02:07.280 support for these values . They will 02:07.280 --> 02:09.447 guide both our local responses and the 02:09.447 --> 02:11.660 larger path forward for the Department 02:11.660 --> 02:14.550 of the Air Force . Our ongoing response 02:14.550 --> 02:16.717 to this fuel spill is a top priority . 02:16.880 --> 02:19.320 That's why I'm here today , restoring 02:19.320 --> 02:21.153 the land and the trust will take 02:21.153 --> 02:23.440 deliberate , consistent actions . We 02:23.440 --> 02:25.370 built a strong team is drafting a 02:25.370 --> 02:27.200 reclamation plan that is in 02:27.200 --> 02:29.580 coordination with federal and state and 02:29.580 --> 02:31.530 local agencies and local community 02:31.530 --> 02:34.240 groups . This team does not work alone . 02:35.040 --> 02:37.262 Hawaiian electric has helped us restore 02:37.262 --> 02:39.262 the lighting , lightning protection 02:39.262 --> 02:41.373 devices that are on the site . And in 02:41.373 --> 02:43.096 addition , state environmental 02:43.096 --> 02:44.984 officials have been receptive and 02:44.984 --> 02:47.151 closely worked with us in our planning 02:47.151 --> 02:49.262 efforts as we begin the steps towards 02:49.262 --> 02:50.818 remediation . This team has 02:50.818 --> 02:52.873 accomplished a great deal in a short 02:52.873 --> 02:54.818 time and it understands that their 02:54.818 --> 02:56.873 labors labors will continue until we 02:56.873 --> 02:59.220 restore the land . We've already 02:59.220 --> 03:01.276 compiled important lessons regarding 03:01.276 --> 03:03.220 the generator site which are being 03:03.220 --> 03:05.442 shared across the Department of the Air 03:05.442 --> 03:07.609 Force to prevent future incidents like 03:07.609 --> 03:09.498 this from occurring while we have 03:09.498 --> 03:11.930 fallen short of our own expectations as 03:11.930 --> 03:14.450 stewards of this sacred place . I am 03:14.450 --> 03:16.117 fully optimistic . We will be 03:16.117 --> 03:18.710 successful and remediating the entire 03:18.720 --> 03:20.880 spill on the land and keeping our 03:20.880 --> 03:23.030 partners informed while restoring the 03:23.030 --> 03:25.730 trust with community partners that they 03:25.730 --> 03:28.440 deserve . At this time , I'd like to 03:28.440 --> 03:30.551 welcome general mast earlier for some 03:30.551 --> 03:32.718 more detailed updates . General Master 03:39.170 --> 03:42.410 thank you very much . Mr Secretary um 03:42.420 --> 03:44.990 and thank you for leading this response 03:45.000 --> 03:47.820 effort from the very beginning . Uh 03:47.830 --> 03:51.080 having you join us today here at the 03:51.080 --> 03:54.190 spill site to see firsthand what this 03:54.190 --> 03:56.720 amazing team behind us has been able to 03:56.720 --> 03:59.370 accomplish . Uh it's really important 03:59.370 --> 04:01.259 to everybody who has been working 04:01.259 --> 04:04.900 tirelessly to make this right . MR . 04:04.900 --> 04:06.956 Secretary , you made this a personal 04:06.956 --> 04:09.950 priority and your unwavering support 04:09.950 --> 04:12.810 has greatly facilitated the spill 04:12.820 --> 04:15.790 investigation and the soil remediation . 04:16.930 --> 04:19.152 Now , I'd also like to take a moment to 04:19.152 --> 04:21.510 recognize the myriad stakeholders , 04:21.520 --> 04:24.880 multiple state and federal 04:24.880 --> 04:27.920 agencies as well as the local advocacy 04:27.920 --> 04:31.360 groups who worked all day every day , 04:31.370 --> 04:34.650 including weekends , including holidays , 04:34.660 --> 04:37.540 to develop and implement a re a 04:37.540 --> 04:40.820 remediation plan that's appropriate for 04:40.820 --> 04:43.300 the sacred ground upon which we stand 04:44.290 --> 04:46.910 now , A lot has happened since I last 04:46.910 --> 04:49.580 addressed you from this podium . So let 04:49.580 --> 04:52.330 me fill you in real quickly under the 04:52.330 --> 04:54.163 few few of the things that we've 04:54.163 --> 04:56.330 accomplished over the past few weeks , 04:57.260 --> 04:59.700 given the cultural significance of 04:59.700 --> 05:02.480 holly Akala , we made an immediate 05:02.490 --> 05:05.560 priority to hire an on site cultural 05:05.560 --> 05:09.270 monitor to bless the site and preside 05:09.270 --> 05:11.210 over meetings with key Hawaiian 05:11.210 --> 05:13.377 stakeholders throughout this process . 05:13.920 --> 05:16.510 As Secretary Kendall mentioned that 05:16.510 --> 05:19.490 individual is Dane Maxwell born and 05:19.490 --> 05:22.390 raised on the slopes of Haleakala in 05:22.390 --> 05:25.660 puka Lani and he has been an integral , 05:25.670 --> 05:28.290 integral part of what we're trying to 05:28.290 --> 05:31.710 accomplish full remediation with a 05:31.710 --> 05:34.000 cultural sensitivity that is due for 05:34.000 --> 05:37.030 this location . Now as our engineers 05:37.030 --> 05:39.290 and electricians meticulous reviewed 05:39.300 --> 05:42.010 hundreds of data points to better 05:42.010 --> 05:44.500 understand the unusual failure mode 05:44.510 --> 05:47.310 associated with the generators float 05:47.320 --> 05:50.380 and transfer pump assembly . We took 05:50.380 --> 05:53.040 immediate steps to share those findings 05:53.040 --> 05:56.920 widely . The governor has asked the 05:56.920 --> 05:59.031 governor has asked us to go above and 05:59.031 --> 06:01.990 beyond and so at Secretary Kendall's 06:01.990 --> 06:04.240 direction , we have already begun to 06:04.240 --> 06:07.650 mobilize teams to conduct on site 06:07.660 --> 06:10.460 inspections of generators at military 06:10.460 --> 06:12.760 installations across the state of 06:12.760 --> 06:15.740 Hawaii . As of February 06:15.740 --> 06:19.020 14 , we have contracted with tennis to 06:19.020 --> 06:22.730 services in Honolulu to excavate the 06:22.730 --> 06:25.240 contaminated soil around the generator 06:26.240 --> 06:28.240 And throughout this process we have 06:28.240 --> 06:30.296 been working closely with the Hawaii 06:30.296 --> 06:32.351 Department of Health , Environmental 06:32.351 --> 06:35.240 Protection Agency , region nine U . S . 06:35.240 --> 06:37.670 Fish and Wildlife Service , the 06:37.670 --> 06:40.420 University of Hawaii Institute for 06:40.420 --> 06:43.710 astronomy , the Hawaii State Historic 06:43.710 --> 06:46.980 Preservation Division and the Hawaii 06:46.980 --> 06:49.900 Department , Land and Natural Resources 06:49.910 --> 06:53.320 Office of Conservation and Coastal 06:53.320 --> 06:56.950 Lands and of course along the 06:56.950 --> 07:00.610 way , our cultural advisor Dane Maxwell 07:01.240 --> 07:04.210 helped ensure that this project would 07:04.210 --> 07:06.321 not only meet the expectations of our 07:06.321 --> 07:08.460 regulators but would meet the 07:08.460 --> 07:11.530 expectations of this local community . 07:12.680 --> 07:14.680 Now concurrent with the work of our 07:14.680 --> 07:17.750 subject matter experts . I and other 07:17.750 --> 07:20.410 members of the leadership team have 07:20.410 --> 07:23.370 spent countless hours meeting with the 07:23.370 --> 07:26.960 community listening , trying to better 07:26.960 --> 07:30.190 understand what it is we need to know 07:30.200 --> 07:33.400 about this area and at the same time 07:33.410 --> 07:35.750 sharing all the information that we 07:35.750 --> 07:38.930 have when it becomes available . Now , 07:38.930 --> 07:41.230 we met with a group of about 60 student 07:41.230 --> 07:44.870 leaders at Kamehameha Schools Maui 07:44.880 --> 07:47.340 and we met with members of the D kissed 07:47.350 --> 07:50.140 native Hawaiian working group and we've 07:50.140 --> 07:51.807 even had meetings with lineal 07:51.807 --> 07:54.360 descendants of King Kamehameha himself . 07:55.170 --> 07:58.110 These meetings are important because 07:58.110 --> 08:00.740 we're cultivating relationships and 08:00.740 --> 08:04.620 rebuilding trust first by listening and 08:04.620 --> 08:07.150 then by answering their questions 08:07.160 --> 08:10.100 directly and honestly with full 08:10.100 --> 08:13.200 transparency . We've been asked many 08:13.200 --> 08:15.660 questions about the spill , but we've 08:15.660 --> 08:17.660 also been asked about the important 08:17.660 --> 08:19.716 mission that's conducted here at the 08:19.716 --> 08:22.860 Maui space surveillance complex and how 08:22.860 --> 08:26.560 the telescopes atop Haleakala are used 08:26.560 --> 08:28.900 to constantly track and monitor 08:28.910 --> 08:32.580 activity in the space domain protecting 08:32.590 --> 08:36.080 our nation's most critical assets . It 08:36.080 --> 08:38.080 is a mission that greatly 08:39.300 --> 08:41.189 contributes to the defense of the 08:41.189 --> 08:44.860 pacific region and it is one of which 08:44.870 --> 08:48.660 all Hawaiians can be proud . Finally , 08:48.660 --> 08:50.493 with the help and advice of Dane 08:50.493 --> 08:53.530 Maxwell , we are exploring recurring 08:53.530 --> 08:55.950 community meetings to continue to 08:55.950 --> 08:58.850 answer any questions residents may have 08:58.860 --> 09:00.980 as we walk through this remediation 09:00.980 --> 09:04.920 process working with all of you is of 09:04.920 --> 09:07.620 the utmost importance and we will 09:07.620 --> 09:10.250 continue to provide updates via the U . 09:10.250 --> 09:13.080 S . Pacific Air Forces website as we 09:13.080 --> 09:15.580 enter the next phase of remediation . 09:16.510 --> 09:18.454 Finally I want to personally thank 09:18.454 --> 09:20.566 Governor josh green and Mayor Richard 09:20.566 --> 09:22.680 Beeson for their commitment to both 09:22.690 --> 09:25.030 guide our efforts and hold us 09:25.030 --> 09:27.860 accountable . Their teams have promoted 09:27.860 --> 09:30.082 openness and transparency and have been 09:30.082 --> 09:32.370 true neighbors and teammates throughout 09:32.370 --> 09:35.380 this process in the military we have a 09:35.380 --> 09:39.000 saying slow is smooth , smooth is 09:39.000 --> 09:41.680 fast . So when it comes up , when it 09:41.680 --> 09:43.690 comes to the cleanup of this sacred 09:43.690 --> 09:47.110 land , the best way to move fast is to 09:47.110 --> 09:49.600 slow down and make sure you do the job 09:49.600 --> 09:52.340 right . And we will do that with the 09:52.340 --> 09:56.280 people standing behind me today . From 09:56.280 --> 09:58.447 the beginning . My number one priority 09:58.447 --> 10:00.560 was to deliver a remediation plan 10:00.570 --> 10:03.720 consistent with legal requirements and 10:03.720 --> 10:05.640 sensitive to local and cultural 10:05.640 --> 10:08.040 imperatives . There's still much work 10:08.040 --> 10:10.510 to be done but I'm immensely proud of 10:10.510 --> 10:12.510 the work that we've accomplished to 10:12.510 --> 10:14.770 this point with that we're ready to 10:14.770 --> 10:18.420 take your questions . Mahalo question 10:18.430 --> 10:20.810 for you sir . Investigation 10:23.370 --> 10:26.020 excavation is gonna start as soon as we 10:26.020 --> 10:29.730 have a work plan that's approved by all 10:29.730 --> 10:31.910 of the stakeholders that I outlined 10:31.910 --> 10:34.240 earlier and we've been working very 10:34.240 --> 10:36.184 closely with the Department of the 10:36.184 --> 10:38.296 Health Department of Health . Um They 10:38.296 --> 10:40.430 are currently reviewing the work plan 10:40.440 --> 10:43.390 and I expect to get word back either 10:43.390 --> 10:46.150 today or tomorrow . At that point we 10:46.150 --> 10:47.928 are ready to begin excavation . 10:48.630 --> 10:51.080 Secretary Kendall . Having traveled 10:51.080 --> 10:53.760 thousands of miles from Washington D . 10:53.760 --> 10:55.704 C . This is obviously an important 10:55.704 --> 10:58.180 issue to you . Uh And then having spent 10:58.180 --> 11:01.220 the day here in the community on the 11:01.220 --> 11:03.442 site and on the mountain . What are you 11:03.442 --> 11:06.500 taking away from ? Well , first of all , 11:06.510 --> 11:09.880 I can't uh , say enough how gracious 11:09.880 --> 11:12.600 the people I've been interacting with 11:12.600 --> 11:15.270 have been . The uh , the Department Air 11:15.270 --> 11:17.381 Force is very embarrassed by the fact 11:17.381 --> 11:19.214 that this has occurred and we're 11:19.214 --> 11:21.080 working as as general 11:22.460 --> 11:24.516 indicated to clean it up and make it 11:24.516 --> 11:26.738 right as quickly as possible . But it's 11:26.738 --> 11:28.516 still it's still something very 11:28.516 --> 11:30.627 regrettable and very embarrassing and 11:30.627 --> 11:32.738 under the circumstances , I think the 11:32.738 --> 11:34.849 reception I've had has just been been 11:34.849 --> 11:37.016 outstanding . Uh , great cooperation . 11:37.016 --> 11:39.182 I think we've worked very hard to work 11:39.182 --> 11:41.182 with local groups , local state and 11:41.182 --> 11:42.960 local government . Uh , but the 11:42.960 --> 11:44.904 response has been uh better than I 11:44.904 --> 11:46.738 could've expected and I'm deeply 11:46.738 --> 11:50.680 grateful for that . How many 11:50.680 --> 11:52.458 generators does the Space force 11:52.458 --> 11:56.330 operating ? So currently the Space 11:56.330 --> 11:58.780 force has six generators operating in 11:58.780 --> 12:00.630 the state of Hawaii . We have 12:00.630 --> 12:03.070 thoroughly checked out all six of those 12:03.070 --> 12:05.237 generators to make sure that they were 12:05.237 --> 12:07.700 operating in compliance and that we 12:07.700 --> 12:10.740 don't see any issues similar to what we 12:10.740 --> 12:12.890 have found here at holly akala 12:14.250 --> 12:16.250 Secretary candle has mentioned that 12:16.250 --> 12:18.250 earlier today . You're able to meet 12:18.250 --> 12:20.590 with the mayor during that time . What 12:20.590 --> 12:23.280 were you able to discuss with you ? We 12:23.280 --> 12:25.830 went over the way we responded . Uh , I 12:25.830 --> 12:27.608 think consulting with the mayor 12:27.608 --> 12:29.719 immediately was very valuable to us . 12:29.719 --> 12:31.941 Uh give us some very good advice on how 12:31.941 --> 12:34.163 to proceed and how to interact with the 12:34.163 --> 12:36.330 community . I think that's that's paid 12:36.330 --> 12:38.108 off . I was able to give him my 12:38.108 --> 12:40.219 personal assurance that we were going 12:40.219 --> 12:39.980 to be on top of this and we're gonna do 12:39.980 --> 12:42.230 everything we can uh , general mel 12:43.140 --> 12:45.251 we're gonna go as quickly as we can , 12:45.251 --> 12:47.140 but that means doing it right and 12:47.140 --> 12:49.084 taking our time to make sure it is 12:49.084 --> 12:51.418 right . And he was appreciative of that . 12:51.418 --> 12:53.529 Uh , it's a great partnership and I'm 12:53.529 --> 12:55.751 very grateful again for his willingness 12:55.751 --> 12:57.918 to work with us to help us get through 12:57.918 --> 12:57.660 this as best as we possibly can . 13:00.570 --> 13:02.626 Ladies and gentlemen , thank you for 13:02.626 --> 13:04.403 attending . If you have further 13:04.403 --> 13:04.380 questions , please .