Martha Guzman, regional administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency, was in Honolulu last week for a news conference to announce funding for renewable energy initiatives.
She also met with residents at Kunia Village whose drinking water wells tested positive for PFAS, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances that have been linked to serious health effects.
The presence of the chemicals is a growing concern in the drinking water nationwide.
"It's not an issue alone for Hawaiʻi here," Guzman said. "But when you look at communities like Kunia Village that are very much doing things on their own, it is a very high cost."
The state plans to apply for federal funding under the Inflation Reduction Act to cover the costs.
Although PFAS present a challenge, Guzman said Hawaiʻi is miles ahead of most places across the country.
"You guys knew the answer was renewables before any other state, and you did out of resiliency, really," she told The Conversation. "And now the nation is catching up."
This interview aired on The Conversation on July 10, 2023. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
