HAWAI'I LOCAL

HAWAII

Topic: The Red Hill Contamination Crisis

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Committee Profile

Among the resources vital to the survival of Hawaiʻi, one in particular stands out: water. From the moment rain falls to the moment it ends up flowing out of our taps, it will have gone through a 25-year journey as it becomes groundwater and filters through the lava rock which makes up Hawaiʻi. Because it takes so long for water in the aquifers to replenish, however, it is imperative to protect not only access to the aquifers, but the aquifers themselves. What happens, then, if an aquifer were to become contaminated? In November 2021, families living in military housing around Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam began feeling unwell, reporting a “chemical smell” coming from the drinking water in the homes. As investigations began to examine the cause, one thing became abundantly clear: petroleum products had leaked into the water supply. Upon further investigation, officials found that the U.S. Navy fuel tanks at Red Hill had leaked, contaminating the Navy’s Aiea-Halawa Shaft, and posing a substantial risk to the civilian Halawa Shaft, which supplied up to 20% of the water for the City and County of Honolulu. As the crisis comes to a head, how will officials respond? Will the military, the City & County of Honolulu, and the State of Hawaiʻi be able to find a solution? How will the public react to the contamination? Perhaps most importantly, how can all parties involved prevent such a catastrophe from occurring again?

Committee Chair

  • Yale University

    Ava Gianna Hills is a first-year student at Yale University, double-majoring in Political Science and Environmental Studies. In 2025, she graduated from Waipahu High School on the island of ʻOahu. Ava has participated in Model UN since her sophomore year of high school, and chaired her first conference in her senior year for WMUN. Ava was born and raised in Hawaiʻi (though she moved around a lot until settling in Waipahu), and this is her first year away from home. Outside of MUN, she enjoys going to the beach, trying new cafes, singing karaoke, and exploring new spots! Currently, at Yale, Ava spends a lot of her time at the Native American Cultural Center. She’s very excited to serve as a first-time PacMUN chair, and she hopes that each and every delegate has the most amazing time as well!

A young man in a blue school blazer with a school's emblem on the pocket, white shirt, and a blue and yellow floral tie, standing outdoors with a blurred green background.

Crisis Director

  • University of California, Los Angeles

    Connor Davidson is a second-year student at the University of California, Los Angeles who was born and raised in Hawaiʻi Kai. He will be serving as the Crisis Director for the Red Hill Fuel Spill committee. Connor has been involved with both Model UN and PacMUN since his junior year of high school and hasn’t looked back since. This will be his fourth PacMUN and second as a Crisis Director. Outside of Model UN, he enjoys baking, running, writing, playing Dungeons & Dragons, and spending time with his pet bunnies (expect to see photos throughout the conference).