Taxpayers on hook for molasses-spill clean up in Hawaii

It's going to cost Hawaii taxpayers millions of dollars to clean up a molasses spill in Honolulu Harbor that killed thousands of fish.

Matson Navigation Co. allowed 233,000 gallons of molasses to leak into the ocean, causing $3 billion in damage.

The state estimates it will cost millions of dollars for the clean up, and taxpayers are on the hook even though Matson's parent company, Alexander & Baldwin, said it will pay fines and other costs associated with remediation and restoration.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii,  has promised Gov. Neil Abercrombie federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act funding to cover expenses related to the spill.

In addition, state and federal personnel from the Coast Guard's Pacific Strike Team, Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hawaii Department of Health, Department of Land and Natural Resources and Department of Transportation, have been working overtime. They've collected and counted dead fish.

They've also researched what can be done to flush out the molasses because, unlike oil, molasses sinks to the bottom and mixes quickly with the seawater.

Click for more from Watchdog.org.