PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii — The Hawaii Department of Health approved draining the Red Hill surge tanks with some conditions, according to a news release. The Joint Task Force Red Hill said it would start draining the tanks on July 17. 

What You Need To Know

  • The Hawaii Department of Health conditionally approved draining four surge tanks located underground at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam

  • Since the surge tanks function as service tanks, as opposed to storage tanks, they are no longer needed

  • The fuel in the surge tanks will be drained and moved to aboveground storage tanks at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam

  • Before defueling of the surge tanks begins, DOH is requiring Joint Task Force Red Hill to submit documentation of repairs, train personnel on defueling operations, and allow DOH to inspect spill mitigation processes

Four surge tanks are located underground on the Pearl Harbor side of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, according to a video created by the Joint Task Force Red Hill. The tanks currently hold about 480,000 gallons of fuel. The surge tanks were formerly used to hold fuel for transfer to or between the main Red Hill fuel tanks. Since the surge tanks function as service tanks, as opposed to storage tanks, they are no longer needed.

“These tanks serve no purpose in the defueling of the main tanks at Red Hill, so we’re draining them now,” said Brig. Gen. Michelle Link, Deputy Commander and Chief Engineer of Joint Task Force Red Hill, in a news release.

The fuel in the surge tanks will be drained and moved to aboveground storage tanks at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Joint Task Force Red Hill says removing the fuel will take about two weeks. 

DOH has been giving incremental approval for each phase involved with defueling Red Hill as the Navy submits different proposals in order to speed up the process. 

“Today’s conditional approval represents another step forward in the defueling process,” said Deputy Director of Environmental Health Kathleen Ho in a news release. “DOH staff will be conducting on-site visits during surge tank defueling operations as part of our overall commitment to ensuring that Red Hill is defueled safely.”

Before defueling of the surge tanks begins, DOH is requiring Joint Task Force Red Hill to submit documentation of repairs, train personnel on defueling operations, and allow DOH to inspect spill mitigation processes.

In June, DOH conditionally approved the Joint Task Force Red Hill’s plan to defuel the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility. Defueling the surge tanks is one step in the process.


Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii. Email her at michelle.brodervandyke@charter.com.

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