PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii — The Navy is hosting a virtual meeting to answer the public’s questions about removing the remaining fuel at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, closure plans, and more.
The Joint Task Force-Red Hill and the newly established Navy Closure Task Force-Red Hill will host the meeting Wednesday at 1 p.m. via Facebook Live, according to a news release.
Rear Adm. Marc Williams, who is the deputy commander for NCTF-RH, will co-host the event with JTF-RH Deputy Commander Brig. Gen. Michelle Link.
Additionally, NCTF-RH and JTF-RH will hold a public meeting at Keehi Lagoon Memorial Hall on Feb. 7, where they will provide updates on defueling, closure and water monitoring.
On Monday, the Joint Task Force-Red Hill started to remove about 60,000 gallons of residual fuel from pipelines at the Red Hill facility, after receiving regulatory approval.
JTF-RH finished removing 104 gallons of fuel via gravity on Dec. 16, 2023. However, about 64,000 gallons of fuel could not be drained by gravity because it is caught at low points in the pipelines. In order to remove the residual fuel, JTF-RH personnel will open low-point drains and vent valves.
After this process is completed in March, the NCTF-RH will remove the remaining 4,000 gallons of fuel and 28,000 gallons of sludge. The NCTF-RH, which is led by Rear Adm. Stephen Barnett, will also remove about 10 miles of pipeline and begin efforts to remediate the natural environment around the Red Hill facility.
"It is a distinct privilege to be a part of Navy Closure Task Force-Red Hill," said Barnett in a statement. "We are already building on the outstanding work done by the Joint Task Force and other organizations and community members. I look forward to continuing to build capacity within the task force to safely and efficiently close the Red Hill facility over the coming years.”
In May and Nov. 2021, the U.S. Navy spilled fuel at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility. Because of the spills, about 93,000 people who lived around Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and used the Navy’s water system were impacted by the contaminated drinking water. As a result, the Hawaii Department of Health issued an emergency order requiring the Red Hill facility to be closed.
Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii. Email her at michelle.brodervandyke@charter.com.