HONOLULU, Hawaii —
Joint Task Force - Red Hill (JTF-RH) began removing residual fuel from the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility (RHBFSF) January 15, after receiving regulatory approval.
JTF-RH completed gravity defueling December 16, 2023, safely removing more than 104 million gallons from the facility.
Approximately 64,000 gallons of fuel that could not be drained by gravity remain in the facility pipelines. JTF-RH will open low point drains and vent valves one-by-one to remove the majority of this fuel, approximately 60,000 gallons. This process is expected to be complete by the end of March.
The start of residual fuel removal marks the official beginning of a transition period between JTF-RH and the newly established Navy Closure Task Force-Red Hill (NCTF-RH). The NCTF-RH will fully integrate with and learn from the JTF-RH team to ensure continuity of mission for safety, security, and community engagement as the Department of Defense (DoD) prepares to transition the main effort from Defueling to Closure and Long-term Environmental Remediation until the end of March.
Subsequently, and in accordance with the DoD RHBFSF Defueling and Closure Plans, the NCTF-RH will remove the remaining 4,000 gallons of residual fuel in the pipelines and 28,000 gallons of sludge remaining in the storage tanks.
A JTF-RH video illustrating the residual fuel removal process can be found here: dvidshub.net/video/910096/
JTF-RH will continue to keep the public informed throughout the residual fuel removal process. JTF-RH will release a new weekly dashboard tracking the residual fuel beginning January 22.
For more information about JTF-RH, visit pacom.mil/jtf-red-hill/ or download the App by searching for “JTF–Red Hill” in the Apple App store or Google Play store.