Thursday, March 28, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Wednesday, November 16, 2022
Pentagon Press Secretary: 'Red Hill created a trust deficit'
By News Release @ 6:18 AM :: 1926 Views :: Honolulu County, Environment, Military

Defense Official Addresses Progress on Hawaii Fuel Facility Closure

by David Vergun , DOD News, Nov. 15, 2022

One year ago this month, families on Oahu, Hawaii, faced a crisis when fuel spills at Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility contaminated the Navy's drinking water system.

Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, who briefed the media at the Pentagon today, addressed this and other topics. 

"The Department of Defense recognizes that the 2021 incidents at Red Hill created a trust deficit between the DOD and the people of Hawaii, and that it's incumbent upon the department to earn back that trust," he said. 

On March 7, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin III, after close consultation with senior civilian and military leaders, directed the defueling and permanent closure of the Red Hill facility, he said.

Since then, the department has stood up a joint task force to focus on the safe and expeditious defueling of Red Hill, he said. JTF Red Hill recently completed a critical preliminary step in the defueling process, from Oct. 25 to Nov. 3, removing over a million gallons of fuel from the facility's fuel pipelines. The operation, known as unpacking, concluded without any issues involving the handling, transport or storage of the fuel.  

The next phase includes performing all necessary repairs, modifications and enhancements to the Red Hill infrastructure to reduce risk during defueling, he said. 

JTF Red Hill is currently on track to complete defueling by June 2024, Ryder said. The JTF will continue to work with the Hawaii Department of Health and the Environmental Protection Agency to find ways to safely reduce and expedite the defueling timeline.

On Nov. 1, the Navy announced its plans to accomplish the permanent closure of the bulk storage facility. Following Hawaii Department of Health approval, the Navy will commence fuel tank closures as early as possible once the joint task force completes the defueling process, he said. 

It's currently estimated that the facility closure process will take three years to complete, he said. As the Navy moves forward, it will work in lockstep with the local community and closely coordinate with the Hawaii Department of Health to finalize the closure plan and determine a potential beneficial nonfuel reuse for the Red Hill facility site.  

"Austin and senior leaders at DOD are committed to ensuring that the department follows through on its promise of increased transparency and coordination with military families and the citizens of Hawaii, Ryder said. "As the secretary has said previously, defueling and closing Red Hill is the right thing to do for our service members, our families, the people of Hawaii, the environment and our national security."

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

808 Silent Majority

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federalist Society

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Homeschool Association

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Smokers Alliance

Hawaii State Data Lab

Hawaii Together

HIEC.Coop

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Moms for Liberty

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

Investigative Project on Terrorism

July 4 in Hawaii

Kakaako Cares

Keep Hawaii's Heroes

Land and Power in Hawaii

Legislative Committee Analysis Tool

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

Malama Pregnancy Center of Maui

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Military Home Educators' Network Oahu

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Christian Foundation Hawaii

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

No GMO Means No Aloha

Not Dead Yet, Hawaii

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Oahu Alternative Transport

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

OurFutureHawaii.com

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

PEACE Hawaii

People vs Machine

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

P.U.E.O.

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

ReRoute the Rail

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

Robotics Organizing Committee

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Sink the Jones Act

Statehood for Guam

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

UCC Truths

US Tax Foundation Hawaii Info

VAREP Honolulu

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii

Yes2TMT