The following are the June 30, 2022, Department of Defense Red Hill Defueling Plan and the Navy Investigation into the Red Hill fuel leak.
From the defueling plan:
Executive Summary
In accordance with the Secretary of Defense’s (SECDEF) direction in his March 7, 2022 memo and the requirements in Directive 4 of the State of Hawaii Department of Health’s (DOH) May 6, 2022 superseding Emergency Order (EO), the Department of Defense (DoD) will safely defuel and close the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility (Red Hill). On behalf of DoD, the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV), in coordination with the Director, Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), provides this plan to defuel the facility. This plan will put DoD on course to achieve the completion of defueling at the earliest date consistent with the safe defueling of the facility.
The plan is evidence-driven and relies on the recommendations of subject matter experts. The plan provides interim milestones for the Navy and Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to achieve throughout the pre-defueling process in order to make the facility safe for defueling. Upon a determination that the facility is safe to defuel, the plan requires defueling operations to commence as soon as practicable and targets the completion of that defueling within eight months of commencement.
Current planning estimates completion of defueling by the end of 2024. DoD, based on input from its subject matter experts, identified December 31, 2024 as the earliest date that is consistent with the safe defueling of the facility, based on the information that DoD has at this time. The December 2024 completion date is subject to contingencies, but DoD will work to mitigate any delays caused by contingencies and will inform DOH and the public about any major contingencies that arise during plan implementation that may affect timelines. DoD is committed to transparency in its assumptions and analyses, not only to obtain regulatory concurrence from the DOH but also to build credibility and trust with the people of Hawaii.
DoD is taking action to ensure that there is strong command and control in place to facilitate successful implementation of this plan. The Secretary of Defense is directing the standup of Joint Task Force Red Hill (JTF Red Hill), led by a senior Navy flag officer whose sole responsibility is to ensure the Department’s safe and expeditious defueling of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility. Once on-site in Hawaii, the Commander, JTF Red Hill will be responsible for oversight and execution of this defueling plan. The Commander will report to the Secretary of Defense through the Commander, US IndoPacific Command. The JTF Red Hill will operate from Hawaii and house experts from the Department of the Navy, DLA, and other components across DoD. These experts, drawn from the fields of construction, safety and spill response, engineering, and logistics, will work full-time on the defueling efforts and will report directly to the Commander, JTF Red Hill. The JTF Red Hill will also lead DoD’s interface with DOH and with the local community in Oahu.
Department of Defense Red Hill Defueling Plan
Download the document here.
Navy Investigation Into Red Hill Fuel Leak
Download the document here.
