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Joint Task Force-Red Hill says defueling still on track for June 2024

A Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command contractor prepares a granular activated carbon filtration system to begin Red Hill Well recovery efforts at the facility in January 2022.
Chris Thomas
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DVIDS
A Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command contractor prepares a granular activated carbon filtration system to begin Red Hill Well recovery efforts at the facility in January 2022.

Despite another toxic chemical spill last year, leadership of the Joint Task Force-Red Hill said it's still on track to defuel the Red Hill Bulk Storage Facility by June 2024.

Vice Adm. John Wade, who leads the Joint Task Force-Red Hill, took command in last September with the mission to "safely and expeditiously" defuel the facility, but since the Aqueous Film Forming Foam spill, he's had to put more safety measures in place.

"This very, very unfortunate incident — which should not have happened — led to the expansion of my duties and responsibilities," Wade said last week during a press conference.

Joint Task Force-Red Hill commander, U.S. Navy Vice Adm. John Wade, speaks to local media during a press conference held at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaiʻi on May 5, 2023.
James Finley
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U.S. Navy
Joint Task Force-Red Hill commander, U.S. Navy Vice Adm. John Wade, speaks to local media during a press conference held at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaiʻi on May 5, 2023.

Before defueling can take place, more than 250 repairs need to be made to the World War II-era facility. According to the JTF-RH dashboard, 181 have been completed.

Following the six-month investigation into the chemical spill, Wade said more environmental and safety measures have been put into place. One such measure will be that Wade will now personally review all high-risk activities, and the higher Indo-Pacific Command will review those of significant risk.

"In the view of the Red Hill context of what happened after the ‘21 spills, significant risk threshold is any type of hazardous material that could potentially be released into the environment," Wade said.

So for example, "If we're doing repairs, and we find a pocket of fuel, and we need to remove that fuel to ensure that we can conduct that repair, that concept of operations is brief to Adm. (John) Aquilino," Wade explained.

"Human error" by a contractor in April 2022 and a misplaced valve caused the forever chemical spill, according to the Joint Task Force report.

Valve that was 'incorrectly installed' to contain AFFF, the so-called forever chemical that was discharged from a containment vessel known as Adit 6, and pooled on the floor before seeping outside onto a paved access road and into the nearby soil.
Valve that was 'incorrectly installed' to contain AFFF, the so-called forever chemical that was discharged from a containment vessel known as Adit 6, and pooled on the floor before seeping outside onto a paved access road and into the nearby soil.

"The contractor unbeknownst to him, sent a signal, that signal then went to the pump," Wade said. "The pump turned on, fluid started moving through the pipe, went into the tunnel, got to the valve it released because of the improper installation went into the standpipe and then overflowed."

But it's the U.S. Navy's lack of quality assurance that didn't find this error.

“It is imperative the Navy hold those responsible for this accident accountable and that they implement the JTF’s recommendations — such as strengthening their quality assurance protocols — to prevent a similar incident from occurring in the future," U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaiʻi said in a release.

"These mishaps erode the public’s confidence in the Navy, pointing to the importance of their handling of the safe closure of Red Hill. I’ll continue working to ensure this result and that the Navy acts with transparency, accountability, and dedication to detail," Hirono said.

The 2022 fire suppressing foam spill came a year after 93,000 homes on the Navy’s water line were affected by jet fuel contaminating their drinking water leading to displacement and negative short and long-term health impacts.

"I believe the Navy should have had stricter safeguards and more assertive oversight in place to reduce the risk of this type of mishap," Wade said.

Sabrina Bodon was Hawaiʻi Public Radio's government reporter.
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