The military wants to reassure the public that any federal government shutdown will not impact the draining of the Navy Red Hill underground fuel tanks on Oʻahu.
"Secretary of Defense, as I stated, has exempted all personnel supporting the defueling of Red Hill from a potential furlough. All contracts are in place and all personnel will continue to support uninterrupted in spite of what may or may not happen relative to a shutdown," said U.S. Army Reserve Brig. Gen. Michelle Link, deputy commander of Joint Task Force-Red Hill.
In a few weeks, the military will start draining 104 million gallons of fuel from the World War II-era fuel tank facility that poisoned 6,000 people when it leaked jet fuel into Pearl Harbor's drinking water in November 2021.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Hawaiʻi health officials have signed off on repairs and preparations for the defueling, which is scheduled to begin Oct. 16.
Joint Task Force-Red Hill will hold a public open house on Oct. 3 at Keʻehi Lagoon from 4 to 6 p.m.
This interview aired on The Conversation on Sept. 26, 2023. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
