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Defense News: Navy Closure Task Force-Red Hill Announcements and Operations

Source: United States Navy

Here are the links to the latest updates: 

  • Navy Announces Swarm Team Results. Recently detected low levels of total petroleum hydrocarbons, or TPH, in the Navy’s drinking water system were the result of laboratory activity and not associated with the release of jet fuel from the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, the Navy Closure Task Force-Red Hill (NCTF-RH) announced April 24. 

  • AFFF Concentrate Removal. Navy Closure Task Force-Red Hill (NCTF-RH) safely removed 32 55-gallon drums of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) concentrate from the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, April 23. 

  • Earth Day: NCTF-RH Participates in Bike Path Cleanup. Navy Closure Task Force-Red Hill (NCTF-RH) recognized Earth Day by partnering with the City and County of Honolulu to clean a section of the Pearl Harbor Historic Bike Trail, April 20.   

  • NCTF-RH Operational Update. Since the assumption of authority for the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility (RHBFSF) on March 28, 2024, Navy Closure Task Force – Red Hill (NCTF-RH) began and accomplished several initiatives. 

  • NCTF-RH Launches Mobile App. NCTF-RH announced the availability of a free mobile application to track the progress of Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility decommissioning efforts. The NCTF-Red Hill app will provide the latest developments on tank cleaning, the decommissioning plan, environmental remediation, regulatory approvals, and operational planning for all major milestones. 

  • Navy Assumes Responsibility of Red Hill Facility. NCTF-RH assumed responsibility of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility (RHBFSF) from Joint Task Force-Red Hill (JTF-RH) during a transition of authority ceremony held at the Battleship Missouri Memorial, March 28. 

  • Navy Shares Premise Plumbing Assessment Findings. The Navy released a summary of findings from its Preliminary Premise Plumbing assessment. The report is posted on the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH) Safe Waters website Here. 

  • Navy Voluntarily Extends Long-Term Monitoring Program . The Navy will voluntarily continue extensive sampling of the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam water distribution system for an additional year. “We are doing this because it is the right thing to do,” said Rear Adm. Stephen Barnett, commander of the Navy Closure Task Force-Red Hill (NCTF-RH) and Navy Region Hawaii. “We have made this deliberate decision as a result of our steadfast commitment to the people of Hawaii, our service members, civilians, contractors and their families.” 

  • Navy Expands How it Addresses Drinking Water Concerns on Oahu. NCTF-RH, in conjunction with Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Hawaii, Commander, Navy Region Hawaii (CNRH), and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH), continues to make significant strides in addressing community concerns about drinking water by forming a new Water Quality Action Team, voluntarily extending a drinking water monitoring program, and performing an in-depth inspection of a water heater from a residence in Navy housing at JBPHH. 

  • Navy Takes Decisive Action to Address Water Quality Concerns; Partners With Federal, Local Regulators to Boost Drinking Water Monitoring Efforts. “The Department of the Navy’s first priority is providing reliable and safe drinking water to those who live and work on the Navy’s water system – service members, civilians, residents and their families, and members of the community,” said Rear Adm. Steve Barnett, commander, Navy Closure Task Force – Red Hill (NCTF-RH), and commander, Navy Region Hawaii. “Determining the root cause of these detections is the top priority and the Navy is working in close collaboration with subject matter experts so that we can provide the community with more information and assistance.”  

  • Extension of the operations and breadth of the Red Hill Clinic. At the request of the Navy, the Red Hill Clinic will continue operations for an additional year. The clinic provides medical assessments for all TRICARE-eligible beneficiaries and individuals granted Secretarial Designee status who are experiencing symptoms they believe may be related to the November 2021 Red Hill fuel release.  

“Progress continues as planned to decommission the Red Hill facility,” said Rear Adm. Steve Barnett, commander, NCTF-RH. “The AFFF in the fire suppression system is gone, and along with it another threat to the aquifer. Our many preparations are complete, and we are working with DOH to allow tank cleaning operations to begin as early as next week. Our team of professionals is working hard and remains committed to safely and expeditiously decommissioning the facility and remediate the environment.”   

NCTF-RH is committed to working with all government agencies and community stakeholders to safely and deliberately close the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility underground storage tanks and associated piping system, conduct long-term environmental remediation, and ensure continued access to drinking water that complies with all Federal, State, and local regulations.   

  For more information about NCTF-RH, visit navyclosuretaskforce.navy.mil or download the mobile app by searching for “NCTF-Red Hill” in the Apple App store or Google Play store.