Frequently Asked Questions

1. Will this Environmental Assessment/Overseas Environmental Assessment (EA/OEA)

delay defueling?

The EA is currently on plan. JTF-RH does not anticipate that NEPA compliance will 

affect the defueling timeline. JTF-RH is preparing an EA/OEA for the defueling of Red 

Hill. This EA/OEA and resulting decision document is expected to be completed by 

Aug. 31, 2023. The EA/OEA is being prepared concurrently with all preparatory 

actions necessary for defueling to begin.

2. Will a spill during the gravity-based defueling operation impact drinking water?

DoD developed the Red Hill Defueling Plan and Supplements 1A, 1B, and 2 to address 

system deficiencies, identify repairs, develop defueling procedures, and implement

training and spill prevention measures. The plan also includes preparedness 

measures for spill containment and response. Measures required by this plan will 

reduce the likelihood and severity of a spill during the defueling operation, so that the 

risk of a spill impacting underground sources of drinking water would be considered 

highly unlikely. The EPA and DOH are providing oversight of the defueling process.

3. Why is West Oahu identified as a potential fuel receiving location?

The West Oahu receiving location is an existing contractor-owned and contractoroperated bulk storage facility capable of delivering fuel directly to JBPHH via 

commercial pipeline to meet the fuel needs of DoD ships and aircraft. This facility is 

located in Kapolei in an industrial area commonly known as Campbell Industrial Park.

4. Would a spill at West Oahu storage facility impact underground sources of drinking 

water?

No. The West Oahu storage facility is located below the Underground Injection Control 

(UIC) line, meaning that these locations are outside of areas identified by DOH as 

underground sources of drinking water. Practically, this means that a fuel spill at the 

West Oahu receiving location would not have the potential to impact underground 

aquifers that are used as sources of drinking water. For maps depicting areas below 

the UIC line, see: https://health.hawaii.gov/sdwb/underground-injection-controlprogram/. 

5. Would the gravity-based defueling action remove ALL the fuel from RHBFSF?

The main defueling activity includes removal of the flowable fuel from the RHBFSF's 

14 in-service underground storage tanks, associated pipelines, and four surge tanks. 

This activity will conclude once all fuel that can be removed through gravity draining 

from the vast majority of the facility has been removed (~99.85% of fuel). The residual 

fuel consists of smaller volumes of fuel that will remain in low points, bends, flanges, 

and valves in the pipelines, to be removed during the next phase by other non-gravity

draining means.
6. What is JTF-RH doing to ensure defueling won’t cause more contamination of 

groundwater?

JTF-RH is working diligently to ensure there are no leaks during the defueling process

by completing identified repairs, replacing degraded components, and repairing

damage from the May 2021 surge event. Additionally, JTF-RH is making modifications 

to the system to prevent surge events during defueling. The JTF-RH website provides 

an online public dashboard showing the number of repairs completed, inspected by a 

third party, and approved by regulators. On May 16, 2023, JTF-RH published 

Defueling Supplement 2, which includes several measures that will be implemented

to protect against spills, including detailed plans for immediate actions in response to 

a potential spill. These plans have been designed to effectively manage risk, to 

maximize preparation, and to prevent further mishaps. JTF-RH conducts frequent

training of these plans and conducts coordinated spill response drills to ensure we are 

ready to defuel safely and to effectively respond to a potential spill to prevent further 

groundwater contamination.

7. Will the proposed defueling action include removal of aqueous film-forming foams 

(AFFF) (e.g., fire suppressant chemicals) at RHBFSF?

No, the Proposed Action does not include removal of AFFF. During defueling, JTFRH and Fed Fire will conduct a layered approach to fire suppression using a manned 

fire watch in conjunction with the existing fire water sprinklers and Fed Fire emergency 

response. A fire watch, on-station throughout defueling operations, will employ dry 

chemical fire extinguishers as an immediate response in parallel to the operational 

water sprinkler system in auto mode, and ahead of arrival of Fed Fire. The dry 

chemical fire extinguishing agent is potassium bicarbonate. The Defueling 

Supplement 2 contains a more detailed description of how this layered approach will 

be postured to respond to any fire. The Navy will accomplish removal of the AFFF 

systems during the closure phase after defueling is complete.

8. With the EPA proposed Consent Order and DOH Emergency Order in place, why are 

JTF-RH and DLA conducting NEPA analysis of defueling? Why is this necessary? 

On March 7, 2022, the Secretary of Defense ordered the defueling and permanent 

closure of the RHBFSF. While defueling the facility is nondiscretionary, JTF-RH and 

DLA have discretion on the methods for relocating the fuel, and where the fuel will go. 

Under NEPA, Federal agencies must evaluate the potential environmental effects of 

major actions that may have an impact on the human environment. Public concern 

and interest in the proposed defueling effort was also an important consideration in 

JTF-RH and DLA’s decision to initiate an EA/OEA. The EA/OEA process includes the

opportunity for public review and comment on the Proposed Action and alternatives. 

Public involvement is an important aspect of the NEPA process and JTF-RH and DLA 

is required to fully consider public input in the analysis of this action, and its decisionmaking process.