Red Hill Defueling and Fuel Relocation

Draft Environmental Assessment/

Overseas Environmental Assessment

• Enacted in 1969, NEPA requires all 

federal agencies to evaluate potential 

environmental impacts of any major 

actions they may propose and to 

inform and involve the public in the 

decision-making process. 

• Your comments submitted on the Draft 

EA/OEA will become part of the public 

record and will be addressed in the 

Final EA/OEA. 

• The Final EA/OEA and decision 

document will be released to the 

public. 

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Oahu, Hawaii Public Meeting June 2023

You are encouraged to participate in 

several ways: 

• Review the Draft EA/OEA 

• Provide comments 

• Check the Joint Task Force-Red Hill 

website for updates on the Final 

EA/OEA 

Submit comments beginning June 9, 

2023 and ending June 30, 2023. 

• Online:

https://www.pacom.mil/JTF-RedHill/NEPA-Comment/

• By Mail:

Joint Task Force Red Hill

1025 Quincy Ave, Suite 900

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI

96860

• At the Public Meeting:

Written or verbal recording

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 

Process 

Ways to Participate How to Provide Comments
Red Hill Defueling and Fuel Relocation

Draft Environmental Assessment/Overseas Environmental Assessment

Proposed Action

Gravity-based defueling of Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage 

Facility (RHBFSF) underground storage tanks and associated 

pipelines, and relocation of the flowable fuel by tanker 

ship. 

Purpose

To comply with:

• State of Hawaii Department of Health Emergency Orders

• Environmental Protection Agency 2023 Consent Order

• U.S. Secretary of Defense order to defuel and 

permanently close Red Hill

Need

• To protect local water supplies 

• Defueling Red Hill is an initial step in the process of full 

closure and remediation

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Oahu, Hawaii Public Meeting June 2023

Proposed Action and Purpose and Need

Alternatives

Alternative 1: The No Action Alternative is normal 

operations and routine consumption of fuel

Alternative 2: Relocation of the approximately 106 million 

gallons of flowable fuel to existing locations within the 

DoD fuel supply chain by ocean transit

Alternative 3: Commercial sale of fuel plus relocation as in 

Alternative 2
Red Hill Defueling and Fuel Relocation

Draft Environmental Assessment/Overseas Environmental Assessment

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Oahu, Hawaii Public Meeting June 2023

Action Area
• 11 tanker ship transits represents 0.07% of annual U.S. 

tanker ship deliveries

• Temporary emissions of air pollutants from tanker ships 

would not significantly affect air quality

• Maximum greenhouse gas emissions estimated at 

56,000 tons (carbon dioxide equivalent)

• Approximately the same as the annual operation of 

6,365 U.S. homes

PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY AIR QUALITY AND GREENHOUSE GASES

Drinking Water

• Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and Campbell Industrial 

Park are not in areas with underground sources of 

drinking water

• Defueling Plan identifies repairs and develops procedures 

and spill prevention measures

Emergency Services

• 10 additional workers per shift during defueling

• No measurable impacts to emergency services 

capabilities

• Safety, medical, and environmental health professionals 

will provide secondary oversight

Vessel Traffic

• Up to a 10% increase in Pearl Harbor vessel traffic during 

defueling. To reduce risk of collisions:

• Tanker ships are always in communication with the 

Harbormaster

• Tugboats and harbor pilots will assist tanker ships 

with navigation in Pearl Harbor

Red Hill Defueling and Fuel Relocation

Draft Environmental Assessment/Overseas Environmental Assessment

The Draft EA/OEA analysis determined that with the use of Best Management Practices, we expect no significant impacts.
• Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and receiving locations 

have spill response procedures to address potential spills 

and effects to human health and the environment. 

• Fuel loading operation personnel would utilize personal 

protective equipment (PPE)

• Existing basin containment system on the fueling pier to 

collect fuel in the event of a spill

• A Waste Management Plan provides procedures for 

management of spilled fuel and contaminated 

absorbents or debris

WATER RESOURCES HAZARDOUS MATERIALS AND WASTE

• Potential for spills during defueling and fuel transfer will 

be reduced through extensive system repairs, 

improvements, and personnel training completed prior 

to defueling

• Alternative 1 (No Action Alternative) would defuel within 

10-14 months

• Alternatives 2 and 3 would defuel the tanks in 

approximately 3-4 months

• Statistically, tanker ship spills are rare events 

(approximately 5 in 1 million)

• Tankers are double-hulled, reducing risks of spills 

from damage to the hull

• Receiving ports under 

Alternatives 2 and 3 have 

established fuel transfer and 

storage system procedures 

that reduce likelihood of 

spills

• Pre-deployed boom 

system will contain 

fuel in the harbor in 

the event of a spill

• No human exposure 

expected from 

resuspended 

contaminants in 

Pearl Harbor

Red Hill Defueling and Fuel Relocation

Draft Environmental Assessment/Overseas Environmental Assessment

The Draft EA/OEA analysis determined that with the use of Best Management Practices, we expect no significant impacts.
Underwater Noise

• Temporary, low-frequency, and low-intensity sounds from 

tanker ships will not result in acoustic injury to marine species

• Tanker ship noise may result in behavioral disturbance to 

marine species, but any impacts will be limited, temporary, 

and recoverable

• Sound levels will not significantly disrupt breeding, feeding, or 

sheltering for any endangered or threatened species

Vessel Collision

• Relatively slow vessel speeds and Best Management Practices 

reduce the likelihood of ship strike

• Temporary and slow-moving presence of the tanker ships will 

not result in an increased likelihood of injury to marine 

species

Fuel Spills

• A fuel spill affecting marine biological resources is not 

reasonably likely to occur

• Best Management Practices will be implemented to reduce 

fuel spill risk

MARINE BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES

Red Hill Defueling and Fuel Relocation

Draft Environmental Assessment/Overseas Environmental Assessment

The Draft EA/OEA analysis determined that with the use of Best Management Practices, we expect no significant impacts.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 

DOWNLOAD THE JTF-RH 

MOBILE APPLICATION JTF-RH WEBSITE Non-Defueling Points of Contact

Department of the Navy 

Closure Plan, RHBFSF