Hawaii upholds order to US Navy to empty Pearl Harbor fuel site

Hawaii’s Department of Health (DOH) has upheld an order to the US Navy, first issued on 6 December 2021, to drain the 20 undreground fuel tanks at the Red Hill fuel storage complex in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

A leak of 14,000 gallons (53,000 L) of jet fuel from the site contaminated drinking water in November 2021, resulting in the occupants of around 3,500 military homes being evacuated. Around 1,000 people reported sickness following the contamination in late November and early December 2021. Red Hill has a total capacity of 250 million gallons (5.95 million bbl) and concerns have long been raised about the potential of water contamination, as the site is above a major aquifer supplying Honolulu. After saying on 3 December 2021 that drinking water was safe, the US Navy suspended operations on 6 December.