Red Hill: Definitely Not Pau Yet!
by Anna Chua | Reading time: 7.5 minutes
Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc. Red Hill Facility Report
The Navy’s contractor released its assessment of the Red Hill Facility and details some pretty damning evidence of longstanding problems and safety hazards that the Navy would need to fix before beginning to defuel the Facility. The 880-page report, of which we can only see partially due to extensive redaction, concludes that the Navy would need to undergo extensive repairs in order for the fuel in the 18 actively used tanks (14 of which still contain millions of gallons of fuel each) to be drained safely and to prevent a catastrophic release that could further pollute the groundwater, cause a major fire or potentially injure or kill workers.
A slew of hazards, risks, and deficiencies were identified, including but not limited to “heavily corroded” structural columns and pipes, unprotected dresser couplings, damaged coating, concrete cracking and spalling, “leakage” through the concrete tunnel walls and floor, and valves known to leak. Many areas need lead abatement. Several fire risks also exist, and a surge analysis needs to be conducted along the pipelines. The contractor also found that in the event of an earthquake, the emergency generator might lose functionality.
The report also lists needed repairs to avoid what it refers to as a September 29 “near-miss event,” which the public only learned about in November after an internal email sent to high-level Navy officials was leaked. While the report doesn’t explain what the “near-miss event” was about, recently-fired Capt. Hornyak detailed in the leaked email that multiple valves throughout the pipeline system could have been leaking and referred to sagging pressure conditions that were similar to the May 6 fuel leak; we also know that Navy officials were so concerned that they shut down Red Hill operations for nine days while they investigated the incident. As per usual, the Navy suppressed public concerns by using the “abundance of caution” coverup, but the report describes that it could have resulted in a catastrophic release of highly hazardous chemicals, started fires, asphyxiated workers, and polluted the groundwater aquifer. Shockingly, at Red Hill there is no system in place to report and investigate such a disaster.
Overall, more than 200 repairs would be needed to safely operate the facility, which includes about three dozen that are critical before defueling. From the tanks to the pipelines and distribution system, major structural repairs and fixes are necessary. Bottom line is, the Red Hill Facility is decades past its retirement date and frankly, should have never been built there to begin with. While these major issues are not surprising to learn, we now have overwhelming evidence that all of the Navy’s claims about the satisfactory and safe conditions of the Facility have been life-threatening lies.
This assessment was required by the Department of Health’s emergency order, which gives the Navy until the end of this month to release a timeline for implementing repairs and defueling the Facility. The Navy has said before that it could take a year to defuel the Facility. The contractor’s assessment suggests that the extensive repairs needed could take up to one or two years. None of that is acceptable – every passing day that over 100 million gallons of fuel sit in the Facility is an added risk for another looming catastrophe to occur.
With over $750 billion dollars in its annual budget, the Department of Defense has all the money and resources it needs to hire the workers and teams that can work simultaneously and around the clock complete whatever repairs are necessary to defuel in a much more timely manner. Unfortunately, it will remain up to us to keep the pressure on the Navy and Department of Defense decisionmakers to treat this situation as the existential emergency it undeniably is.
Fuel Tank Advisory Committee Meeting
The Fuel Tank Advisory Committee held its 8th biannual meeting on May 13, where we witnessed almost two hours of powerful, gut-wrenching testimonies from affected community members, organizers, and community members who have been leading this fight. It was also in that meeting where Navy leadership affirmed just how far they are willing to go to hide and mislead us from the truth.
Most notably, the Department of Health presented newly analyzed monitoring well data submitted by the Navy through a series of fuel plume heat maps. Initial conclusions indicate that the May 6, 2021 release may have mobilized legacy contamination under the Facility. Yet, prior to the May 2021 leak, TPH-Diesel (indicating a recent release of fuel) was detected at levels as high as 2,000 parts per billion at a monitoring well in the middle of the Facility. Most existing monitoring wells now show TPH-Oil (suggesting the presence of older fuel releases) levels back down to where they were before the May 2021 release - and unfortunately, we do not know where that contamination may have gone.
We now know for sure that the harms from Red Hill’s leaks are far worse than the Navy has led on. Despite the Navy’s denial, the data presented further confirms what the Board of Water Supply has been warning us about – that the contaminant plume has migrated westward in the direction of its Hālawa Shaft, which, until it was shut down as a precautionary measure in December of last year, provided 20% of urban Honolulu’s water supply. You can watch a recording of the meeting here.
Commission on Water Resource Management Meeting
On the Tuesday following the Fuel Tank Advisory Committee Meeting, the State Water Commission heard back from their Permitted Interaction Group regarding its investigations and recommendations for potential future action on the Navy’s water use permits, which authorize the Navy to pump public trust water from our aquifer. At present, only one permitted well, the Navy’s Waiawa well, is being used to supply the Navy’s water system, although its Red Hill shaft continues to “pump and dump” up to five million gallons per day into Hālawa stream in order to “capture” the contamination plume under Red Hill.
In a subsequent presentation - as if the Navy representatives on the FTAC were not disappointing enough - Navy officials revealed to the Water Commission that they were in fact violating their Water Use Permit for their Waiawa well, overdrawing their allowed amount by an average of one million gallons per day over the past year - for superfluous uses like irrigation. In addition, they appeared to have not done anything in the past four months to find a way to use the 4-5 million gallons per day of treated and supposedly “safe” water that they continue to dump into Hālawa stream.
You can watch the Water Commission hearing here. Stay tuned for the next Water Commission meeting, where they may actually take action on the Navy’s water use permits - and hopefully impose conditions that will motivate the Navy to act much more responsibly and urgently in resolving the crisis it created.
Organizing Actions + Building Community
Along with Oʻahu Water Protectors, Hawaiʻi Peace and Justice, and Shut Down Red Hill Mutual Aid, we hit the streets and went canvassing in Makiki to get to know, educate, and organize community members about the water crisis and ongoing Red Hill fight! In total, we knocked on at least 100 doors and learned that it is more important than ever to organize and mobilize our neighbors. We are continuing to build community in Makiki and expanding our efforts across the island – if you would like to join us next time or lead a canvassing in your neighborhood (don’t worry, we will be there to help!), please fill out this volunteer form.
Women’s Voices Women Speaks, Wisdom Circles Oceania, and Hawaiʻi Peace and Justice led an art build at Bishop Museum AIR Station (mahalo Parley for the Oceans for hosting us!) to create a space for intergenerational art and music healing that centers wai and our interconnections. Nurturing and regenerating our inspiration for this deep work together is what keeps the movement alive, so stay tuned for more art builds to come!
We are working with our friends at Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Action to host a Water Protectors Rising two-part virtual panel series, where we will explore the interconnected fight for our water led by water protectors everywhere. From Red Hill to Flint to Vieques, we know what our communities need to keep us safe. Join us as we learn from organizers, advocates, and experts as they share their experiences, victories, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. By linking arms with these communities and sharing knowledge with one another, we aim to build a stronger, more unified water justice movement.
Panel #1: Lessons from the Fight for Water Justice: From Camp Lejeune to Red Hill will be held on Friday, July 17, 12PM - 1:30PM HST. Keep a lookout this week on social media and your inbox for a registration link!
Stay tuned for more information on Panel #2, where we will be bringing together more organizers from around the world and build global solidarity for environmental justice.