Environmental risks will persist after Red Hill tanks are drained

TL;DR - Ever since thousands of gallons of jet fuel spewed from a pipeline at Red Hill in November 2021 and made its way into the Navy’s drinking water system, sickening military families, environmentalists and water officials have had their sights set on ensuring that the fuel in the facility’s massive underground tanks that sit just 100 feet above an aquifer is permanently removed.

Now, under an expedited timeline, that goal is expected to be met as soon as January. But the effort to safeguard the environment is far from over. Residual fuel stuck throughout the facility will continue to pose a risk to the groundwater, and removing it will be a challenge, the military’s top official overseeing the defueling effort cautioned Tuesday, while the environmental remediation of the site is likely to persist for decades.

June 7, 2023: Environmental risks will persist after Red Hill tanks are drained, Honolulu Star-Advertiser