JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii – Navy Closure Task Force-Red Hill (NCTF-RH) launched two new communication features this week, providing the public more options to stay informed on closure activities.
One of the features is a decommissioning dashboard function on the NCTF-RH mobile app that provides a visual depiction of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility (RHBFSF) tank cleaning progress. The dashboard, which was developed by incorporating feedback from stakeholders and the public, will be updated weekly with information on sludge and residual fuel removal, tank cleaning and air quality monitoring (AQM).
The second is the “Let’s Talk Red Hill” podcast series featuring NCTF-RH Deputy Commander Rear Adm. Marc Williams with guest co-hosts and subject matter experts. The weekly series discusses the latest updates and insights on the Navy’s progress in closing the RHBFSF. The series is hosted on the
NCTF-RH YouTube page and
Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) website, which distributes it to a variety of podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify.
“I’m excited about these new features we’re offering to help reach more of the community and provide in-depth details about our closure activities,” said Williams. “Our team understands that aspects of groundwater versus drinking water sampling, testing, monitoring and other closure activities can be confusing, so I’m really looking forward to leaning into some of these topics on ‘Let’s Talk Red Hill.’”
NCTF-RH continued RHBFSF closure efforts this month with advances in tank cleaning, environmental assessment and remediation activities. Red Hill PFAS Remedial Investigation: Recently, the Navy agreed to expedite the schedule and expand its sampling efforts associated with perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. The Navy submitted a work plan to the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) in June 2024 and began sampling this month at a series of groundwater monitoring wells located around Red Hill.
Groundwater Monitoring Wells: The Navy installed another groundwater monitoring well, bringing the total number of new wells to 22 since 2021. The overall number now stands at more than 40 monitoring wells located in and around Red Hill. All new well locations were extensively coordinated with regulators and numerous stakeholders, including the state Commission on Water Resource Management, Honolulu Board of Water Supply, and University of Hawaii. This comprehensive well network provides a better understanding of groundwater conditions in and around Red Hill. The Navy conducts bi-weekly groundwater sampling of those groundwater monitoring wells in accordance with the Revised Consolidated Groundwater Monitoring Sampling Plan, which was approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and DOH.
Groundwater Flow Model: The Navy is scheduled to submit its final Groundwater Flow Model to DOH, EPA and University of Hawaii researchers next week. The draft was submitted to the three organizations in July, and the final includes feedback from the review period. The Groundwater Flow Model includes a contaminant fate and transport model that helps understand how contaminants move, change and interact with the environment over time.
Tank 7 and 8 Cleaning Efforts: Structural repairs are in progress and will be completed before workers begin installing equipment for upcoming pressure washing operations.
AQM at RHBFSF: Volatile organic compound levels remain well below DOH’s regulatory standard limit of 38 parts per million by volume. For questions or concerns, the public can contact the Navy Call Center at 808-210-6968. During venting operations, AQM data is updated daily on the NCTF-RH mobile app and website.
Tank 5 and 6 Cleaning Efforts: NCTF-RH is currently venting tank 6, and workers began preparatory work on tank 5 for upcoming ventilation operations.
Community and Stakeholder Engagement: NCTF-RH continues to engage with the community through different venues and forums and recently began issuing weekly updates to key stakeholders. In August, NCTF-RH leaders and staff met with the Hawaii Community Foundation’s Fresh Water Advisory Council and the Kahala Sunrise Rotary Club, and hosted visits from congressional staff members and the EPA. The command also hosted an open house at the Moanalua Terrace Community Center on Aug. 21. The event featured information booths and displays about the tank cleaning process and progress, timeline and drinking water information. The next open house is being planned for November. This month, NCTF-RH met with the Commission on Water Resource Management to brief commission members on the progress being made to close Red Hill.
NCTF-RH is hosting a groundwater webinar via Microsoft Teams, Sept. 24, from 5-6 p.m. A meeting link notification will be sent from the mobile app and in a media advisory. The upcoming webinar will be a discussion on groundwater around the Red Hill area. Since groundwater can serve as a raw source of drinking water, the Navy is working to use data from multiple monitoring wells and combine various flow models to develop a comprehensive understanding of the groundwater conditions to better protect Oahu’s aquifer.
NCTF-RH is committed to working with all government agencies and community stakeholders to safely and deliberately close the RHBFSF underground storage tanks and associated piping system, conduct long-term environmental remediation, and ensure continued access to safe drinking water in compliance with all federal, state, and local laws, policies and regulations.
For more information about NCTF-RH, visit https://www.navyclosuretaskforce.navy.mil/or download our free mobile app by searching for “NCTF-Red Hill” in the Apple App store or Google Play store. For imagery, video and other digital media please visit our DVIDS site here:
https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/NCTF-RH.
SAFE. DELIBERATE. ENGAGED. COMMITTED.
- NCTF - RH -