Joint Task Force - Red Hill Holds Defueling Open House

Photo By Spc. Matthew Mackintosh | Joint Task Force-Red Hill (JTF-RH) Commander, U.S. Navy Vice Adm. John Wade, engages with a local resident during JTF-RH’s Defueling Open House on Ke’ehi Lagoon Memorial in Honolulu, Hawaii, May 23, 2023. JTF-RH hosted an open house to provide the public with the opportunity to learn more about the defueling process and to engage directly with JTF-RH directors and leaders. JTF-RH is in phase three of its five-phase defueling plan. Personnel are focused on completing repairs, quality control tasks, training, response preparation, the National Environmental Policy Act Environmental Assessment, regulatory approvals and operational planning for all major milestones. This extensive preparatory work will help ensure the safe and expeditious defueling of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility. (DoD photo by U.S. Army Spc. Matthew Mackintosh)  

FORD ISLAND, HI, UNITED STATES

05.25.2023

Story by Maj. Jonathon Lewis 

Joint Task Force Red Hill

HONOLULU – Joint Task Force-Red Hill (JTF-RH) officials met with community members at an open house event Tuesday and Wednesday at the Ke’ehi Lagoon Memorial State Park.

At the Defueling Open House event, JTF-RH presented videos and posters to explain the process of defueling the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.

“As we move through the defueling process and work to rebuild trust with the people of Hawaii, we host these open houses to listen to the people,” said Vice Admiral John Wade, Commander of JTF-RH. “We recognize there are concerns and the best way to address those concerns is face to face, one on one.”

The Joint Task Force held the event to provide more information about the status of the defueling operation and to receive feedback and input from the community. The event provided an opportunity for interested members of the public to find out more about what JTF-RH is doing to defuel the facility and set the conditions for its closure.

JTF-RH leadership spoke with community members about the planning and preparation which will allow an early start to defueling, as was recently announced in the updated DoD Defueling Plan.

The event featured a series of videos each detailing a specific part of the defueling process, in order to explain the technical subject matter in basic terms. These videos were accompanied by posters which visually presented the different phases of the defueling process. Joint Task Force directorate chiefs were on hand to answer questions.

Community leaders and interested members of the public in attendance viewed these materials and spoke with JTF-RH officials. These discussions are part of how the DoD is keeping the people of Hawaii informed about the progress of defueling Red Hill.

JTF-RH is committed to working with regulators and government stakeholders to ensure Red Hill is defueled safely, expeditiously, and in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

The videos presented at the open house can be found on the following link: https://www.pacom.mil/JTF-Red-Hill/JTF-RH-Defueling-Open-House/

For more information about JTF-Red Hill, please visit https://www.pacom.mil/JTF-Red-Hill/.

• Date Taken: 05.25.2023
• Date Posted: 05.25.2023 18:38
• Story ID: 445630
• Location: FORD ISLAND, HI, US