The Navy issued written reprimands to three now-retired military officers for their roles in the 2021 jet fuel spill into Pearl Harbor’s drinking water. However, no one was fired, suspended, had their pay docked, or had their rank reduced due to the incident. The spill, which originated from the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, resulted in the poisoning of thousands of military families and continues to pose a threat to the purity of Honolulu’s water supply.
Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro issued censure letters to the three rear admirals, the Navy said in a news release. He also revoked personal military decorations awarded to five rear admirals, three captains and one commander. “Taking accountability is a step in restoring trust in our relationship with the community,” Del Toro said in a statement.
The spill “was not acceptable,” and the Navy will continue “to take every action to identify and remedy this issue,” he said. A Navy investigation last year concluded a series of errors caused the fuel to leak into a well that supplied water to housing and offices in and around Joint Base Pearl Harbour-Hickam. About 6,000 people suffered nausea, headaches, rashes and other symptoms.
The investigation concluded operator error caused a pipe to rupture when fuel was being transferred between tanks on May 6, 2021, leading 21,000 gallons (80,000 liters) to spill. Most of this liquid flowed into a fire suppression line and sat there for six months, causing the line to sag. A cart then rammed into the drooping line on November 20, releasing 20,000 gallons (75,700 liters) of fuel that entered a French drain and the drinking water well.
The spill came even though the Navy for years reassured Oahu residents their water was safe despite Red Hill’s history of leaks, including when 27,000 gallons (1,02,206 litres) seeped from one tank. This incident of water poisoning upset people across Hawaii, including veterans, environmentalists, Native Hawaiians, liberals, and conservatives. Wayne Tanaka, director of the Sierra Club of Hawaii, called the reprimands “outrageous” considering the damage done and the ongoing threat the leak poses to an aquifer underneath the tanks. “Just to have these written slaps on the wrist is insulting to our people, to our dignity,” Tanaka said. After months of resistance, the military agreed to an order from the state of Hawaii to drain the World War II-era tanks. It has spent the past year repairing equipment at the facility to safely remove the fuel beginning next month. It expects to finish by January 19.
