Red Hill Closure Plan

• Background
• EPA Comments on the Navy's Closure Plan
  • Closure Plan, Supplements, and Supporting Documents
  • Tank Cleaning Work Plans
  • Tank Cleaning Verification Plan
  • Tank Cleaning Correspondence
  • Pipeline Deconstruction and Removal

Background

Under the 2023 Administrative Consent Order, Navy is required to submit a Closure Plan that describes the process in which the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility (RHBFSF) will be emptied of all residual fuel products and sludge, cleaned, and permanently closed.

Navy submitted the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility Closure Plan to EPA and Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) on November 1, 2022. Supplements to the Closure Plan were provided on February 28, 2023, May 31, 2023, and June 28, 2024. The plan documents can be accessed on the Navy Region Hawaii webpage.

EPA Comments on the Navy's Closure Plan

Closure Plan, Supplements, and Supporting Documents

• EPA Letter: Conditional Approval of Principal Physical Modifications for RHBFSF Tanks (pdf) (345.46 KB, February 25, 2025)
  On February 25, 2025, EPA conditionally approved the Navy Closure Task Force – Red Hill (NCTF-RH) Principal Physical Modifications for Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility (RHBFSF) Field- Constructed Underground Storage Tank Closure.
• EPA Letter: Comments on Principal Physical Modifications for RHBFSF Tanks (pdf) (223.48 KB, January 10, 2025)
  On January 10, 2025, EPA provided comments on the Principal Physical Modifications Plan (December 16, 2024), which describes the disposition of tank interior components.
• EPA Comments on Supplement 2 of the RHBFSF Closure Plan (pdf) (314.38 KB, August 25, 2023)
  On August 25, 2023, EPA provided comments on the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility – Tank Closure Plan Supplement 2 (May 31, 2023) and responded to Navy’s August 16, 2023, letter requesting information on concepts of closure.
• EPA Comments on Supplement 1 of the RHBFSF Closure Plan and Other Associated Closure Plan Documents (pdf) (308.87 KB, April 7, 2023)
  On April 7, 2023, EPA provided comments on: (1) Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility – Tank Closure Plan (November 1, 2022), (2) Comments on the Red Hill Tank Closure Plan Analysis of Alternatives & Concept Design to Close In Place (December 22, 2022), (3) Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility Tank Closure Plan –Supplement 1 (February 28, 2023), and (4) Navy’s Response to 9 February 2023 EPA Comments (February 28, 2023).
• EPA Response to Tank Closure Plan for the RHBFSF (pdf) (299.8 KB, February 9, 2023)
  On February 9, 2023, EPA provided comments on Sections 2, 3, 4, and 7 of the initial Tank Closure Plan for the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility (RHBFSF) submitted by Navy Region Hawaii (November 1, 2023).

Tank Cleaning Work Plans

On October 4, 2023, Navy submitted the Tank Cleaning Work Plan, Environmental Protection Plan, and Waste Management Plan. The plans describe how Navy will clean the Red Hill bulk fuel storage tanks, main facility sumps, and four surge tanks. Below are EPA’s responses to these plans:

• EPA Response to NCTF Comments on Conditional Approval of Tank Cleaning Work Plan (pdf) (348.69 KB, April 12, 2024)
  On April 12, 2024, issued a letter addressing comments Navy had on EPA’s conditional approval of the work plans. The letter also seeks clarification on the Waste Management Plan.
• EPA Conditional Approval of Work Plan, Environmental Protection Plan with Spill Response Plan, and Waste Management Plan regarding Fuel Storage Tank Cleaning for Closure (pdf) (278.17 KB, January 18, 2024)
  On January 18, 2024, EPA granted approval of the Tank Cleaning Work Plan, Environmental Protection Plan, and Waste Management Plan following revised versions submitted by Navy on December 15, 2023.
• EPA Comments on Work Plan, Environmental Protection Plan, and Waste Management Plan regarding Fuel Storage Tank Cleaning for Closure (pdf) (308.48 KB, November 20, 2023)
  On November 20, 2023, EPA provided initial comments on the Tank Cleaning Work Plan, Environmental Protection Plan, and Waste Management Plan.

Tank Cleaning Verification Plan

In support of the Tank Cleaning documents, Navy was asked to develop a Tank Cleaning Verification Plan. The plan will be used to verify that all residual fuel, sludge, and vapor has been removed from the twenty bulk fuel storage tanks, four surge tanks, and two main facility sumps during the cleaning process.

• EPA Conditional Approval of Tank Cleaning Verification Plan (pdf) (215.78 KB, August 19, 2024)
  On August 19, 2024, EPA provided conditional approval of Navy’s revised Tank Cleaning Verification Plan (July 26, 2024).
• EPA Comments on April 12, 2024, Revised Tank Cleaning Verification Plan (pdf) (257.43 KB, May 8, 2024)
  On May 8, 2024, EPA provided comments on Navy’s revised tank cleaning verification plan (April 12, 2024) .
• EPA Comments on Tank Cleaning Verification Plan (pdf) (257.43 KB, February 14, 2024)
  EPA did not approve Navy’s original January 11, 2024, Tank Cleaning Verification Plan. Initial comments were provided in this February 14, 2024, letter.

Tank Cleaning Correspondence

• EPA Letter: Conditional Approval of Tank 6 Degassing (pdf) (233.37 KB, August 29, 2024)
  On August 29, 2024, EPA provided conditional approval to the start of tank 6 degassing at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.
• EPA Letter: Conditional Approval of Tank 8 Sludge Removal (pdf) (201.81 KB, May 29, 2024)
  On May 29, 2024, EPA provided conditional approval to the start of tank 8 sludge removal at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.
• EPA Letter: Conditional Approval of Tank 8 Ventilation (pdf) (202.82 KB, May 29, 2024)
  EPA letter to Commander, U.S. Navy Region Hawaii, conditionally approving the start of tank 8 ventilation at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.

 Pipeline Deconstruction and Removal

As part of the permanent closure of the RHBFSF, Navy will remove the approximately 56,860 linear feet of fuel product pipelines that connects the 20 bulk fuel storage tanks with the pumphouse located at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Removal of the pipelines will prevent fuel from ever being transferred to RHBFSF and will also ensure that all residual trapped in the pipelines will be removed.

On October 24, 2024, Navy submitted the Pipeline Removal Work Plan, Environmental Protection Plan, and Demolition Work Plan. The plans describe how Navy will drain approximately 4,000 gallons of residual fuel and deconstruct, remove, and dispose of the three fuel product pipelines.

• EPA Conditional Approval of Navy Pipeline Removal Plans (pdf) (202.75 KB, April 29, 2025)
  On April 29, 2025, EPA provided conditional approval of Navy Closure Task Force's Pipeline Removal Work Plan, Environmental Protection Plan, and Demolition Work Plan for the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.
• EPA Letter: Comments on NCTF’s Pipeline Removal Plan Response (pdf) (392.12 KB, February 4, 2025)
  On February 4, 2025, EPA issued additional comments in response to Navy Closure Task Force – Red Hill (NCTF-RH) December 16, 2024, letter seeking clarification on the Pipeline Removal Plans (October 24, 2024).
• EPA Comments on Pipeline Removal Work Plan, Environmental Protection Plan, and Demolition Work Plan (pdf) (283.27 KB, November 15, 2024)
  On November 15, 2024, EPA issued comments on the Navy's Pipeline Removal Work Plan, Environmental Protection Plan, and Demolition Work Plan (October 24, 2024).