Red Hill: The Navy’s Underground Fuel Storage Facility
Publication: Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction
Volume 16, Issue 1
Abstract
The Red Hill facility is an underground fuel storage facility located in Oahu, Hawaii. It was opened in 1943, perceiving an urgent need during WW II to store fuel, and cost USD 42.2 million to construct. The fuel storage facility consists of twenty steel-lined underground storage tanks that can store 12.5 million gallons of fuel. Recently this site became a topic of interest again when approximately 19,000 gal. of fuel leaked into the surrounding water aquifers ultimately leading to the closure of three major water supplies to the island of Oahu. This fuel leak affected the water supply of around 93,000 Hawaii residents, including military personnel. Homes, schools, and businesses around the affected area reported fuel-contaminated water and health problems related to fuel exposure. This article will examine the legal history of the Red Hill fuel storage bunkers, the division of power between state and federal entities, and the legal challenges that the State of Hawaii surmounted to ultimately close the facility.
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Data Availability Statement
No data, models, or code were generated or used during the study.
Acknowledgments
Many thanks are due to Mr. Scott Lam, MS, for work on this study.
Disclaimer
This case seeks to recount the events that took place and do not represent any legal opinion. Readers should consult an attorney for a direct interpretation of the various judgments handed down in the case.
References
List of Cases
Red Hill Recommended Decision, Finding of Fact, Red Hill UST Permit Application Proposed Decision & Order, Findings of Fact and Conclusion of Law,” Dept of Health, State of Hawaii, Docket No. 19-UST-EA-01, September 2021, https://www.scribd.com/document/524707077/Red-Hill-recommended-decision-finding-of-fact#, last accessed April 20, 2023.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction
Volume 16 • Issue 1 • February 2024
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Feb 10, 2023
Accepted: May 9, 2023
Published online: Oct 13, 2023
Published in print: Feb 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Mar 13, 2024
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