Your Navy

Navy mulling new plan to buttress Hawaii fuel tanks

By The Associated Press

Nov 8, 2019

Senior Navy officials briefed the Honolulu Board of Water Supply, Moanalua Valley Community Association and Pearl City Neighborhood Board No. 21 during a 2015 visit to one of the fuel tanks at the Red Hill Underground Fuel Storage Facility near Pearl Harbor. (Navy)

HONOLULU — The U.S. Navy says it is considering a new plan to use double-wall tanks to upgrade a fuel storage facility in Honolulu.

Hawaii Public Radio reported Thursday that the Navy updated its initial proposal to reinforce tanks at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.

The Navy says if the upgrade cannot be completed it will relocate the fuel in 20 tanks that sit atop the Southern Oahu Basal Aquifer.

RELATED

Navy says double-wall fix to Red Hill fuel tanks could cost billions

The Navy has estimated that the least expensive method of double-walling its fuel tanks that in 2014 spilled 27,000 gallons (102,000 liters) of fuel could cost between $500 million and $2 billion.

A 2014 leak of 27,000 gallons (102,203 liters) of fuel at the facility threatened Oahu’s drinking water and prompted calls for improvements.

The Navy's Sept. 9 proposal had favored single-wall tank upgrades with added monitoring features.

The plan was rejected by a Honolulu City Council committee last month and was opposed by the Board of Water Supply.

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