Navy task force reports steady progress on Red Hill decommissioning

Rear Admiral Lester Ortiz, deputy commander of the Navy Closure Task Force Red Hill, told the House special committee the Navy is advancing the decommissioning of the Red Hill fuel storage facility and is committed to transparency and regulatory review.

"My goal is to ensure the committee and the community have the clarity they deserve at every stage," Ortiz said as he outlined a multi-year timeline and three lines of effort: decommissioning, environmental remediation and water resiliency. He said the decommissioning timeline currently takes the task force through calendar year 2028, while environmental cleanup and communication efforts will extend beyond that date.

Ortiz gave specific progress metrics: ventilation operations are complete in 12 tanks (up from six reported previously), pressure washing has been completed in seven tanks, and the team is actively drilling a 49th groundwater monitoring well. He also said the Navy is ‘‘99% complete’’ with pipeline cleaning and has begun pipeline cutting and removal, estimating roughly 10 miles of pipeline will be taken out and shipped to the U.S. mainland for recycling.

The presentation emphasized that the task force coordinates work plans with federal and state regulators and makes monitoring data publicly available on its dashboards and Safe Waters website.

The committee did not take any formal votes. Members asked for follow-up material including a clearer decommissioning chart and regular updates on site characterization and remediation planning.