CNO visits Navy Closure Task Force – Red Hill
06 April 2024
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Lisa Franchetti visited Navy Closure Task Force – Red Hill (NCTF-RH), April 4, to reinforce the Navy’s commitment to the safe and expeditious closure of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility (RHBFSF).
While there, Franchetti reiterated the Navy's commitment over the long term to protecting the environment, the aquifer, and the broader community. She also stressed the Navy's dedication to working with local, state, and federal regulators to ensure the RHBFSF’s underground storage tanks and piping system are permanently closed, and to rebuilding trust with the people of Hawaii.
“We have a tremendous responsibility to the community here – the community you are all a part of – and to the island of Oahu itself,” Franchetti told the NCTF-RH team. “Your task ahead is a significant, serious effort to safely close Red Hill. The relationships that you’ve built alongside JTF-Red Hill are critical and I know that you will continue to prioritize and invest in those relationships.”
During the visit, CNO held a meeting with Rear Adm. Steve Barnett, commander, NCTF-RH, and commander, Navy Region Hawaii, and his leadership team, to receive an update on their Integrated Master Schedule and strategic community engagement plan. She emphasized that the closure of RHBFSF is one of her top priorities and she will work closely with U.S. Pacific Fleet and NCTF-RH to ensure a safe closure of the facility.
Prior to the meeting she also met with Sailors and Navy civilians to recognize their dedication and hard work as a partner to JTF-Red Hill in the defueling process, taking part in community outreach events and stakeholder engagement opportunities with open and transparent communication, and for ensuring an effective transition to NCTF-RH.
“I couldn’t be more proud of our Navy team and the work that you did here with the Joint Task Force Red Hill,” Franchetti said. “You have been incredibly effective, 99.9 percent of fuel is gone - six months early – and a lot of work went in to making that happen, while you laid the foundation for the future of the Navy Closure Task Force – Red Hill.”
NCTF-RH assumed full responsibility of the facility March 28, 2024 from Joint Task Force-Red Hill. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stood up JTF-RH in September 2022 to defuel the RHBFSF, which was completed Dec. 7, 2023. NCTF-RH’s mandate includes overseeing the closure of the tanks, removal of pipelines, long-term environmental remediation, and decommissioning of the facility.
According to Franchetti, her visit to NCTF-RH underscores the Navy's commitment to transparency and accountability, and continuous dedication to the people of Hawaii and our joint service members and their families.
This was Franchetti’s first visit to NCTF-RH as the Chief of Naval Operations.