Navy to Start Ventilating Red Hill Facility Tank 4; Air Quality Monitoring Continues

by NCTF-RH Public Affairs

Navy Closure Task Force-Red Hill (NCTF-RH) began cleaning tank 3 at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility (RHBFSF) the week of March 10 and is now ready to begin tank 4.  
   
With approval from the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH), NCTF-RH will start venting tank 4 at the facility the week of March 31, or when the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) emissions from tank 3 measure at or below 4.82 pounds per hour, replicating the process previously used during the safe and deliberate venting and initial cleaning of tanks 5 through 8.   
   
The initial venting, or degassing phase, eliminates VOCs from the tank by pushing clean air from the bottom of the tank and exhausting it through a complex ventilation system. While this process is necessary to ensure a safe working environment within the tanks, NCTF-RH is also taking steps to monitor air quality in the area.  
   
NCTF-RH installed nine air quality monitoring (AQM) stations in and around RHBFSF, including at the Halawa Correctional Facility, to track changes in air quality, measure VOC levels, and collect atmospheric data (i.e., air speed, wind direction, temperature, humidity, barometric pressure).  NCTF-RH continuously monitors the air quality to ensure emissions from ventilation are maintained at less than DOH’s limit of 38 parts per million by volume (ppmv) total VOCs. Since degassing operations began in summer 2024, VOC level readings have averaged 0.080 ppmv.   
   
During the degassing phase, AQM data is updated hourly on the NCTF-RH mobile app, and daily on the NCTF-RH website. After the degassing phase, AQM data is updated daily during ventilation operations.   
   
NCTF-RH has a series of fail-safes and redundancies to mitigate risk and safeguard the area around the tanks. In the event of a VOC exceedance during operations, NCTF-RH will alert regulators, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, Honolulu Department of Emergency Management, and the public via the NCTF-RH app, website (www.navyclosuretaskforce.navy.mil), and a press release to the media. For questions or concerns, contact the Navy Call Center at 808-210-6968.      
   

For more information about NCTF-RH, visit www.navyclosuretaskforce.navy.mil or download our free mobile app by searching for “NCTF-Red Hill” in the Apple App store or Google Play store. 

SAFE. DELIBERATE. ENGAGED. COMMITTED. 

- NCTF-RH -