In November 2021, a group of around 93,000 people living near the U.S. military’s strategic fuel storage facility near Honolulu, Hawaii discovered that their drinking water had been contaminated with toxic jet fuel. This contamination occurred when 27,000 gallons of jet fuel leaked into the aquifer near Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. As a result, more than 2,500 individuals who experienced side effects from ingesting the jet fuel have come together to file a lawsuit against the government, seeking up to $1.25 million each in damages.
The facility in question, Red Hill, is known to be the largest fuel storage site in the Pacific and dates back to World War II. Situated underground in tunnels up to 20 stories deep, Red Hill was designed to store as much as 250 million gallons of strategic fuel reserves for the Navy’s Pacific Fleet.
Kristina Baehr, a trial lawyer from Just Well Law, is representing the military families and civilians involved in the lawsuit against the U.S. government. She expressed that her clients have been dealing with a range of long-term symptoms such as Parkinson’s disease and seizures. Baehr herself decided to leave her job at the Department of Justice to advocate for families affected by toxic exposure after her own family experienced similar issues.
One of the families involved in the lawsuit is that of Jaclyn Hughes. Hughes had recently given birth to her son, Maverick, around the time of the fuel leak. Shortly after his birth, Maverick developed red rashes, while Hughes experienced throat irritation after consuming the contaminated water at their residence. Hughes’s husband, a member of the U.S. Navy, missed the birth of their child due to deployment and returned home to find the water smelling of gasoline.
Another plaintiff, Aurora Briggs, was 22 years old when the incident occurred. Living in civilian housing on Navy-owned land with her family, Briggs has faced numerous symptoms ranging from a sore throat to memory loss and cognitive difficulties. Despite now residing in Arizona, she has struggled to access proper care for her conditions.
Both Hughes and Briggs hold the U.S. Navy responsible for mishandling the situation following the fuel leak. They feel betrayed by the institution that was meant to protect them and their families. While Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the closure of the Red Hill facility in March 2022 and initiated the relocation of millions of gallons of fuel, families continue to report issues such as oily sheens and odors in the water supply.
Although the Navy asserts that water samples now meet safety standards after extensive testing, families impacted by the incident are demanding acknowledgment of the harm caused and accountability from the authorities involved. The road to recovery from the aftermath of the fuel leak remains long and challenging for those affected.