politics
Justice Department distributes $17 million to 629 Red Hill contamination claimants
The Justice Department has paid out roughly $17 million to 629 people affected by a 2021 jet fuel leak at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility in Hawaii. The payments resolve claims filed under the Federal Tort Claims Act.
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The Department of Justice announced Wednesday that it has distributed approximately $17 million in settlement payments to 629 people harmed by the Red Hill jet fuel contamination crisis in Hawaii. The payments stem from a November 2021 fuel leak at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility near Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on Oahu, where jet fuel contaminated a drinking water system serving thousands of military personnel, civilian employees, and their families.
The facility stored multiple types of fuel, including JP-5, F-24, and F-76, as well as aqueous film-forming foam, a firefighting suppressant.
Background on the contamination The affected residents filed claims against the federal government under the Federal Tort Claims Act, which allows individuals to seek damages for injuries caused by the negligent acts of federal employees. The claims of 17 plaintiffs proceeded to trial in 2024, with the Justice Department’s Civil Division reaching settlement agreements with roughly 3,600 civilian plaintiffs, including the 629 claimants who recently received payments.
A federal judge in 2025 awarded damages ranging from $5,000 to $100,000 to plaintiffs selected for the bellwether trial, a decision that helped establish a framework for resolving thousands of remaining claims.
Department officials “This Justice Department is proud to announce the efficient resolution of claims relating to the Red Hill jet fuel spills that harmed American servicemembers and their families,” Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward said in a statement.
” Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate said the settlements represent the federal government’s continued effort to resolve more than 6,500 claims tied to the contamination. “The settlements represent a fair and just resolution of claims and we look forward to paying additional claims once they are approved,” he added.
