Judge Grants $680K to 17 Families Affected by Jet Fuel Pollution at Hawaii Naval Base

A federal judge has awarded over $680,000 to 17 families who claim they were affected by a 2021 jet fuel leak that contaminated the Navy’s drinking water system in Hawaii. This ruling serves as a significant precedent for approximately 7,500 additional military family members, civilians, and service members whose lawsuits remain unresolved. U.S. District Judge Leslie Kobayashi issued her decision on Wednesday, distributing amounts ranging from $5,000 to over $104,000 to each plaintiff.

In her ruling, she acknowledged that while the contaminated water could have caused various medical issues experienced by the families, there was insufficient evidence to establish a direct connection. The compensation awarded was much lower than the estimated amounts ranging from $225,000 to $1.25 million sought by attorney Kristina Baehr during the two-week trial in Honolulu. The 17 plaintiffs were chosen as bellwether cases because they represented a cross-section of the thousands of individuals still awaiting resolution of their claims.

Baehr expressed her disappointment with the awards but highlighted that the families had successfully demonstrated the serious consequences of the Navy’s actions. Baehr pointed out that the court refuted the government’s assertion that the health problems suffered by thousands of clients were merely psychosomatic. She noted that the legal team is currently exploring options for addressing the remaining cases.

While the government accepted liability for the spill prior to the trial, its attorneys contested whether the plaintiffs had been exposed to enough jet fuel to cause the reported health issues, including vomiting and skin rashes. The spill originated from the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, which was built during the early 1940s. In May 2021, a ruptured pipe released over 20,000 gallons of fuel into a fire suppression line, ultimately contaminating the drinking water supply for Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and nearby residents.

Following the incident, military families reported a range of health issues, prompting significant backlash from legislators and environmental groups. As a result, the military has committed to draining the tanks and closing the facility, with the draining completed last year.