Justice Department reports about $17 million paid to nearly 630 plaintiffs in Red Hill jet fuel spill lawsuit

The US Department of Justice’s Civil Division issued payments for about $17 million to 629 plaintiffs in two federal lawsuits stemming from the 2021 jet fuel leaks at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility on Oʻahu.

The US District Court for the District of Hawaiʻi approved the settlements on May 19, according to the department. The payments resolve claims in Feindt v. United States and Hughes v. United States, filed under the Federal Tort Claims Act over the spills at the fuel facility, which sits at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on Oʻahu.

Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward said the settlements reflect the department’s commitment to resolving claims from servicemembers and their families harmed by the spills. Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate, who leads the Civil Division, said the agency is working in good faith to resolve more than 6,500 other claims connected to the spills and expects to pay additional claims as they are approved.

The Justice Department said the recent round of payments follows a 2024 trial involving claims from 17 plaintiffs. After that trial, the Civil Division reached settlements with roughly 3,600 civilian plaintiffs, including the 629 who were paid this month.

According to the department, more than 300 plaintiffs in the Feindt and Hughes cases have met all settlement criteria and are waiting only to submit a signed release. Another roughly 400 plaintiffs who accepted settlement offers as far back as October 2025 still need to submit sufficient proof of eligibility, the department said. According to the Justice Department, additional settlement motions are pending before the court or with the US Treasury Department for payment processing.

The 2021 Red Hill spills contaminated the Navy’s Oʻahu water system, prompting thousands of military families to report health symptoms and ultimately leading to the facility’s defueling.