DOJ says $17M in Red Hill fuel spill settlements paid to 629 plaintiffs

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The U.S. Justice Department says it has issued settlement payments totaling about $17 million to 629 plaintiffs who sued the federal government over the 2021 Red Hill jet fuel spills that contaminated water supplies serving military families at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

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The payments, announced Monday by the department’s Civil Division, stem from claims filed under the Federal Tort Claims Act in two cases, Feindt v. United States and Hughes v. United States. The U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii approved the settlements on May 19, the department said.

“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 A. Shumate, who leads the Civil Division, said the agreements are part of what the government described as efforts to resolve more than 6,500 FTCA claims tied to the 2021 spills.

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The department said 17 plaintiffs went to trial in 2024 after “extensive discovery,” and that based on the results, it has reached settlements with about 3,600 civilian plaintiffs, including those who recently received payment.

The Civil Division said it has filed additional motions for settlement approval that are pending with the court or awaiting payment through the Treasury Department. It said it is prepared to file more motions once the plaintiffs provide proof of eligibility and signed releases.

According to the department, more than 300 plaintiffs in the two cases have met settlement criteria and still need to provide signed releases. The department also said it is waiting on proof of eligibility from about 400 plaintiffs who accepted settlement offers as far back as October 2025.

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