The Department of Justice, Civil Division, has issued payments to 629 plaintiffs in Feindt v. United States and Hughes v. United States who brought claims against the U.S. government under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) as a result of the 2021 jet fuel spills at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, located at Joint Base Pearl Harbour Hickam (2021 Red Hill Spills).

According to a statement on Wednesday, the payments were issued on Monday.

The settlements totalling approximately $17 million were approved by the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii on May 19.

“This Justice Department is proud to announce the fair and efficient resolution of claims relating to the Red Hill jet fuel spills,” said associate attorney general Stanley Woodward. “These latest settlements show that we strive to handle all potential settlements justly, and according to the public interest, without exception.”

“These settlements are the latest example of the United States’ good faith efforts to resolve the over 6,500 FTCA claims arising from the 2021 Red Hill Spills,” said assistant attorney general Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The settlements represent a fair and just resolution of claims, and we look forward to paying additional claims once they are approved.”

In 2024, following extensive discovery, the claims of 17 plaintiffs went to trial. Based on the trial results, the civil division has reached settlements with approximately 3,600 civilian plaintiffs, including the 629 plaintiffs who recently received payment.

The civil division continues to process settlements and has filed several additional motions for settlement approval, which are pending approval by the court or payment by the Treasury Department.

The division is prepared to file additional motions for settlement approval as soon as Plaintiffs provide sufficient proof of eligibility and signed releases.

Currently, more than 300 Feindt and Hughes plaintiffs have met all settlement criteria and need only provide a signed release.

Additionally, the division is waiting on sufficient proof of settlement eligibility from approximately 400 Feindt and Hughes plaintiffs who accepted the United States’ settlement offer as long ago as October 2025.

Once these documents are provided, the division will file additional motions for settlement approval and, upon approval, pay additional claims.