CBS News
Military families in Hawaii still have health concerns after jet fuel spill into Pearl Harbor water system
A 4-year-old girl is one of thousands exposed to contaminated water after jet fuel tainted the water supply of the Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam Navy facility in Hawaii in 2021.
She woke up with a cough that never went away 13 days after the water was contaminated, mom Brittany Traeger said. Now she gets hour-long nebulizer treatments for her respiratory problems and, at least twice a day, the girl wears a vibrating vest to clear her lungs. Her parents are among 2,000 military families suing the government, alleging they were harmed by negligence at Red Hill, a fuel storage facility near the Pearl Harbor military base.
“There’s a body of government that failed,” Traeger said. “They contaminated our water, they lied to us, they did not protect us, and they did not intervene.”
What happened at Red Hill
When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, construction was already underway to protect the Navy’s fuel reserves from an aerial attack. It took a little less than three years, with up to 4,000 men working there at the peak of construction, Vice Admiral John Wade said.
Seven miles of tunnels cut through volcanic rock at the Red Hill fuel storage facility. The storage site, once a secret facility, provided fuel for the Pacific Fleet and its planes for 80 years. Wade showed 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi one of 20 tanks at the facility. It holds 12.5 million gallons.
“And to give you kind of a reference point, the Statue of Liberty — not the base, but the statue itself — can fit in here with enough room,” Wade said.
60 Minutes
Decades later, the testament to American resolve became a monumental liability after jet fuel sprayed from a cracked pipe inside Red Hill on Nov. 20, 2021. The fuel, 20,000 gallons of it, was trapped in a plastic pipe. The weight caused the pipe to sag and a trolley hit it.
For 21 hours, jet fuel spewed close to the well that supplied drinking water for 93,000 people on and around the base at Pearl Harbor.
The workers who responded didn’t have the right tools to contain the spill, according to Navy investigators. They also assumed there was no danger to the drinking water.
They were wrong. At least 5,000 gallons of jet fuel drained into the tunnel floor and into the Navy water system.
What families were told after the spill
The day after the spill, the Navy issued a press release about the incident and told the 8,400 families living in military housing “the water remains safe to drink,” even though the Navy had not tested the water yet.
Traeger lived on base, about two and a half miles from Red Hill, along with her daughter and husband, who’s a Navy chief petty officer.
“My husband came into the kitchen and washed his hands and said, ‘Gosh, the water smells like I just did an oil change,'” Traeger said.
She said she began to feel sick a week after the spill. She had a cough, swollen tonsils and vertigo.
60 Minutes
Nine days after the spill, the commanding officer of the base sent an email to residents saying “there are no immediate indications that the water is not safe. My staff and I are drinking the water.”
Traeger said she stopped using water and stopped taking baths, doing the same for her daughter — just because she had a bad feeling, not because anyone told her to. The Navy had given out an email address for people to contact if they wanted their water tested.
“I emailed those people, who then emailed me a phone number that I should call. And I called that phone number for days and it was just busy,” Traeger said. “They were overwhelmed and inundated with reports.”
Ten days after the spill, there were more than 200 reports from six neighborhoods across the base of strong fuel odor coming from kitchen and bathroom faucets. But the Navy said its initial tests did not detect fuel.
Navy reverses course
After 12 days and four statements assuring residents the water was fine, the Navy reversed course. On Dec. 2, 2021, it announced more comprehensive tests conducted by the Navy had detected jet fuel in the water.
Three weeks after the spill, tests from the Hawaii Department of Health revealed jet fuel levels 350 times higher than what the state considers safe.
Richelle Dietz, who lives on base with her husband, a Navy chief petty officer, and their two children, was so sick to the stomach when she heard the news that she threw up.
“Because my kids had just been poisoned,” Dietz said.
60 Minutes
Within a month of the spill, the Navy set up medical tents for residents. Some complained of stomach problems, severe fatigue and coughing. The military moved more than 4,000 families to hotels.
The water system was flushed over three months and bottled water was brought in. Three months passed before Pearl Harbor’s drinking water was deemed safe again.
The Navy’s own investigations into the spill described “cascading failures” and revealed poor training, supervision and ineffective leadership at Red Hill that fell “unacceptably short of Navy standards.”
Closing Red Hill down
Hawaiians have raised concerns about the threat of smaller leaks at Red hill for the last decade. The primary water supply for the city of Honolulu is 100 feet below the Navy complex.
In March of 2022, the secretary of defense ordered Red Hill permanently closed. Vice Admiral Wade was brought in to get the 104 million gallons of fuel out of the tanks and move it safely to sites around the Pacific.
“We’ve got to defuel. That’s the imminent threat,” Wade said. “There’s ongoing and will be continued long-term environmental remediation to restore the aquifer, the land and surrounding area. And then there’s also a medical component for those that have been impacted.”
In six months, Wade’s team in Hawaii successfully removed almost all of the fuel, but it took two years before the Navy issued disciplinary letters to 14 officers involved in the spill response, including five admirals.
Meredith Berger, an assistant secretary of the Navy, said the Navy has been accountable.
“It’s accountability within the system that we have established,” Berger said. “We have heard that this was too long, and that maybe it didn’t go far enough.”
Grappling with health concerns and suing the government
Two thousand military families agree the Navy didn’t go far enough and are suing the government. The lawsuit is set to go to trial on Monday.
Dietz, who’s joined the suit, feels angry and betrayed. Her husband has been in the Navy for almost 18 years and the family has moved across the country and across oceans for his work.
“We gave so much of our life to the Navy for them to ignore warnings,” Dietz said. “And then we were directly and blatantly lied to about it.
Her daughter’s tonsils became inflamed days after the spill and her son started suffering from chronic headaches, she said. The mom says neither of them had those problems before November 2021.
Small studies of military personnel suggest jet fuel exposure can lead to neurological and breathing problems, but the long-term impact of ingesting jet fuel is unknown because it’s so unlikely to ever happen.
It’s unclear how many got sick, but of 2,000 people who responded to a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 850 sought medical care.
Navy leadership has apologized for the spill, but has not said that the contaminated water is the cause of the ongoing illnesses. It did set up a clinic on base to collect data and treat anyone who believes they have health issues related to the tainted water.
Berger was asked if those services would still be available down the road.
60 Minutes
“That is part of why we are making sure that we’re collecting that information to inform future actions and what the requirements are for those types of needs and care,” Berger said.
“I want to be careful, because I don’t do the health care part of things,” Berger said. “I don’t want to speak outside of where I have any authority or decision.”
When 60 Minutes followed up with the Defense Department, it said it is reviewing the question of long-term health care for military families, including more than 3,100 children.
The Navy is conducting daily tests at Pearl Harbor and says it is confident there is no fuel in the tap water.
Traeger shared what accountability looks like for her.
“A lifelong-care plan for me, my family, and the people affected,” she said. “And that will restore my faith in my nation.”
Usher accepted the lifetime achievement award at the 2024 BET Awards – even if the superstar mused it might be a bit early.
The Grammy winner stayed on his feet as a parade of artists performed his hits – Childish Gambino kicked it off with “U Don’t Have to Call,” joined by Keke Palmer, who took the lead on “You Make Me Wanna…” Coco Jones appeared in the audience for a sultry rendition of “There Goes My Baby,” serenading Usher and his wife Jenn Goicoechea.
Aude Guerrucci / REUTERS
Summer Walker hit the stage for “Good Good,” Tinashe did “Nice & Slow,” Marsha Ambrosius tackled “Superstar” and Chlöe performed “Good Kisser.” Teyana Taylor and Victoria Monét teamed up for “Bad Girl,” mirroring Usher and Beyoncé’s choreography from their performance of the song. Latto brought the energy for “Yeah!” In some ways, the homage underscored the women that carried much of the night – dominating the performances.
After introductions by Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam, Usher accepted the award from music executive L.A. Reid.
“Getting here has definitely not been easy, but it has been worth it,” Usher began his lengthy speech, reflecting on his career, which has spanned over three decades. He questioned the timing, saying, “I’m still running and gunning and I still love this (expletive) like I did when I was 8 years old,” he said.
Much of his speech couldn’t be heard to audiences at home because it was censored.
“I forgive each and every person who had anything to say negative about me because it only motivated me to be who I am,” he said at one point.
Earlier in the night, Will Smith stood in a circle of fire – joined by Fridayy and the gospel choir Sunday Service – to make the live debut of his latest single, “You Can Make It.”
“I don’t know who needs this right now,” Smith opened his set. “But I am here to tell you, you can make it.”
Mid-way through, Kirk Franklin joined, and then two rapped together. “Nobody gets an easy ride,” Smith, who is in the midst of his comeback from slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars two years ago, told the room. “There is wisdom in that fire. Dance in your darkest moments.”
Aude Guerrucci / REUTERS
The forthcoming presidential election was a huge topic of conversation throughout the show. After Childish Gambino presented Killer Mike with the album of the year award for “Michael,” the rapper used his acceptance speech to address his Grammys arrest and voting.
“Technically, I was not supposed to be here. I was put in handcuffs, and I was marched out of this building. But I want to tell you, look at God. ‘Cause I’m back, baby. I’m back and I’m winning,” he said in his speech. Killer Mike was arrested at the Grammys earlier this year over a physical altercation he said was caused by an “over-zealous” security guard; he was not charged over the incident.
“They going to tell you who we vote for is important,” he continued his speech, “And it is who we vote for on the big stage. It’s important, but it’s more important you know who your city council person is, who your prosecutor is.”
Megan Thee Stallion opened the show by emerging from an egg – a metaphor for her a new musical rebirth – before diving into with an energetic medley of her new singles “Hiss” and “Boa.”
“BET, Where my girls at?” she said, shouting out Monét and Jones in the crowd before launching into “Where Them Girls At” – a track that’s been an immediate fan favorite since Friday’s release of her third studio album, “Megan.”
Taraji P. Henson hosted the show at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Her opening monologue was a performance, Henson rapping “It’s about us,” in a loose parody of Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” which he released in the midst of his reignited feud with Drake.
“No beef in here tonight,” she joked, “Can we say plant-based?”
Tyla, the Johannesburg , South African amapiano superstar, won two honors on the show, starting with best international act.
Later in the night, she’d take home the award for best new artist. “This is crazy,” she said. “I just want to dedicate this one to Africa.”
Monét, who earlier this year won the Grammy for best new artist, made her BET debut and set a high bar for performances, condensing a full set into a few mins with three costume changes and a pair of songs, “On My Mama” and “Alright.”
Then Sexyy Red took the stage, performing her smooth bedroom ballad “U My Everything” before moving to another stage and a costume change – tackling “Get It Sexyy” in front of an LED screen depicting the White House and dancers dressed like the Secret Service.
The show took a tonal shift when VanVan and Heiress Harris, two child rappers, their empowerment anthem “Be You” in a school room set. Harris is the daughter of rapper T.I. and singer Tiny Harris.
Best female R&B/pop artist went to SZA and best actress to Regina King, both of whom were not in attendance; the BET HER award went to Monét for “On My Mama.” She brought her mother up to accept it.
Country musician Tanner Adell brought her “Buckle Bunny” and her new song, “Cowboy Break My Heart.” GloRilla emerged from above, descending to join her dancers for “Yeah Glo!” and “Wanna Be” – the latter of which saw a surprise appearance from Megan Thee Stallion. Shaboozey kept the country coming with “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” and was joined by rapper J-Kwon, who appears on the track, creating an unexpected and rewarding collaboration across genres.
Lauryn Hill closed the night, beginning with “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” going into “Lost Ones,” before introducing her son YG Marley for his reggae tracks “Survival” and “Praise Jah In The Moonlight.” Best of all: Wyclef Jean appeared, and the trio – in front of a full-band – performed Fugees’ “Fu-Gee-La.” Pras, the third member of Fugees, was not present. The rapper, who was accused in multimillion-dollar political conspiracies spanning two presidencies, was convicted in April.
Boeing announced plans to acquire Spirit AeroSystems for $4.7 billion in an all-stock transaction. Spirit is part of the aerospace giant’s supply chain.
Boeing, located in Arlington, Virginia, announced the purchase in a statement early Monday. Spirit is headquartered in Wichita, Kansas.
At about the same time, European aerospace giant Airbus said it had entered into an agreement to buy “major activities related to Airbus” from Spirit.
Under intentions laid out in the announcements, Boeing would take over most of Spirit’s operations.
Spirit builds fuselages and other significant parts for both Boeing and Airbus.
The Airbus agreement is set to commence when Boeing’s acquisition of Spirit is completed, the two U.S. companies said.
The Boeing acquisition’s equity value of $4.7 billion is $37.25 per share, while the total value of the deal is around $8.3 billion, which includes Spirit’s last reported net debt, Boeing said.
Airbus said it would “be compensated by payment of $559 million” from Spirit “for a nominal consideration of $1.00, subject to adjustments including based on the final transaction perimeter.”
Boeing on why it’s making the move
Boeing President and CEO Dave Calhoun said in the company’s statement that, “We believe this deal is in the best interest of the flying public, our airline customers, the employees of Spirit and Boeing, our shareholders and the country more broadly.”
Boeing previously owned Spirit, and Boeing said bringing the supplier back into the Boeing fold would improve plane quality and safety, which have come under increasing scrutiny by regulators, Congress and airlines.
“By reintegrating Spirit, we can fully align our commercial production systems, including our Safety and Quality Management Systems, and our workforce to the same priorities, incentives and outcomes – centered on safety and quality,” Calhoun said.
The purchase of Spirit would reverse a longtime Boeing strategy of outsourcing key work on its passenger planes. That approach has been criticized as problems at Spirit disrupted production and delivery of popular Boeing jetliners, including 737s and 787s.
Concerns about safety came to a head after the Jan. 5 blowout of a panel on an Alaska 737 Max 9 at 16,000 feet over Oregon. The Federal Aviation Administration soon after announced increased oversight of Boeing and Spirit.
Plea deal for Boeing?
Separately, the Justice Department on Sunday presented Boeing with a plea deal after it accused Boeing of violating the terms of a 2021 deferred prosecution agreement that was put in place following two 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019.
The department told Boeing it could plead guilty or go to trial, people familiar with the talks confirmed to CBS News. The agreement would have the company plead guilty to the conspiracy charge it originally faced in 2021. In exchange, Boeing would pay a fine and enter a three-year probationary period, the people said.
The DOJ outlined the deal in a presentation to family members of the 737 Max crash victims earlier Sunday before presenting it to Boeing.
News of the plea deal was first reported by Reuters.
If Boeing agrees, a judge would have to sign off on the accord.
But Paul Cassell, an attorney who represents 15 of the victims’ families, told CBS News the proposal was “another sweetheart plea deal” and said the families will “strenuously object” to the deal.
Titanium parts a concern
On another safety front, the FAA said in June it is investigating how titanium parts that were sold with falsified quality documentation were used in the construction of Boeing and Airbus passenger jets in recent years.
Boeing and Airbus said the planes with the falsely documented parts are safe to fly, but Boeing said it would remove affected parts from planes that had not yet shipped to airline customers.
Americans have a specific dollar figure in mind for what it would take to financially secure, according to a new survey from Bankrate. That magic number? $186,000 in annual income.
Currently, only 6% of U.S. adults make that amount or more, Bankrate said. The median family income falls between $51,500 and $86,000, according to the latest federal data.
Attaining a sense of financial security means paying all of one’s bills as well as purchasing some wants, while having enough left over to save for the future, the personal finance site said. However, many inflation-weary consumers are experiencing increased financial stress, with a new Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia survey finding that 35% of Americans are worried about making ends meet, up from 29% a year earlier.
That gap between what the typical American makes now and what they aspire to earn means “Americans have their eyes set on this high income, and they think they need to make more money even if they know it’s unrealistic they’ll never make that amount,” Sarah Foster, an analyst at Bankrate, told CBS MoneyWatch.
Earning more remains at the top of many Americans’ priorities as the price of shelter, food and medical care remain stubbornly high after two years of rising inflation. To cope, consumers are cutting spending on dining out, entertainment and travel, a TransUnion study found.
Bankrate’s survey of 2,400 Americans in mid-May found that younger generations are more optimistic about eventually earning enough to live comfortably.
What does it take to be rich?
Americans have an even higher yardstick for feeling rich. The survey found they believe they would need to earn $520,000 a year to qualify as wealthy — up from their $483,000 response during the same survey last year.
The rising cost of consumer goods is a chief reason for the increase, Foster said. “Inflation is the centerpiece to this narrative,” Foster said. “Americans know where the bar is for living comfortably, but every time they get there, the cost of living goes up and the bar grows further and further away.”
Another recent report found that adults in major U.S. cities need to earn $96,500 annually before taxes to afford basic necessities and savings, while a two-parent household with two children needs a combined $235,000 for a comfortable life.
Interestingly, 2023 research from the late Nobel Prize-winning economist Daniel Kahneman and colleagues suggests that happiness does increase with income, up to about $500,000 – roughly the income Americans told Bankrate would make them feel rich.
