On Wednesday, the head of the Red Hill defueling operation gave his final mission update, after the Environmental Protection Agency signed off Monday on a mission-accomplished inspection.

Kudos to Navy Vice Adm. John Wade and his Joint Task Force-Red Hill on successfully and expeditiously defueling 104 million-plus gallons from the facility that sits just 100 feet above a key aquifer. Fuel removal was imperative, after the November 2021 spill disaster that contaminated the area’s water supply.

Effects of that contamination linger to this day, with military families worried about ongoing water toxicity. The Navy Closure Task Force-Red Hill now takes over from Wade’s team — and it must employ the same high level of transparency and diligence toward facility closure and environmental remediation.