Latest news with #BLNR
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Army publishes final environmental impact statements for Oʻahu lands
HONOLULU (KHON2) — The U.S. Army has published is final environmental impact statement regarding the proposed retention of around 6,300 acres of state-owned lands at Kahuku Training Area, Kawailoa-Poamoho Training Area and Mākua Military Reservation on Oʻahu. This comes after the Army's request to maintain their usage of the Pohakuloa Training Area on Hawaiʻi Island was denied by the state Board of Land and Natural Resources just days ago. State land board rejects Army lease extension on training site According to the environmental impact statement, the Army is looking to lease less land at the Kahuku Training Area, while also not requesting further use at Kawailoa-Poamoho Training Area and Mākua Military Reservation. The Army's current lease on the land is set to expire in August 2029. For more information, visit the Army's website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hawaii board rejects Army's EIS for renewed lease of Pohakuloa Training Area
The state Board of Land and Natural Resources voted Friday to reject the Army's Final Environmental Impact Statement on its proposal to renew its lease on state owned land on on Hawaii island that makes up its Pohakuloa Training Area. The vote came after a day of public testimony from residents across the islands, some who showed up in person and others who spoke over a Zoom teleconference. Those who testified overwhelmingly called on the BLNR to reject the EIS, citing wide-ranging concerns about lack gaps on environmental impacts, efforts to protect Native Hawaiian traditional burial sites and other issues they had with the document—as well as with the military use of the area as a whole. The board ultimately decided that, along with several other data gaps, warranted rejecting the EIS. In the board's motion, its members also called on the Army to submit additional updated information to the board. 'I've been on the board for a little over two years. This is probably the hardest decision that I know, that I've had to make, ' said BLNR chair Dawn Chang before the vote. 'You know, it's always hard to deal in our trying to find balance. Our mission is to preserve and protect cultural and natural resources, but also recognizing that we have other competing interests, including national defense.' The ruling is a setback for the Army, but does not end its efforts to retain training land after its leases expire in 2029. In a statement released Friday evening the Department of Land and Natural Resources said, 'An EIS is intended to support informed decision-making and does not, by itself, authorize any land use. No decision has been made on the Army's long-term lease request. A separate review and determination will be required should such a request be brought before the board in the future.' Situated between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, PTA is the military's largest contiguous live-fire range and maneuver training area in the islands. The state parcel of 22, 750 acres sits between two federally owned pieces of land, collectively making up 132, 000 acres. Army officials call the leased land 'the connective tissue ' of PTA. In recent years, PTA has become central to the Army's new Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center, a series of training ranges in Hawaii and Alaska aimed at preparing soldiers for operations in the Pacific amid tensions with China. Hawaii island resident Ana Kahoopii testified to the BLNR that she lives downind of PTA, saying that 'we lost our pastoral lots during the last wildfire that was started at PTA, so we can't keep cattle on our property anymore. The largest island aquifer also lies between PTA. It's unprotected. The desecration of very own cultural sites, preparation for war with China, isn't protecting us. It's actually making us a target of retaliation.' 'The land can't be restored and destroyed, ' said Alihilani Katoa, a member of thr group Hui Aloha Aina, who spoke of how native birds were being harmed. 'The EIS also notes that 38 bird species were observed, but only five native birds were detected on state lands. This is not proof of proactive management, as the Army claims, it's a warning. A warning that we are failing to preserve our native avifauna, many of which are culturally sacred and ecologically critical.' Many of the testimonies drew upon concerns raised by agencies under the state DNLR itself, which have been critical of previous drafts of the EIS and called them incomplete. Among concerns DLNR raised were that they considered much of the data in the EIS outdated—the most recent biological survey it cited was from 2013. The Army is working on new environmental surveys expected to be completed by the end of 2025. The Army, which obtained the parcel at PTA and other lands it uses for training for a mere $1 in 1964, and has faced increasing scrutiny of the effects of training on the environment and ancient Hawaiian cultural sites. The state now considers its parcel at Pohakuloa to be a conservation district and DLNR has said that military use of the land is 'not consistent ' with that designation. The Army has argued that the state's designation of the land as a conservation district did not apply to its operations, as the military already had the lease and had been training since before the designation, essentially grandfathering it in. But the final EIS seemingly concedes that under a new lease, that would not be the case. 'U.S. Army Hawai 'i understands and deeply respects the concerns expressed by community members, cultural practitioners, and environmental advocates regarding the Army's presence and activities at Pohakuloa Training Area, ' said Lt. Col. Tim Alvarado, the officer who oversees operations at PTA. 'We recognize that past actions have caused harm and eroded trust, and we continue to seek a balance with consideration for the cultural and environmental significance of this land.' A small handful of people testified in support of approving the EIS. Matthew Chalker, a Waikoloa Village resident and self-described wildfire safety advocate said that he believed the EIS was thorough and that and argued that firefighting facilities at PTA have been critical in protecting his community and training other firefighters across the state. Riley Smith, who represents Hawaii island on the BLNR, opposed the motion to reject the EIS and argued that he believed the Army had acted in good faith to provide the best data it could. BLNR at-large member Vernon Char, who abstained from the vote, said he believed the public testimony 'was very one-sided. It was very well planned and very emotional … many of the statements made today in opposition were very sincere, But some of it, I thought, was misdirected, and maybe not really relevant to the issue of whether the EIS should be accepted as having positioned everything, subject to negotiation.' In a statement Friday night, Gov. Josh Green said, 'I respect the Board's decision and the community voices that guide it. Military members who utilize this area to train for local and national security and emergency missions are our neighbors, our children's classmates, and often our own ʻohana. While the rejection of the Final EIS presents challenges, it is not the end of the conversation. We remain committed to finding new paths that protect Hawai 'i's natural and cultural resources while supporting national security. This is a time for collaboration, not division, as we seek balanced solutions that honor both our heritage and our future.' U.S. Sens. Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono, along with U.S. Reps. Ed Case and Jill Tokua released a joint statement, saying that 'from the beginning of this important process, we have encouraged the collaboration and dialogue that is required between our state, military, and community. While we acknowledge the Board of Land and Natural Resources' decision on this aspect of the issue, we believe there can be a path forward that accounts for the critical importance of Hawaii's role in our country's national security strategy and fundamentally respects and responds to the needs of the people of Hawaii. We will continue working with Governor Green, Department of Defense leadership, and community members to support and encourage continued dialogue as discussions continue toward a mutually acceptable result.'
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
BLNR denies U.S. Army's final EIS at Pōhakuloa Training Area
Pōhakuloa, Hawaii (KHON2) — The Board of Land and Natural Resources heard testimony for eight hours on Friday as it made a decision on the future of the Pōhakuloa Training Area on Hawaii Island. Hawaii County intensifies fight against coconut rhinoceros beetle The BLNR decided to reject the U.S. Army's final environmental impact statement for it's live-fire training use of the 23,000 acres of state land. There are four years left of the Army's 65-year lease, the military wanted to retain the land and to get a new lease, they have to go through an environmental review process. Before the hearing began at 9 a.m., Chair Dawn Chang said this would be the most important decision the board has ever made. Around 6:15 p.m. a decision was made. Hawaii island's BLNR representative voted in favor of accepting the EIS saying he understood the concerns raised by the community and felt the Army had addressed short-comings identified in the EIS. But BLNR member Kaiwi Yoon quickly said he didn't agree with that decision or the U.S. Army using the word warrior to describe the men in training. 'What we heard from the community is that we are exhausted and I hear that call and I bring this up because the fundamental question is, is live-fire good or bad for our cultural and natural resources? Yes or no? And the answer is clearly no, because there is no warrior that would say firing missiles and rockets is good for that cultural environment,' Yoon added. The others said there were too many deficiencies in the Army's documents and comments were not adequetly addressed, and while the board believes the military is trying their best, the question at the end of the day was if the Army met all the EIS requirements. 'Based on my review of the document, and oral comments today, I do not feel its adequate, and I do not support the current motion,' Chair Chang said. Hundreds of people showed up in person to testify on Friday, and over 1,300 pieces of testimony were submitted. It was standing room only and overflow as many expressed their opposition of approving the Army's final EIS at Pōhakuloa. 'This is not about approving a new lease, this is not about whether we like the military here in Hawaii, it's not about Red Hill and other military installations, we are here about three volumes of paper that sit on this desk,' said an Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands staff member during the hearing while pointing at three large binders of said the use of the land is inconsistent with the conservation district and state land use policy and noted other concerns. 'We had issues with known impacts on wildlife and birds, incompleteness of the archeological surveys, and those who were interviewed for the cultural impact assessment,' the OCCL staffer added. Chair Chang told testifiers that if the BLNR was unable to make a decision, the EIS would be deemed accepted automatically. Many who testified against accepting the EIS said the U.S. Army has shown time and time again that they have not been good caretakers of the land. 'This environmental review is missing key information including biological and cultural surveys, it ignores impacts to adjacent federal lands which is a clear requirement under state law, turns a blind eye to threats to endangered species, and the impacts to cultural resources and practices and aquifer contamination,' said Healani Sonoda-Pale, Ka Lahui Hawaii spokesperson. Hawaii secures historic $700M settlement with pharmaceutical giants The U.S. Army's Final EIS can be found here. The military says the land is an ideal location for national defense and security, and benefits multiple agencies. 'PTA is the only area in the region that allows this source of training,' explained Col. Rachel Sullivan, U.S. Army Garrison Commander. 'Training our forces for the higher standard of preparedness and safety, we have a responsibility top train our soldiers our nations youth who volunteered to be warriors.' 'Some of these assets are not available anywhere else in Hawaii or the pacific region,' Col. Sullivan added. 'PTA provides a critical training opportunity for the U.S. Army, Marines, Air Force, Army Reserve and National Guard.' She said state and county officials also utilize the area as well. The Hawaii County Chamber of Commerce also supported the measure Another testifier argued that due to lack of archeological surveys, it's unknown how many iwi are on the land. 'With the discoveries made in 2003 and April 2021, there are bound to be more,' the testifier said. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news James Maioho testified saying 'it is clear from the executive summary and what we've already heard this morning that there is a lack of content to the document and the process itself and this testimony you have enough to deny this EIS.' The Army's lease is up in 2029. They can appeal the decision or file an action. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
