Hawai‘i County Council postpones discussion on resolution asking Army to end bombing at Pōhakuloa

A proposed Hawaiʻi County resolution that asks the U.S. Military to cease bombing at Pōhakuloa Training Area was postponed for another month to allow time to address questions brought up by councilmembers.

Councilmember Rebecca Villegas introduced Resolution 234-25, which was discussed Tuesday during the Policy Committee on Environmental and Natural Resource Management. While it had general support, some councilmembers thought more information was needed to make a decision.

The committee will discuss the measure once again on Aug. 19.

Councilmember James Hustace asked that the resolution be amended to have more specific examples of where land was desecrated by bombing or wildfires.

“I respect and honor the intent, I don’t know what impact we can make,” he said. “I don’t think we have a say in this matter in reference to the bombing and land swapping.”

The proposed resolution comes about two months after the State of Hawaiʻi Board of Land and Natural Resources rejected the U.S. Army’s final Environmental Impact Statement to extend its 65-year lease for the Pōhakuloa Training Area, also referred to as PTA. The lease is set to expire in 2029.

Councilmember Ashley Kierkiewicz wanted to recognize that Pōhakuloa Training Area personnel have been helpful in responding to a number of disasters that have hit Hawai‘i County, including volcanic eruptions, wildfires and other emergencies.

But this resolution is not what that’s about, Kierkiewicz said.

“There are processes in place that are meant to protect the public health, well-being of people and ʻāina, and that rejection of the EIS was a strong statement that the work was deficient and that the military needed to do better,” Kierkiewicz said. “And, I hope that they do,”

Kierkiewicz went on to say that the Kapaʻākai Analysis needs to happen and it’s concerning that it hasn’t.

The Kapaʻākai Analysis is a legal framework established by the Hawai‘i Supreme Court in 2000 in the case Ka Pa‘akai O Ka ‘Āina v. Hawaiʻi Land Use Commission to evaluate projects that may affect Native Hawaiian traditional and customary rights.

In the wake of the state board’s decision, the Army is working in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act and is currently preparing a Record of Decision about how much land, if any, it will seek to retain.

Villegas said she was looking forward to answering some of her colleagues’ questions, including defining the word desecration.

“In my mind, less specificity seemed like a safer resolution to move forward,” Villegas said. “I’m really grateful that what I’m hearing from my colleagues is more specificity and more accountability to be included. And yes, while it is just a resolution, the time is now for us to have these conversations again and things will be brought forward.”

Villegas added that while this issue lies within the state and federal realm, approving this resolution sends a message about what the will of the county and the people of this place is and will remain.

Several testifiers spoke in support of the resolution, saying it’s time to stop the desecration of the land, aquifers and air.

Jim Albertini spoke on behalf of the organization Malu ‘Āina Center for Non-violent Education & Action, saying Pōhakuloa is the “133,000 toxic elephant in the center of Hawai‘i Island.”

“You need to do more than urge the state to take action. You need to take action,” Albertini said Tuesday during the commission meeting. “Let’s be clear: the military needs to stop bombing and shelling Pōhakuloa, clean up its unexploded ordnance and toxic mess created from 80 years of live fire, do a comprehensive Ka Pa’akai analysis, and return the stolen land to the Hawaiian people.”

There were a few testifiers who spoke out against the measure, including written testimony from Maj. General Stephen F. Logan, adjutant general and director of Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency.

He stated that while the agency understands and respects the concerns voiced in the resolution regarding cultural preservation, land use and community identity, the Hawai‘i Army National Guard, also known as HING, and the Hawaiʻi Air National Guard benefit greatly from the use of the training area.

“The training conducted at PTA provides our soldiers and airmen, who are residents of the State of Hawai‘i, the best opportunity to train and prepare, and ensures they are ready when called to fight for our nation’s wars, as well as aid the residents of the County of Hawaiʻi and our state during state emergencies and disasters,” Logan wrote.

In the last decade, Logan stated the Army National Guard has supported Hawaiʻi County in response to hurricanes, lava flows, flooding, brushfires, COVID-19 response and search-and-rescue operations, and has deployed to multiple combat and non-combat missions.

The Army did not submit testimony on the resolution, however, in an email from the U.S. Army Garrison Hawai‘i on Tuesday, it stated: “U.S. Army Hawai’i values the communities that are affected by the Army’s presence and activities and seeks balance in managing training and community needs. We understand and deeply respect the views expressed by community members, cultural practitioners and environmental advocates regarding training activities at Pōhakuloa Training Area.”

According to the Army’s email, a detailed Cultural Impact Assessment was completed by a local contractor for the PTA Environmental Impact Statement, which provides information that the state can reference to conduct a Kapa’akai Analysis … to protect Native Hawaiian Traditional and Customary Native Hawaiian Rights.

Information pertaining to protected cultural and historical sites was also provided in the final Environmental Impact Statement.