Public invited to attend board meeting for update on cleanup efforts in Former Waikōloa Maneuver Area

The next Restoration Advisory Board meeting for Waikōloa Maneuver Area Formerly Used Defense Site will take place on Thursday, May 14, in Waimea.

At the meeting, which will be held at the Mana Christian Ohana Classrooms, located at 67-1182 Lindsey Road, the public will receive an update on the progress of restoration activities.

The Waikōloa Maneuver Area Restoration Advisory Board serves as a link between the community and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu District. It’s a forum for sharing information, addressing concerns, and ensuring community values are considered in the restoration process for the area.

The Department of Defense used land in South Kohala to conduct the live-fire training of 50,000 troops, ensuring military readiness from 1943 to 1945, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers website. Unexploded munitions are the byproduct of live-fire training and following the war, two surface clean-up activities were completed: one in 1946 after the military’s departure and again in 1954.

The federal agency is responsible for the environmental cleanup of properties that were formerly owned by, leased to or otherwise possessed by the United States and under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Defense prior to October 1986. Such properties are known as Formerly Used Defense Sites.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers executes the on behalf of the U.S. Army and Department of Defense. The corps began investigating the the Waikōloa Maneauver area in 1993, and since then, they have conducted field investigations that include surface and subsurface removal of munitions and debris within areas that posed a risk to the public.

Between 2002 and 2016, the corps conducted 26 Non-Time-Critical Removal Actions throughout the area, reducing the risk of the public’s exposure to munitions of explosive concerns or related debris. To date, the removal and disposal of over 2,700 munitions and 120 tons of debris have been performed.

For those unable to attend the meeting in person, they can tune in virtually, here.

Contact Waikoloa Maneuver Area staff at 808-835-4079 or via email WMAUXOInfo@usace.army.mil at with any questions.

Click here to learn more about Waikōloa Maneuver Area, including its past uses and ongoing restoration efforts by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.