Army copter training proposal on Big Isle earns endorsement

State Department of Land and Natural Resources staff is recommending approval of a month’s worth of high-altitude helicopter training on the slopes of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa for Army pilots and crews deploying to Afghanistan in January.

The Army’s request for a “right-of-way” permit for training in October on state conservation land is scheduled to come before the Board of Land and Natural Resources on Friday.

The 9 a.m. meeting will be held at the Kalanimoku building on Punchbowl Street. Acceptance of an environmental assessment, finding of “no significant impact,” and the permit for the Hawaii Island training are being sought by the Army.

The Army has completed three environmental assessments — two federal and one combined state and federal study — as it attempts to meet requirements for high-altitude training in Hawaii that now has been long delayed.

A single federal environmental assessment was anticipated to be needed by the Army, but an effort that the Army admitted was flawed on the first go-around, and then a subsequent state determination that a state EA also was needed, led to the delays.

The 25th Combat Aviation Brigade had wanted to train up to 260 UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook pilots on Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, but with the delays, says time remains for only 90 pilots to receive the Hawaii Island training.

Remaining pilots and crews are being sent to Colorado at a cost of $8 million, the Army said.

The state Division of Forestry and Wildlife said the Army conducted surveys for species of greatest concern, including the Hawaiian petrel and Wekiu bug, and found no presence in the landing zones.

“Due to the limited duration of the (training), the remoteness of the proposed site and limited size of the affected area, the division believes that the project will have no significant effect on the environment or cultural resources,” a staff report said.

The permit request is for October training only. Army officials said a decision will have to be made whether to pursue a longer-term permit for high-altitude training on Hawaii Island to include other services, such as the Hawaii National Guard.