Editorial: Military’s impact on environment

The opportunities come rarely for Hawaii residents to speak up about the military uses of land in the islands. And given the size of the defense footprint across the state, the impact of these uses merits the fullest public attention.

Two entry points to a community discussion about military activities are here, one of them — about an ammunition and explosives magazine at West Loch — offering a window that’s about to close on Friday (see information box). There are existing facilities for this storage function, but some in the neighboring communities are understandably concerned.

The other big issue — “big” referencing the 23,000 acres of state land the Army wants to continue leasing — involves the future of Hawaii island’s Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA), which sprawls across a total of 132,000 acres, the balance of it federal land.

Additionally, the state should find itself under pressure to examine this proposal especially closely, as the Army’s process of preparing an environmental impact statement gets underway. The lease on the state lands expires in 2039, and opponents are worried that an early settlement could bar other land uses, permanently.

Pohakuloa has been at the center of controversy at different points in eight decades of history, with opposition focusing on Native Hawaiian and environmental issues. Just this Tuesday, the Army announced it was looking into how its munition storage containers and other waste were dumped illegally on the Hamakua Coast.

And it was just a year ago that the state Supreme Court upheld a lower court finding that the state Department of Land and Natural Resources breached its trust duties to care for the state-owned “ceded” lands it leases for the training facility.

Ceded lands are former Hawaiian government and crown lands that, after the kingdom was overthrown, the short-lived republic ceded to the U.S. in the annexation. Ultimately, with statehood, the lands have been viewed as in trust for Native Hawaiians as well as other public purposes.

The initial ruling in Circuit Court included a requirement that the state develop a plan to secure funding for the cleanup of the leased PTA land.

The justices did find that the lower court went beyond its discretion as the plaintiffs did not seek that relief. So the guidance Circuit Judge Gary Chang provided is considered nonbinding, according to the high court.

The plaintiffs were Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners, Clarence Ching and Maxine Kahaulelio. They sought to “ensure that the public trust ceded lands at Pohakuloa would not suffer the same tragic fate as spots such as Kahoolawe,” according to Native Hawaiian Legal Corp., which handled the case.

It’s the painful history of long-term Kahoolawe bombing, and more current concerns about live-fire training at PTA, Makua Valley and elsewhere, that should compel the Army in its EIS to disclose fully its plans and its mitigation strategies.

And it’s only public input that can drive a comprehensive discussion about best uses, of the West Loch ordnance plan and especially of Pohakuloa. Achieving the right balance between critical defense activities and community needs is the ultimate goal.

TIME TO WEIGH IN

Army West Loch ordnance facilities:

Friday is the deadline for comment on the environmental assessment. Testimony can be emailed (NFPACReceive@navy.mil). The EA document detailing the project can be downloaded at 808ne.ws/2ZEj5NN

Pohakuloa Training Area environmental impact statement:

Initial “scoping” comments, due Oct. 14, should be submitted through the EIS website (home.army.mil/hawaii/index.php/ptaeis/project-home)