In 1964, Hawaii granted the U.S. Army access to approximately 23,000 acres of land on Hawaii island in exchange for a token $1 payment. The state land serves as a key link between federally owned parcels in the 132,000-acre Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA), which continues to be used extensively for live-fire training, and was subject to a “maneuver agreement” with the Territory of Hawaii struck in 1956 — so the lands have been under military control longer than Hawaii has been a state.

The 65-year lease expires on Aug. 16, 2029 — just over five years away — and the Army is seeking a lease renewal. Negotiations must not be so tilted toward Army interests this time.

The Army has signaled that it expects Hawaii to drive a much harder bargain on lease fees, as the state must. Both the U.S. and Hawaii economies were going full tilt in 1964 — but that’s not the case today. Post Cold War, Hawaii has found itself perpetually strapped for cash, struggling to support education and health care, and maintain its aging infrastructure. Should a lease agreement be worked out — and for a smaller footprint — the military must pay full market value for use of the land it covets.

Further, the costs of remediation for lands, should the day come when they’re no longer needed for military training, must be carefully considered, with agreements establishing military responsibility — and state oversight — included in lease contract talks. The military, now striving to be a “good neighbor” to stay in Hawaii’s good graces as leases reach expiration, hasn’t always been so cooperative, and the state has often been a passive landlord, to say the least.

The state’s lease for Pohakuloa requires the military to “remove and deactivate all live or blank ammunition upon completion of a training exercise or prior to entry.” However, in 2019, the Hawaii Supreme Court found the state failed to safeguard the land via regular inspections and monitoring military compliance — contrary to the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ farcical argument that the military should self-report its own contract violations. That clearly wasn’t happening, as a 2014 inspection detailed, with unexploded ordnance and military debris throughout the training area.

For its part, the Army asserts that the Pohakuloa leased land is essential, part of the only training area in Hawaii that can accommodate battalion- and brigade-sized units for live-fire and maneuver exercises — “mission essential tasks” that better prepare soldiers.

Four options for PTA lease renewal are outlined in a second draft environmental impact statement (DEIS), now out for public comment. The Army’s preferred alternative is “modified retention” of about 19,700 acres. Others are “maximum retention” of all land except a 250-acre carve-out reverting to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; “minimum retention” of 10,100 acres and access to 11 miles of roads and training trails; and “no action” — that is, surrendering control.

Under all but the “no action” alternative, the DEIS finds “significant adverse impacts” on land use, cultural practices and environmental justice connected to the military’s exclusive use. With no action, and return to state control, the DEIS details potential detriments, including the loss of current extensive federal assistance with environmental protections, lost jobs and curtailed benefits to Hawaii island and the state — such as the use of Pohakuloa for coordinated firefighter training.

This second DEIS’s emphasis on impacts to cultural practice and environmental justice come in response to an outpouring of comments on the first draft’s conclusion that retaining Pohakuloa would cause “no” significant adverse environmental impacts — as well as to Biden administration edicts requiring federal bodies to consider impacts on Hawaiians and Hawaiian culture, and historic environmental injustices. Hundreds of commenters have expressed concerns about control of the land, endangered species, cultural practices and hazardous substances. Nearly 10,000 people have signed an online petition calling on Hawaii and the state Land Board to end the PTA lease, Stars and Stripes reported last month.

Today’s DEIS also assesses impacts of both a lease renewal and fee-simple transfer of ownership. This is where talk of a “land swap” comes in, exchanging ownership of Pohakuloa for return of one or all three Oahu military training areas also expiring in 2029: at Kahuku, Kawailoa-Poamoho and Makua.

While Hawaii owns the lands, and need not renew any lease unless in the state’s best interest, the value of Pohakuloa for state and U.S. security in comparison to the value of demilitarizing Makua and other areas should certainly be considered.

Public comments on the draft EIS are being accepted through June 7, less than one month from now; see 808ne.ws/EIS-Pohakuloa to add yours. This very well would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help shape the future of military use of Hawaii’s valuable lands.