Two written testimonies submitted by Jim Albertini for NO lease extension at Pohakuloa Training Area EIS

Map of 23,000 acres leased by the military from the State of Hawaii at the Pohakuloa Training Area on Hawaii Island

Oct. 14, 2020  Thank you for your comments on the Pōhakuloa Training Area EIS. Your comments have been received.

Name: Jim Albertini
Address: P.O. Box 489
City: Kurtistown
Province: Hawaii
Postal Code: 96760-0489
Email: ja@malu-aina.org

Pōhakuloa Training Area EIS

 

These are additional comments to ones I have submitted earlier. (Sept. 23, 2020 attached below)

 

1. The Army, Specifically Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) has often boasted about its stewardship of the land. This is bogus. There can be no greater desecration of the land than to BOMB it and contaminate it with a wide range of long-lasting military toxins. The scoping EIS document needs to list in detail ALL the various weapons ever used at Pohakuloa, including all the nuclear, chemical, and biological agents. I specifically call for all of the above not simply used on the “leased” lands but all the lands at PTA which are connected. The contamination from one area can be spread by wind, rain, fire, etc. Pohakuloa has be turned into a military toxic waste dump. The lease lands at PTA are downwind of DU spotting round firing and impact ranges. The military needs to “Malama Aina” –take care of the land, not desecrate the land.

 

2. Why hasn’t the military complied with Hawaii County council resolution 639-08 passed in July 2008 by a vote of 8-1 that called for a wide range of actions including stopping all live fire at PTA until a comprehensive , independent assessment of the Depleted Uranium (DU) present at PTA and the clean up of the DU. The numerous other actions called for in this resolution should also be addressed in the EIs Scoping document.

 

3.The importance of the Hawaiian cultural significance of the land at PTA and the surrounding area needs to be fully researched. To my knowledge only about 1/3 of PTA’s 133,000 acres have been researched for cultural sites. I have been told Pohakuloa means “the land of the night of long prayer.” Nearby is King Umi’s temple and Pu’u Kole.

 

4. Have the frequent brush fires at PTA spread DU oxide particles and other contaminants including PFAS used in fire fighting foam?

 

5. The military has a record of walking away from cleaning up its mess. Our Malu Aina organization has documented 57 present or former sites on Hawaii Island totaling hundreds of thousands of acres of land just on Hawaii Island in need of military clean up. The same story over and over — no funds available. Plenty of money to make mess after mess but too little funds available to clean up after yourself. See attached uploaded file.

 

6. The cumulative impacts of all the toxins used at PTA needs to be addressed. And how these toxins in air, ground, and water can be spread around all of PTA and off site.

 

7. Citizens have a right to see a comprehensive view of all the types of specific training done at PTA not just generalizations. All the weapon systems involved, number and content of rounds, etc.

 

8. And what is all this military training really for? We are told to “defend freedom and democracy” but the reality of US military operations over the last 50 years has been wars of aggression and the attempted overthrow of more than 50 countries for political and economic interests. Please explain how training for nuclear war at PTA is in the interest of “freedom and democracy.” There will be no winners in a nuclear war. No freedom and democracy either.

Attachment(s):
military sites in Hawaii island.JPG

 

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Jim Albertini Malu ‘Aina Center For Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box 489 Ola’a (Kurtistown) Hawai’i 96760 Phone 808-966-7622 Email ja@malu-aina.org Visit us on the web at www.malu-aina.org

 

 

 

 

Sept. 23, 2020 comments by Jim Albertini submitted for the EIS on lease extension at PTA

 

 

 

Public Comment Form

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Contact Information  Sept. 23, 2020 submitted

First Name: Jim

Last Name: Albertini

Address: P.O. Box 489

City: Kurtistown

Country: United States

State: Hawaii

ZIP: 96760-0489

Email: ja@malu-aina.org

Pōhakuloa Training Area EIS

1. How many live rounds are fired annually at PTA? List all the various kind of rounds fired. List other type of rounds used at PTA besides live rounds. What kind of rounds do the B-2 bombers drop? Is that training for nuclear war? As I recall the last figures released during the Stryker EIS stated 14.8 million live rounds were fired annually at PTA.

2. Besides DU from Davy Crockett spotting rounds fired at PTA, list all other DU rounds used at PTA. In addition, I have received reports that at least 6 Davy Crockett type nuclear weapons were exploded at PTA. Testing needs to be done for Cesium 137, etc. in the soil to confirm or deny such possible exploding of nuclear weapons at PTA.

3. A water well was drilled in the main PTA base area in 2013 by Dr. Don Thomas. Water was hit at a shallow depth of only 700 feet. Yet PTA is not using that water source and PTA continues to spend $1-2 million /year to haul water. What contaminants are in that water well at PTA? List all test data, especially if perchlorate is present. Perchlorate from munitions and rockets have been found in ground water around a number of military bases in the US where rockets and munitions are used.

4. Testing for DU oxide particles not simply DU metal needs to be done at PTA and at Mauna Kea Park (Gil Kahele Park) across Saddle Rd. from PTA. DU oxide particles can be carried long distances in the wind and can cause cancer and other health problems when inhaled. The internal hazards of DU oxide need to be addressed not simply the external hazard of DU metal.

5. What is the cultural significance of the Pohakuloa general area. Has the area been referred to as “the land of the night of long prayer?”

6. Is the 84,000 acres of land, including the 51,000 acres of the PTA impact area really “owned” by the Federal government or simply seized by Presidential executive order in 1964 by President L. B. Johnson? What compensation was paid for that 84,000 acres of seized lands? My understanding it is ZERO.

 

 

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Jim Albertini Malu ‘Aina Center For Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box 489 Ola’a (Kurtistown) Hawai’i 96760 Phone 808-966-7622 Email ja@malu-aina.org Visit us on the web at www.malu-aina.org

 

Say NO to Army PTA Lease Extension!

STOP BOMBING POHAKULOA!

 

      The Army is beginning the process of studying the impacts of continuing to use state leased lands at Pohakuloa beyond 2029. All comments should be submitted by the deadline of Oct. 14, 2020. Comments can be emailed to: usarmy.hawaii.nepa@mail.mil or submitted on line or mailed by US mail.  Here is the Army homepage for the EIS. https://home.army.mil/hawaii/index.php/ptaeis/project-home There will also be an EIS Scoping Virtual Open House on Wednesday, September 23, 2020 from 4-9 p.m. During the EIS Scoping Virtual Open House, video presentations can be viewed online at https://home.army.mil/hawaii/index.php/PTAEIS and oral and written comments will be accepted. More information can be found at: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/09/04/2020-19620/environmental-impact-statement-for-army-training-land-retention-at-phakuloa-training-area-in-hawaii

      Here are a few issues you might want to comment on: Unexploded ordinance (UXO) clean up, Depleted Uranium and other toxic contamination of air, land and ground water, invasive species, cultural sites and the cultural significance of Pohakuloa itself. The military controls nearly 133,000-acres at Pohakuloa. 23,000 acres of this is leased from the state for $1 total for 65 years –1964- 2029. These so called “ceded lands” are crown and government lands of the Hawaiian Kingdom before the U.S. overthrow in 1893. These lands are in the ahupua’a of Humu’ula (crown), Kaohe and Pu’uanahulu (government lands). Besides the 23,000 acres of leased lands at PTA, 758 acres were obtained by an executive order of Governor Samuel Wilder King in 1956 and 84,000 acres by a Presidential Executive Order of President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. These lands by executive order were turned over to the US military without any compensation.More recently, in the early 2000s, an additional 23,000 acres of land near Waiki’i Ranch was purchased by the military from Parker Ranch.

      Today, we need a broad based citizen movement to Stop the Bombing of Pohakuloa, like the movement that stopped the bombing of Kaho’olawe. All the lands at Pohakuloa should be cleaned up by the US military and returned to the Hawaiian people. An important step in this process of de-militarizing Pohakuloa and Hawaii is to stop the PTA lease extension. Please speak up and get your ohana and friends involved. Your voice is important. We are stronger when we stand together for aloha aina.

The Military Needs to Malama Aina – clean up it’s mess!

1. Mourn all victims of violence. 2. Reject war as a solution. 3. Defend civil liberties.
4. Oppose all discrimination, anti-Islamic, anti-Semitic, anti-Hawaiian, etc.
5. Seek peace through peaceful means and work for justice in Hawai`i and around the world.

Malu ‘Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action

P.O. Box 489 Ola’a (Kurtistown), Hawaii 96760 Phone (808) 966-7622 Email ja@malu-aina.org

For more information and to receive our posts go to www.malu-aina.org

Sept. 18, 2020 Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet – week 990 – Fridays 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘It affects everything’: Hawaii residents demand transparency over Pearl Harbor munitions storage

Thu 22 Oct 2020 06.00 EDT

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/oct/22/hawaii-munitions-storage-pearl-harbor-china-military?CMP=share_btn_fb&fbclid=IwAR3R7V3xLO5mMBa9pvNpcHU3lwqR5_5NGyXro9cyV7V0BEnqT7ESp-7CxmI

Trump – Most Dangerous President Ever!

We need justice, peace, personal, national and global healing,

not more racist division, death & destruction!

It is our duty to vote someone extremely dangerous out of office!

      As a longtime activist for peace, justice and the earth I normally say voting is the least important thing I do every 2 or 4 years. But not this year, especially if you live in one of the election swing states. Donald J. Trump poses the greatest danger I have seen in my lifetime. He needs to be defeated as President of the U.S.  Well respected Professor Noam Chomsky says Trump is “the worst malignancy ever to appear in our political system. He is extremely dangerous.”

      The way to defeat Donald Trump is to vote for the Democratic ticket — Joe Biden/Kamala Harris. This is not to say I like Biden. Far from it. Biden is a machine politician, a warmonger, and has catered to the banks and corporations and not the best interests of working people. But not to vote, or to vote for a fringe candidate, instead of the Biden/Harris ticket, is to assist in Trump’s reelection.

      In the face of Climate Catastrophe and a Global Pandemic, Trump clearly puts personal and corporate financial gain as his top priority, ahead of people’s lives and the future of this planet. The stock market is his climate barometer and health care thermometer.

      Bernie Sanders, AOC, Cornel West, Elizabeth Warren, and a very long list of additional notables all say, VOTE FOR JOE BIDEN (Hold your nose if necessary, but vote for the Biden/Harris ticket.) Otherwise, if Trump is reelected, Attorney General William Barr, and Trump’s militias may be trying to lead us all to the detention camps.

      Make no mistake. Education and organizing are part of the day-to-day important work year-in and year-out to avoid the situation we are in today. The system of corporate power and domination needs fundamental changing toward a genuine democracy. We need a new system where money is driven out of politics and people’s hopes and dreams, the common good, and what’s best for the earth comes first. We also need to abolish the “Electoral College” system of electing the president which was established to maintain slavery. The popular vote should rule.

Be Prepared for Trump Desperate October Surprises, Post Election Challenges & Trump’s Refusal to Leave Office. Anything is Possible!

(Jim Albertini opinion piece)

1. Mourn all victims of violence. 2. Reject violence & war as solutions. 3. Defend civil liberties.
4. Oppose all discrimination, anti-Islamic, anti-Semitic, anti-Hawaiian, etc.
5. Seek peace through peaceful means and work for justice in Hawai`i and around the world.

Malu ‘Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action

P.O. Box 489 Ola’a (Kurtistown), Hawaii 96760 Phone (808) 966-7622 Email ja@malu-aina.org

For more information and to receive our posts go to www.malu-aina.org

Oct. 23, 2020 Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet – week 995 – Fridays 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office

On 10/19/2020 2:42 AM, Poka Laenui wrote:

PEARL HARBOR NAVAL SHIPYARD
DRY DOCK AND WATERFRONT PRODUCTION FACILITY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT PUBLIC COMMENT ON SCOPING PHASE

Naval Facilities Engineering Command Pacific

PHNSY DD/WPF EIS Project Manager

Attention: Andréa M. Von Burg Hall  

 andrea.vonburg-hall@navy.mil

258 Makalapa Drive, Suite 100

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI 96860-3134

The EIS should address the following matters:

1. The historical perspective to the use of Pearl Harbor initially as limited for a ten year time period which was to expire by 1893 and for the limited use of an exclusive coaling and refueling station for the United States.  From this initial allowance for the U.S. use of this property, the U.S. has proceeded to subsequently invade the independent nation of Hawaii, landing a hundred sixty two blue jackets, armed with the Gatling Guns and Howitzer cannons, and proceeded to overthrow the independent nation of Hawaii, subsequently establishing a puppet regime which later became the Republic of Hawaii.  That Republic of Hawaii government subsequently and as originally planned with the U.S. Minister Plenipotentiary before the U.S. invasion, proceeded to cede Hawaii to the United States of America in a treaty of annexation.  That treaty, however, was never ratified in accordance with the U.S. Constitutional provision for treaty ratification, instead circumventing that constitutional requirement under Article 2, Section 2 and was adopted by a joint resolution of Congress.

This historical background raises a number of legal questions from the perspective of U.S. domestic law, treaty law and international law.  From U.S. domestic law, the question is what is the legitimacy of actions assumed by the U.S. government based on an occupation of territory of an independent nation of Hawaii when that occupation is founded on an unconstitutional act?

As regards treaty law, the annexation treaty signed between the Republic of Hawaii and the United States of America was done so under the terms that the treaty would be ratified in accordance with the U.S. Constitutional process which was ratification by the U.S. Senate and not by a joint resolution of Congress.  The U.S. has failed to ratify the treaty as provided for by the Constitution.  What are the implications for this historical error to the claimants of the Hawaiian nation, including not only the native Hawaiian people but the many others who can legitimately claim heirship to their inherent nationality to the Hawaiian nation?

The United States, having brought about the demise of the Hawaiian Constitutional Monarchy by its initial invasion and subsequent transfer of powers to the Provisional Government, Republic of Hawaii, Territory of Hawaii and State of Hawaii, what is the U.S. government’s obligation to bring about the restoration of the Hawaiian national government in order to give effect to an organized voice of the Hawaiian nation prior to any further continuance of any action which proceeds along this line of illegal assumption of Hawaiian territory?

As regards international law, what is the obligation of the United States to abide by its international commitments to abide by customary and treaty laws regarding Hawaii, the United States of America, and the international community including obligations under the United Nations Charter?  The United Nations have previously adopted the General Assembly Resolution on the Definition of Aggression whereby any claim of property which is the direct product of an act of aggression is an illegal act.  It is nothing less than a confession that the U.S. aggressed against the Hawaiian nation which brought about the eventual possession of these Hawaiian islands under the claim of the United States (see Public Law 103-150 as well as the Presidential Address to the Joint Houses of Congress, Dec. 18, 1893 by President Grover Cleveland).  While the current state of international law does not have an enforcement arm to bring the U.S. to abide by this definition of aggression, violation of this resolution still constitutes an illegal act which calls upon the honor and integrity of all to abide by the law, perhaps even more forcefully due to its moral command.  What is the appropriate response and liability of citizens of the United States of America who in the end must be held responsible for the actions of its government?  What is the individual liability of the members of the U.S. military forces who act in violation of international law?  (Remember the principles of the Nuremburg Trial made part of international law as well as of the Uniform Code of Military Justice)

The United States is a signor and the U.S. Congress has ratified the Charter of the United Nations, making the charter obligatory under Article 6 of the U.S. Constitution.  Under Article 73 of the U.N. Charter, the U.S. is obligated to bring all its territories which are regarded as non-self-governing territories to self-governance.  The United States submitted among other territories, the Hawaiian Islands as a non-self governing territory.  Among the obligation to be met by the United States is the obtaining of the free and informed choices of independence, free association or integration into the administering authority, i.e., the United States of America.  These choices were never afforded the people of Hawaii who were non-self governing.  The movement for U.S. Statehood of Hawaii was a violation of that free choice process because it was the U.S. citizens and not the non-self governing people of Hawaii who were permitted to vote in that “Statehood Vote” plebiscite in 1959.  Furthermore, the “choices” given in that plebiscite was only to become a State of the U.S. or remain a territory of the United States.  There were no choices for independence or for free association.  Thus, the sacred trust obligation assumed by the United States to bring about self-determination of the non-self governing people has not yet been met.  What are the obligations of the United States to first meet such obligations before continuing with its colonization of Hawaii?  What are the liabilities for its citizens who are eventually responsible for the acts of its nation, especially for those citizens who now know of the continuing illegality of its governmental actions?

2. The alternative of investing in a process of peace by peaceful means, i.e., a movement away from the unrelenting buildup of military weaponry and equipment to carry such war efforts forward, and address instead, a broad process of identifying the real issues of national security and how to achieve such security.  This generalized search for peace by peaceful means should clearly define the national security interest including protection against hunger, homelessness, health care for its people, proper education, eradication of disease and poverty, safety from weather changes including storms, temperature rise, volcanic eruptions and tidal waves, and these issues measured against the military aggression by others against the shores of the United States (not including how the U.S. has instead placed itself in harms way by its participation in wars and conflicts beyond its borders).

This process of peace by peaceful means should look into involving domestic as well as international organizations that are not associated with or under contract to the U.S. government such as the East West Center.  There are many other organizations for peace by peaceful means which can be contacted and should be for coming up with viable plans for national security through peace by peaceful means.

3. The EIS should address the specific concerns of the Native Hawaiian people, their cultural, subsistence and spiritual interest in Pu`uloa (Pearl Harbor), and the need for appropriate protocol within the native culture for proceeding with any further building on these ancient and sacred `aina. 

I submit these areas of concern which should be part of the EIS in this matter.

Sincerely,

/s/ Poka Laenui

Poka Laenui,

Plaenui@hawaiianpersepctives.org

Photos from Oct. 16, 2020 Hilo Peace Vigil.  Mahalo to all!