Malu 'Aina

     Here are a few issues that need to be addressed in any EIS on Pohakuloa and other military sites in Hawaii: 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 and other areas. 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 of the Hawaiian government 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 for the Stryker Maneuver area.  But the Strykers are no longer in Hawaii. They are in Washington state.  But guess what the Military is keeping the 23,000-acres Stryker area with no Strykers.  Surprise, Surprise. 

     Our organization, Malu Aina, has documented 57 present and former military sites on Hawaii Island alone, totaling more than 250,000-acres that are in need of clean up.  The estimated clean up is in the Billions of dollars. One site example: In the 1960s the Army leased State land in the Waiakea forest area which is Hilo’s watershed. The Army said it wanted to do weather testing. It was a lie. Numerous Chemical and biological weapons were tested in Hilo’s watershed, including Sarin nerve gas, so deadly that 1/50th of a drop kills you. Hunters report there are areas in that forest where nothing grows today, more than 50 years after military chemical and biological weapons testing. It’s long past time for the US military to Quit Hawaii.  It’s not just an issue of no further military leases.  It’s time for the illegal US military occupation of Hawaii to end.  But please clean up your mess before you go. Mahalo and aloha.