100 attend hearing on Army’s Makua use

100 attend hearing on Army’s Makua use

By Leila Fujimori

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Oct 07, 2008

Thirteen-year-old Kauhi Maunakea-Forth says the Army’s live-fire
training is “kind of like sad that they’re doing that to our land”
because of cultural sites at Makua Valley.

MORE PUBLIC MEETINGS
Other public meetings on the Army’s supplemental environmental impact
statement for continued use of Makua Valley for training:

» Today: Wahiawa District Park Recreation Center, 2219 Kilani Ave.,
Wahiawa

» Tomorrow: Aunty Sally Kaleohano’s Luau Hale, 799 Piilani St., Hilo

» Thursday: Waimea Community Center, 65-1260 Kawaihae Road, Kamuela

“It’s sort of like a link that connects us and the people of Hawaii
to our ancestors that came before us. … If they keep doing that to
Makua … how are they going to enjoy the beauty?” the Waianae girl
told the Army.

The Army is taking comments from the public until Nov. 3 on the
proposed use of Makua Military Reservation for live-fire exercise by
the 25th Infantry Division stationed at Schofield Barracks. The teen
was one of about 100 who attended the first public meeting, which was
held last night at Nanakuli High School.

Because of opposition to its use of Makua, the Army is now looking at
Pohakuloa Training Area on the Big Island as a viable alternative.

The first environmental impact statement was published in 2005, but a
supplemental draft EIS was published in September because of the
addition of Pohakuloa as an alternative. Pohakuloa had been screened
out before the first EIS in 2005 because of the added cost and the
additional three weeks for training and transporting Schofield
soldiers and equipment there.

Other changes that caused the Army to prepare a supplemental EIS was
that a Stryker Brigade, which could do limited training in Makua, was
permanently stationed on Oahu earlier this year.

Opponent Pat Patterson said: “You haven’t cleaned it up and you want
to drop more. … You promised the Strykers would not be involved in
Makua, that the EIS would not include anything about the Strykers.
Now you’re saying the Strykers are coming down our one road, past our
churches, schools and houses?

“Makua is not the place. I am for Makua to be returned to the native
Hawaiian community, and that is the Waianae Coast,” Patterson said.

The Army would like to replicate conditions similar to Iraq. That
includes attack aviation using 2.75-inch inert rockets, indirect fire
using 155 mm Howitzers, 82 mm mortars and direct fire up to .50-
caliber machine guns.

The area remains littered with ordnance.

Henry Ahlo, a former soldier, supported the use of Makua by the Army,
saying, “Training is essential. If you don’t have proper training,
you can show your backside to the enemy.”

Bill Hambaro said there are other places for the Army to go. “We’re
right at the tipping point. Despite being bombed, burned, most of it
is still good. Now is the time to stop it. Now is the time to heal.”

Public comments to the supplemental draft EIS may be submitted online
at www.garrison.hawaii.army.mil/makuaeis; by fax to 656-3162; e-mail
to usaghipaomakuaeis@hawaii. army.mil; or by postal mail to Attn:
Makua SDEIS Public Comments, USAG-HI Public Affairs Office, 742
Santos Dumont, WAAF, Schofield Barracks, HI 96857.

Thirteen-year-old Kauhi Maunakea-Forth says the Army’s live-fire
training is “kind of like sad that they’re doing that to our land”
because of cultural sites at Makua Valley.

MORE PUBLIC MEETINGS
Other public meetings on the Army’s supplemental environmental impact
statement for continued use of Makua Valley for training:

» Today: Wahiawa District Park Recreation Center, 2219 Kilani Ave.,
Wahiawa

» Tomorrow: Aunty Sally Kaleohano’s Luau Hale, 799 Piilani St., Hilo

» Thursday: Waimea Community Center, 65-1260 Kawaihae Road, Kamuela

“It’s sort of like a link that connects us and the people of Hawaii
to our ancestors that came before us. … If they keep doing that to
Makua … how are they going to enjoy the beauty?” the Waianae girl
told the Army.

The Army is taking comments from the public until Nov. 3 on the
proposed use of Makua Military Reservation for live-fire exercise by
the 25th Infantry Division stationed at Schofield Barracks. The teen
was one of about 100 who attended the first public meeting, which was
held last night at Nanakuli High School.

Because of opposition to its use of Makua, the Army is now looking at
Pohakuloa Training Area on the Big Island as a viable alternative.

The first environmental impact statement was published in 2005, but a
supplemental draft EIS was published in September because of the
addition of Pohakuloa as an alternative. Pohakuloa had been screened
out before the first EIS in 2005 because of the added cost and the
additional three weeks for training and transporting Schofield
soldiers and equipment there.

Other changes that caused the Army to prepare a supplemental EIS was
that a Stryker Brigade, which could do limited training in Makua, was
permanently stationed on Oahu earlier this year.

Opponent Pat Patterson said: “You haven’t cleaned it up and you want
to drop more. … You promised the Strykers would not be involved in
Makua, that the EIS would not include anything about the Strykers.
Now you’re saying the Strykers are coming down our one road, past our
churches, schools and houses?

“Makua is not the place. I am for Makua to be returned to the native
Hawaiian community, and that is the Waianae Coast,” Patterson said.

The Army would like to replicate conditions similar to Iraq. That
includes attack aviation using 2.75-inch inert rockets, indirect fire
using 155 mm Howitzers, 82 mm mortars and direct fire up to .50-
caliber machine guns.

The area remains littered with ordnance.

Henry Ahlo, a former soldier, supported the use of Makua by the Army,
saying, “Training is essential. If you don’t have proper training,
you can show your backside to the enemy.”

Bill Hambaro said there are other places for the Army to go. “We’re
right at the tipping point. Despite being bombed, burned, most of it
is still good. Now is the time to stop it. Now is the time to heal.”

Public comments to the supplemental draft EIS may be submitted online
at www.garrison.hawaii.army.mil/makuaeis; by fax to 656-3162; e-mail
to usaghipaomakuaeis@hawaii. army.mil; or by postal mail to Attn:
Makua SDEIS Public Comments, USAG-HI Public Affairs Office, 742
Santos Dumont, WAAF, Schofield Barracks, HI 96857.

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