The setback: the board still approved 600 acres of the Kulani site to be transferred to the Hawaii National Guard to establish a military school. There was no community participation in determining the best and highest use for the area.\u00a0 Three people requested a contested case hearing.\u00a0 Senator Kokubun also said he opposed the closing of Kulani prison and was going to seek legislative remedies to either reopen the prison or reject the set aside of the land to the military. <\/span><\/p>\n The state erroneously stated that there were no other users for the land.\u00a0 But there are numerous programs that could utilize the facility and complement the conservation of the surrounding forest area in the culturally appropriate way.\u00a0 For example ‘Ohana Ho’opakele has requested to use areas in Kulani for a pu’uhonua ( a cultural-based healing center for substance abusers as an alternative to incarceration).\u00a0 Also, Native Hawaiian charter schools could align their curriculum with conservation efforts at a site in Kulani.\u00a0 But these options were precluded when the governor unilaterally decided to close Kulani prison and hand the land over to the military.<\/p>\n The Youth ChalleNGe project would be required to obtain a conditional use permit for using conservation land and an environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act, since it is federally funded. >><< http:\/\/www.hawaiitribune-herald.com\/articles\/2010\/09\/11\/local_news\/local01.txt<\/a><\/p>\n Military training should be prohibited on the former Kulani prison property, but a quasi-military program for at-risk teens and an expanded conservation area allowed.<\/span><\/p>\n Those are the recommendations the state Board of Land and Natural Resources made at its meeting Thursday in Honolulu.<\/p>\n The Hawaii Department of Defense had sought approval to operate a pistol range, conduct explosives and building-entry training, and perform helicopter evacuations involving up to 170 soldiers at one time. Those activities were to occur on approximately 600 acres of the old Kulani Correctional Facility site located about 20 miles south of Hilo.<\/p>\n The land board, however, amended the request to -explicitly prohibit military uses and training, said secretary Adaline Cummings.<\/span><\/p>\n READ MORE<\/a>\n<\/p>\n +++<\/p>\n
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\n<\/span><\/p>\nMilitary use of Kulani nixed<\/h1>\n
by Jason Armstrong
\nTribune-Herald Staff Writer
\n<\/em><\/h5>\nState panel approves youth camp but not National Guard training<\/h4>\n
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