ASSOCIATION OF HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUBS
A RESOLUTION
No. 2017 – 54
REQUESTING THE STATE OF HAWAI‘I DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO REQUIRE THE UNITED STATES ARMY TO PAY A FAIR COMPENSATION FOR THE EXTENSION OF THE LEASE OF THE POHAKULOA TRAINING AREA, TO PROVIDE ACCESS FOR NATIVE HAWAIIAN CULTURAL PRACTITIONERS TO THE CULTURAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES AND FOR SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL PURPOSES, AND TO REQUIRE AMPLE FUNDS ARE PLACED IN ESCROW FOR THE REMEDIATION OF THE LAND AND REMOVAL OF ALL ORDNANCE AND UNWANTED STRUCTURES UPON TERMINATION OF STATE OF HAWAI‘I GENERAL LEASE NO. S-3849
WHEREAS, in 1964, the State of Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources entered into a sixty-five year lease (State General Lease No. S-3849) with the United States of America for approximately 22,971 acres of Conservation Resource sub-zoned land at Pohakuloa for military purposes; and
WHEREAS, the current State General Lease No. S-3849 stipulates a lease rent of $1.00 for the entire term of six-five years which is far below the value of the land; and
WHEREAS, there are no provisions for Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners to have access to the cultural and natural resources of the area or for spiritual or ceremonial purposes; and
WHEREAS, there are no provisions in the State General Lease No. S-3849 which would require the United States Army to remediate environmental damage caused by its actions at Pohakuloa Training Area such as unexploded ordnance, spent ammunition, warheads and depleted uranium, a chemically toxic and radioactive heavy metal with a half-life of four to five billion years; and to restore the land to its prior state, including cultural sites and artifacts; and
WHEREAS, despite the lack of plans for adequate compensation, no provisions for access for Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners to cultural and natural resources or for spiritual or ceremonial purposes, and no explicit requirements for remediation of the land and complete removal of unexploded ordnance, weapons, depleted uranium and other remains upon the completion of the lease, the U. S. Army is requesting an extension of the existing lease; and
WHEREAS, the U. S. Army has demonstrated their inability to complete the rehabilitation of State of Hawai‘i lands that were used for military purposes such as Kaho‘olawe Island, Kahului, Waiāhole and Wai‘anae Valleys due to lack of funds and resources; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Land and Natural Resources is responsible for the oversight of all State of Hawai‘i public lands.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs at its 58th Annual Convention in Seattle, Washington, in the malama of ʻIkuwā and the rising of Māhealani, this 4th day of November 2017, requesting the State of Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources to require the United States Army to pay a fair compensation for the extension of the lease of Pohakuloa Training Area, to provide access to Native Hawaiian Cultural Practitioners to the cultural and natural resources and for spiritual and cultural purposes, and to require ample funds are placed in escrow for the remediation of the land and removal of all ordnance and unwanted structures upon termination of the State of Hawai’i General Lease No. S-3849; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Department of Land and Natural Resources is urged to submit a report each January to the Governor of Hawai‘i, State Senate President, State Speaker of the House, Chair of the State Senate Committee on Hawaiian affairs, Chair of the State House Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources & Hawaiian Affairs, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs and Hawaiian Civic Club of Hilo on the status of the request; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a certified copy of this resolution be transmitted to U. S. Senator Brian Schatz, U. S. Senator Mazie Hirono, U. S. Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa, U. S. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, the Commander of the Pohakuloa Training Area, the Garrison Commander of the United States Army Garrison-Hawai‘i, as well as the Governor of the State of Hawai‘i, President of the State Senate, Speaker of the State House of Representatives, Chair of the State Senate Committee on Hawaiian Affairs, Chair of the State House Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources & Hawaiian Affairs, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, all County Mayors, Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, and the Hawaiian Civic Club of Hilo.
The undersigned hereby certifies that the foregoing Resolution was duly adopted in the malama of ʻIkuwā and the rising of Māhealani on the 4th day of November 2017, at the 58th Annual Convention of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs in Seattle, Washington.
Annelle C. Amaral, President