REP PCENRM 002 2025-08-19 2024-2026

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REPORT OF THE POLICY COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT DATE: August 19, 2025 PLACE: Council Chambers Kailua-Kona, Hawaii TIME: 11:00 a.m. Council Chair and Members Hawaii County Council Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Re: Comm. No. 377/Res. No. 234-25 Your Policy Committee on Environmental and Natural Resource Management, to which was referred Resolution No. 234-25, reports as follows: Resolution No. 234-25, transmitted by Committee Member Rebecca Villegas via Communication No. 377, dated June 30, 2025, urges the State of Hawaii to ensure the health and safety of Hawaii Island residents by requesting the military to cease all bombing and desecration activities at the P6hakuloa Training Area, rejecting land swaps and lease renewals with the military unless certain stipulations are established, and conducting a Ka Pa`akai Analysis on the area. Policy Committee on Environmental and Natural Resource Management Meeting of July 22, 2025 Committee Member Rebecca Villegas provided a brief background stating her motivation for introducing this resolution was because on May 9, 2025, the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) voted to reject the army's final environmental impact statement (EIS) to retain its lease for P6hakuloa Training Area (PTA) and that it was rejected based on the inadequacy of the EIS. Ms. Villegas also spoke of the historical and current desecration and destruction of Hawaiian lands and waters, cover ups, legal battles that leave us with poisoned water and unexploded ordnances. Committee Members James E. Hustace, Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, Heather L. Kimball, and Jenn Kagiwada expressed concern over the County's authority and jurisdiction and stated there are opportunities to strengthen the resolution with citation. Committee Member Dennis "Fresh" Onishi asked if some kind of language could be added to the resolution regarding stewardship by the lessee to restore the lands, and ensure its returned and able to be used by the public without the public or agencies needing to spend money for clean-up. Resolution 234-25 was postponed to August 19, 2025. Policy Committee on Environmental and Natural Resource Management Meeting of August 19, 2025 Committee Member Rebecca Villegas gave a brief summary of the resolution and provided additional supporting material via Communication 377.2 and Communication 377.3. Committee Member James Hustace commented on the BE IT RESOLVED clause. The concern is the jurisdiction issue, and we are making a position statement here, at the County, and that's what we're pushing for here, but we cannot have any kind of determination on any action by other actors that are PCENRM Report No. 2