HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0377.068 2024-2026From: Andrew Alling
Sent: Friday, August 15, 2025 12:20 PM
To: Council Testimony
Cc: Kimball, Heather, Kagiwada, Jennifer, Onishi, Dennis; Kierkiewicz, Ashley; Kanealii-
Kleinfelder, Matt; Hustace, James; Galimba, Michelle M.; Villegas, Rebecca%abac_�
Holeka c o
Subject: Testimony Strong Support of Resolution 234-25 c�
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Aloha Chair Villegas and members of the Policy Committee on Environmental and Nubral,—,,,. -
Resource Management, N
Mahalo for the opportunity to testify in strong support of Resolution 234-25, which urges the state to ensure
the health and safety of Hawai'i Island residents by requesting that the military cease all bombing and
desecration activities at Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA), reject land swaps and lease renewals without strict
stipulations, and conduct a full Ka Pa'akai Analysis of the area.
Aloha, my name is Andrew Alling. I served in the U.S. Navy operating nuclear power plants
aboard submarines for six years, so I'm familiar with military systems, technology, and strategy.
I'm currently studying electrical engineering and have spent the past 18 months focused on UXO
detection technologies.
According to Army SERDP/ESTCP Project MR-201227, Demonstration ofAdvanced EMI Models
for Live -Site UXO Discrimination at Waikoloa, Hawaii, only 50% of targets of interest were
successfully detected using current state-of-the-art Advanced Geophysical Classification (AGC)
systems. This poor performance is primarily due to two factors: (1) interference from natural
magnetic soil signatures that create numerous false positives, and (2) the physical limitations of
AGC systems, which are ineffective when the sensor is more than 30 cm (-11.8 inches) above the
target —an issue exacerbated by the areas rugged, uneven, and rocky terrain. These systems weigh
over 100 pounds, are 3 ft x 3 ft wide, and require 3-person teams to operate, making them
impractical in many Hawaiian environments.
I had the opportunity to meet and speak directly with the scientists who designed and developed
these AGC systems. These conversations deepened my understanding and confirmed that even the
leading experts recognize the challenges of deploying this technology effectively in Hawai`i's
unique geology.
Due to these findings, continued live fire training: in Pohakuloa could result in Permanent
Environmental Impact — The magnetic interference from the soil may render future
remediation efforts ineffective, as UXO may remain undetected or become indistinguishable
from background anomalies. Before any lease extension or EIS is considered, verify that the U.S.
Army has the appropriate technology and resources to detect and remove UXO after training ends.
The best proof of this would be visible progress in restoring other formerly used training sites such
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Ref. To:
Ref. Date
as the former WW2 training range Waikoloa Maneuver Area, which is right next door to
Pohakuloa, to full and safe land use. Let's be clear: UXOs are still being found in Waikoloa,
Waimanalo and Waianae today.
For the U.S. Army, I urge you to seriously weigh the poor efficiency, and extremely high cost of
taxpayer dollars for UXO cleanup operations here in Hawaii. Live -fire training in volcanic
magnetic soil environments —like those found across Hawaii —makes UXO detection orders of
magnitude more difficult, more time-consuming, and more expensive than in non-magnetic
environments.
For the State, before any lease is renewed, consider this: Who truly benefits from it? Currently after
military training is over, UXO detection and removal are done by out-of-state contractors, flown in
at extremely high cost, with expensive equipment that needs to be rented for millions of dollars.
The people of Hawaii —those who live here, who care for this land —are left out. That must
change.
It would benefit all parties to invest in local training programs and technology development
framework, so Hawai`i's people have the power and tools to do this work themselves. Because
when you're cleaning up your own backyard, you do a better job. '
4.3.7 Waikoloa,HI
The former maneuver area is characterized by a generally smooth to rocky, sloping land surface
of consistent grade, marked by numerous cinder cones along the volcanic rift zones that are now
covered With grassland vegetation and car by widely spaced erosional gullies. The VPMA is
surrounded by thnx of the five vOlcunOM that comprise the Wand nmawuii. on the north are the
Kohola Mountains, the oldest volcanic feature on the island; on the east is Mauna Kea; and on the
southwest are the Hualalal Cone and Crater. Coastal land bounds the former maneuver area from
the south onto the west. The former WMA extends inland from near sea level to approximately
6,000 feet above mean sea level. Bedrock is at depth approximately 10 to 40 inches below ground
in most locations but deeper in the upper reaches of the maneuver area. The bedrocks and soils
sets.
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Objeadw was NOT ma. 95.6% of TOls were ulassirwd as "Dig" d the Stop -Dig point. Mlaxd
otrsslrimiuss wet, due to the number of bagel and stmvr-to-targal sepamthm tlisumees.
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Objective was NOT met. This was partially due to insufficient data quality, magnede soil, and insmma cly
docmuating the intrusive neults.