HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0377.075 2024-2026COUNTY CLERK
COUNTY OF HANVAi:
`Ano`ai ke aloha e Vice -Chair Villegas and Vice -Chair Kagiwada, and members of the PCENRM
Committee, 2075 AUG 18 Pi1 1- 25
My name is B. Kainoa Azama, I hail from the island of Oahu and have served as an alternate on the Red
Hill Community Representation Initiative, witnessing the impacts of the military on my island from the
superfund sites to the Red Hill water crisis, I did not want to miss the opportunity to provide comments on
Resolution 234-25, and support my family and the future generations on this island at my own expense. I
hope my comments help to avoid the seemingly consistent pattern of environmental degradation and
detriment to community health, the apparent expense for national security, national to who?
Even now we've heard them espouse their "safety concerns", how before all else they will protect US, and
by US, Imean the U.S. "Oh, we will clean up our mess. Yes, we honor the stewards of this land, Your
`Aina;" but in fact that's a lie. It is aspirational, it is just... not true. Like everything else we're dealing
with; here again, more duplicity, more intentional non -transparency in the face of community
engagement. As the saying goes, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me, so why
should I give the United States military a free ride for another 65 year lease, for a $1 that no one seems to
know if they've paid? Let us not pretend that the economic and security justifications have not resulted in
the poisoning of the aquifer of the most populated island and 72% of this "State`s" tax base?
It can be a $1 or $1 million, but no amount of money is acceptable to poison our water and to permanently
degrade our `aina. Beyond economics, what future is there when you cannot eat and drink from the land
and her bosom of water? Who are we, if we do not strive for a regenerative future for our children and
their descendants? I am here to be heard, understood, and I think it's not aspirational, but necessary to
give our future generations a life beyond the toxicity that we have generationally endured in Hawaii, and
exponentially increased in the last decade alone.
Thank you for taking the time to read my testimony, I provide further comment below to strengthen the
resolution and better reflect a youth lens on truth and what needs to be addressed:
WHEREAS, the Hawaiian Kingdom was illegally overthrown with aid of United States Marines on
January 17, 1893; and
WHEREAS, the United States of America acknowledged the historical events leading to and following
the illegal occupation of the Hawaiian Kingdom in the Apology Bill, Public Law 103-150; and
WHEREAS, the United States military has contributed to environmental degradation archipelago wide,
including over a dozen superfimd sites; and
WHEREAS, the people of Hawaii have a history of organizing and demanding accountability from the
United States military from Kaho`olawe„Makua, Kaneohe Marine Corps Base Hawaii, the Pacific
Missile Range, and more; and
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Ref. To:
Ref. Date 1 b .8 '�
WHEREAS, the U.S. Army`s EIS received historic turnout of community opposition at the May 9, 2025
BLNR meeting; and
WHEREAS, on May 9, 2025, the State Board of Land and Natural Resources voted to reject the U.S.
Army' s final Environmental Impact Statement to extend its lease for the Pohakuloa Training Area, which
expires in 2029; and
WHEREAS, the U.S army failed to conduct a Ka Pa`akai Analysis, maintain accurate records for NEPA
compliance, address environmental concerns around depleted uranium and endangered species
management and monitoring, provide a comprehensive assessment for land retention and return options;
and
WHEREAS, following the BLNR decision Governor Josh Green commented on Hawaii News Now,
"Now we have to be aware that the federal government could use nuclear options on us and
actually seize land.. and so, we're going to always try to avoid that. I don't think anybody wants
that."; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, The City and County of Hawaii recognizes the historic injustices
committed against Hawaiian nationals; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City and County of Hawaii demand the Governor conduct an open
and transparent process for military lease negotiations that involves Hawaii island residents in respect to
PTA; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City and County of Hawaii request the United States of America
address the issue of illegal occupation prior to proceeding with further illegal land transactions and
governance in the Hawaiian Kingdom in compliance with international law; and
Mahalo,
B. Kainoa Azama