HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0377.192 2024-2026From: Shannon Pomaika'i Hennessey
Sent: Sunday, August 17, 2025 11:52 PM
To: Council Testimony
Cc: Kimball, Heather, Kagiwada, Jennifer, Onishi, Dennis; Kierkiewicz, Ashley, Kanealii�
Kleinfelder, Matt, Hustace, James, Galimba, Michelle M.; Villegas, Rebecca;�Waba,on
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Subject: Strong Support of Resolution 234-25 —r
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Aloha Chair Villegas and members of the Policy Committee on Environmental and Natural Re-rourge
Management,
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.
In May 2025, the state's Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) did not accept PTA's Final
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), citing incomplete archaeology inventory, lack of endangered species
data and analyses and an inadequate Cultural Impact Assessment, which is used to address Ka Pa'akai
factors. Sustained bombing and training activities have damaged pristine lands, the Saddle Region aquifer
system, and cultural sites for over 60 years. The resolution aligns with long-standing community concerns that
military activity continues to pose real threats to public health, cultural integrity, and environmental stability.
This resolution is not about questioning the Army's contributions in regard to disaster response, emergency
services or providing a training venue for the county's first responders. Rather, it is about establishing limits,
demanding accountability, and ensuring oversight and respect by urging the cessation of unwarranted bombing
and live -fire training and the cleanup of PTA as required by their lease.
Approving Resolution 234-25 sends a powerful message that Hawaii County stands with its people —
families, communities, cultural practitioners, and environmental stewards who have long raised concerns about
PTA's short- and long-term impacts.
It signals that Hawai'i County will no longer accept unilateral military decisions that compromise our land,
culture, and health without meaningful engagement, cleanup commitments, and legal compliance with public
trust obligations.
Mahato for your time,
Shannon Pomaika`i Hennessey
shanphennessey(o)gmail.com
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