HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0377.474 2024-2026From: Georgia Cawley
Sent: Monday, September 1, 2025 8:10 PM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Testimony in Strong Support of Resolution 234-25
Subject: Testimony in Strong Support of Resolution 234-25
Aloha Council Members,
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Mahalo for the opportunity to testify in strong support of Resolution 234-25, which'brges 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 Countystands 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 longeraccept unilateral military decisions that
compromise our land, culture, and health without meaningful engagement, cleanup
commitments, and legal compliance with public trust obligations.
Mahalo for your time,
Georgia Cawley
PO BOX 151
Comm. WEP-
Ref. To:
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Paauilo, HI
96776
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