HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0377.532 2024-2026From:
Tina Holt
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Sent:
Tuesday, September 2, 2025 11:04 AM
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To:
Araceley, Relley
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Council Testimony
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Subject:
Re: Strong Support of Resolution 234-25
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Thank you,
please accept my written testimony in support of Resolution 234-25 to be heard at --the
County Council Hearing tomorrow morning.
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Aloha Chair Inaba and Members of the Hawaii County Council,
My name is Cristina Holt, and I live in District 3, Hilo. Mahalo to the members of the Policy Committee on
Environmental and Natural Resource Management for passing Resolution 234-25 out of committee with
unanimous support. That 8-0 vote sends a strong message that protecting the health and safety of our
people and'aina must come before the unchecked military activity at Pohakuloa Training Area.
Now, we call on the full council to finish this work by adopting the resolution. This is one more step in
your kuleana to hold the mayor, the state and the US Military accountable to our community.
In May 2025, the Board of Land and Natural Resources rightly rejected the Army's Final Environmental
Impact Statement. It was incomplete —not only in its archaeology and endangered species data, but also
in its failure to properly conduct a Cultural Impact Assessment, which is supposed to include Ka Pa'akai
analysis. That is unacceptable. For over 60 years, PTA has been a site of bombing and live -fire exercises
that desecrate cultural sites, pollute the Saddle aquifer, and sparkwildfires that damage ranch, ag, and
homestead lands.
This resolution doesn't dismiss the role the military can play in disaster response or local training needs.
What it does is draw a clear and necessary line: we need accountability, we need cleanup, and we need
enforcement of protections for our'aina and our people. Without oversight, without transparency, and
without respect for Native Hawaiian rights, we cannot continue as we have. That is not pono.
Supporting this resolution is an opportunity for Hawaii County to stand firmly with its people. It says no
more to backdoor lease extensions, no more land swaps, and no more destructive activities that
endanger our environment, health, and cultural future.
We deserve better stewardship. We deserve transparency. And we deserve to be heard.
Mahalo for your continued work and consideration.
Cristina Holt
District 3, Hilo
Comm. '
Ref. To:
Ref. Date 3
On Mon, Aug 18, 2025 at 7:58 AM Araceley, Relley <Relley Araceley@hawaiicounty gov> wrote:
Aloha,
Thank you for your testimony. I am copying our written testimony lead on this response so thatyour
testimony can be processed and filed correctly.
_VahaCo,
.ktr. Refley .Araceley
Office of the County CCerk
County of Hawaii
25 .Aupuni Street, Suite 1402
Hilro, HY 967zo
(808) 961-8429
From: Tina Holt <tinaholt808(@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, August 16, 2025 4:03 PM
To: Council Remote Testimony<councilremotetestimonyPhawaiicounty.gov>; Onishi, Dennis
<Dennis.Onishi Cal hawa iicounty.gov>
Subject: Strong Support of Resolution 234-25
Aloha Chair Villages and members of the Policy Committee on Environmental and Natural Resource
Management,
My name is Cristina Holt, and I live in District 3, Hilo. I'm writing in strong support of Resolution 234-
25 because it is long past time that we put the health and safety of our people and'aina before the
unchecked expansion of military activity at Pohakuloa TrainingArea.
In May 2025, the Board of Land and Natural Resources rightly rejected the Army's Final Environmental
Impact Statement. It was incomplete —not only in its archaeology and endangered species data, but
also in its failure to properly conduct a Cultural Impact Assessment, which is supposed to include Ka
Pa'akai analysis. That's unacceptable. For over 60 years, PTA has been a site of bombing and live -fire
exercises that have,desecrated cultural sites, polluted the Saddle aquifer, and sparked wildfires that
damaged ranch, ag, and homestead lands.
This resolution doesn't attack the role the military plays in disaster response or local training needs.
What it does is draw a necessary line. We need accountability. We need cleanup. And we need the state
and county to uphold their kuleana to our people and our places. Continuing as we have —without
enforcement, oversight, or respect for Native Hawaiian rights —is not pono.
Supporting this resolution is a chance for Hawai'i County to stand with its people. It sends a message
that we're no longer okay with backdoor lease extensions, land swaps, or destructive activities that
continue to put our environment, health, and cultural future at risk.
We deserve better stewardship of our island. We deserve transparency. And we deserve to be heard.
Mahalo for your time and consideration.
With care,
Cristina Holt
District 3, Hilo