BILLING CODE: 3711-02
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army
Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Army Training Land Retention at
Kahuku Training Area, Kawailoa-Poamoho Training Area, and Makua Military
Reservation, Island of O‘ahu, Hawai‘i
AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
SUMMARY: The Department of the Army (Army) announces the availability of a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS) regarding its proposed action: to retain up
to approximately 6,322 acres of land the Army currently leases from the State of
Hawai‘i. These lands are located on the island of O‘ahu and comprise approximately
1,150 acres at Kahuku Training Area (KTA), approximately 4,390 acres at KawailoaPoamoho Training Area (Poamoho), and approximately 782 acres at Makua Military
Reservation (MMR). The purpose of the proposed action is to retain these three areas for
military training beyond the end of the current leases. The need for the proposed action is to
maintain facilities for training by the Army and other Department of Defense organizations, as
such training facilities are not available elsewhere in Hawai‘i. In accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Hawai‘i Environmental Policy Act
(HEPA), the Draft EIS analyzes the potential direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts of
a range of reasonable alternatives that meet the purpose of and need for the proposed
action. The Draft EIS also analyzes the potential impacts of the No-Action Alternative,
under which Army use of these lands would cease when the leases expire in 2029.
Because the proposed retention involves state-owned lands, the EIS is a joint NEPAHEPA document. The two public review processes run concurrently.
DATES: The Army invites public comments on the Draft EIS during the 60-day public

comment period. To be considered in the Final EIS, all comments must be postmarked
or received by 11:59 p.m. Hawaiʻi Standard Time on August 7, 2024. Public meetings
will be held at Wai‘anae District Park Multi-Purpose Room on July 9, 2024, Kahuku High
and Intermediate School on July 10, 2024, and at Leilehua High School on July 11,
2024, to provide information on the Draft EIS and to enhance the opportunity for public
comment. Information on how to participate in the Draft EIS public meetings and on how
to submit comments is available on the EIS website:
https://home.army.mil/hawaii/index.php/OahuEIS/project-home.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be: submitted through the EIS website
(https://home.army.mil/hawaii/index.php/OahuEIS/project-home); emailed to atlr-oahueis@g70.design; mailed to O‘ahu ATLR EIS Comments, P.O. Box 3444, Honolulu, HI
96801-3444; or provided during public meetings. Comments must be postmarked or
received by August 7, 2024.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Michael Donnelly, U.S. Army
Garrison-Hawai‘i Public Affairs Office, by telephone at (808) 787-2140 or by email at
usarmy.hawaii.nepa@army.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: U.S. Army Garrison-Hawai‘i is home to the 25th
Infantry Division (25th ID) and other commands, the mission of which is to deploy and
conduct decisive actions in support of unified land operations. 25th ID is based at
Schofield Barracks on the island of O‘ahu. 25th ID trains on a rotational basis at various
training areas, including KTA, Poamoho, and MMR.
Located in northeast O‘ahu, KTA has been the site of military training since the
mid-1950s. Current training activities on state-owned land at KTA include high-density,
company-level helicopter training in a tactical environment, large-scale ground
maneuver training, and air support training.
Located in the Ko‘olau Mountains in north-central O‘ahu, Poamoho has been the

site of military training since 1964. It provides airspace with ravines and deep vegetation
for realistic helicopter training.
Located in northwest O‘ahu, MMR has been a military training site for nearly 100
years. Tactical training at MMR began in 1941 after the attack on Pearl Harbor and
military training continues to this day. Current activities on state-owned land at MMR
include maneuver training, the use of restricted airspace for unmanned aerial vehicle
training, as well as wildland fire suppression and security activities.
The Draft EIS evaluates the potential impacts of a range of alternatives:
For KTA—(1) Full Retention (of approximately 1,150 acres); (2) Modified Retention (of
approximately 450 acres);
For Poamoho—(1) Full Retention (of approximately 4,390 acres); (2) Modified Retention
(of approximately 3,170 acres);
For MMR—(1) Full Retention (of approximately 782 acres); (2) Modified Retention (of
approximately 572 acres); (3) Minimum Retention and Access (of approximately 162
acres and 2.4 miles of select range and firebreak roads).
Under the No-Action Alternative for each of these training areas, the leases would lapse
in 2029 and the Army would lose access to these training areas. The Army has
identified the preferred alternative as Alternative 2 at each of the training areas.
The Draft EIS analyzes the impacts of both a new lease of the areas and full
federal ownership (i.e., fee simple title). The Draft EIS analyzes land use, biological
resources, cultural resources/practices, hazardous substances and hazardous wastes,
air quality, greenhouse gases, noise, geology, topography, soils, water resources,
socioeconomics, environmental justice, transportation, traffic, human health, and safety.
The Draft EIS indicates that significant adverse impacts on land use (land tenure) and
environmental justice would occur with a lease or fee simple title at: KTA and Poamoho
under Alternatives 1 and 2; and MMR under Alternatives 1, 2, and 3. Significant adverse

impacts on cultural practices would occur with a lease or fee simple title at MMR under
Alternatives 1, 2, and 3. Some of the significant impacts for land use (land tenure) could
be reduced to less than significant. The modified or minimum retention alternatives
would have significant beneficial impacts on land use (land tenure) for land not retained
at KTA, Poamoho, and MMR. Impacts of the action alternatives on other resources are
less than significant. The No-Action Alternative would have a significant beneficial
impact on land use (land tenure) and environmental justice at all sites, and on cultural
practices at MMR. The No-Action Alternative would have less than significant impacts
on all other resources at the three sites.
To mitigate adverse impacts on land use (land tenure), the Army would consider
adding non-barbed-wire fencing and signage to minimize accidental or intentional
trespass from adjacent non-U.S. Government-controlled land. This applies to Alternative
2 for KTA and to Alternatives 2 and 3 for MMR. As mitigation for impacts to cultural
practices and environmental justice at MMR, the Army would, for alternatives 1, 2, and
3: review and update its public engagement efforts; work with cultural practitioners and
Native Hawaiian Organizations to update and/or develop a mutually beneficial cultural
access plan; and promote long-term stewardship of the ʻāina (i.e., the land of Hawai‘i)
with regard to military use of state-owned land. The Army distributed the Draft EIS to
Native Hawaiian Organizations, to federal, state, and local agencies/officials, and to
other stakeholders. The Draft EIS and related information are available on the EIS
website at: https://home.army.mil/hawaii/index.php/OahuEIS/project-home. The public
may also review the Draft EIS and select materials at the following libraries:
1.

Hawai‘i State Library, Hawai‘i Documents Center
478 S. King Street, Honolulu, HI 96813

2.

Kahuku Public and School Library
56-490 Kamehameha Highway, Kahuku, HI 96731

3.

Wahiawā Public Library
820 California Ave., Wahiawā, HI 96786

4.

Waiʻanae Public Library
85-625 Farrington Highway, Waiʻanae, HI 96792
Native Hawaiian Organizations, federal, state, and local agencies/officials, and

other interested entities/individuals are encouraged to comment on the Draft EIS during
the 60-day public comment period. All comments postmarked or received by August 7,
2024 will be considered in the development of the Final EIS.

James W. Satterwhite, Jr.,
U.S. Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.

[FR Doc. 2024-12573 Filed: 6/6/2024 8:45 am; Publication Date: 6/7/2024]