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OHA board adopts negotiating PIG, technical advisory team to shape strategy for expiring U.S. military leases
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Summary
After accepting a final investigative report, trustees created a negotiating permitted‑interaction group with a proposed technical advisory panel (legal, valuation, UXO/remediation, cultural practitioners, military experts) to prepare negotiation and litigation posture for U.S. military leases set to expire 2028–2031, and directed quarterly reporting and a communications strategy.
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs board on Dec. 18 accepted a final report from an investigative permitted‑interaction group and authorized a negotiating PIG to develop OHA’s official negotiating and litigation posture for U.S. military leases that begin expiring in 2028. The board approved eight recommendations including early dissolution of the investigative PIG, creation of a negotiating group to engage with federal and state counterparts, quarterly reporting to the full board, and formation of a technical advisory panel comprised of subject‑matter experts in negotiation, valuation, legal/litigation strategy, UXO/remediation and cultural and land stewards.
Trustees and staff framed the work as a combination of public education, technical analysis and advocacy: staff described prior site visits, review of federal EIS volumes and community listening sessions in Hilo and Ma'ili. Administration and trustees emphasized the need for a Kapakai (shore‑line and cultural impacts) analysis not done in the army’s EIS and proposed that OHA lead or commission that work to ensure cultural impacts are fully considered.
Public testimony at the board meeting was strongly engaged: multiple beneficiaries and community advocates urged that negotiation options include non‑renewal and land return and not assume continuation of military use is the default. Testimony also urged OHA to ensure any negotiating strategy protects fiduciary duties under public‑land‑trust law and preserves legal options including litigation.
General counsel and administration said the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act recognizes OHA explicitly in federal consultation pathways, and the negotiating PIG’s mandate will use that standing to seek consultation with DOD components and service secretaries. Trustees approved the negotiating PIG by roll call; the board also directed staff to develop a multi‑platform communications and community engagement plan and to coordinate with budget and finance for necessary resources to support technical studies and outreach.
