OHA holds Kauai listening session on military lease expirations, flags EIS gaps and forms trustee advisory group

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs convened a public listening session on Kauai to brief beneficiaries and collect community input on U.S. military land leases that are set to expire between 2028 and 2031. Trustees and OHA staff outlined historical, legal and environmental issues tied to the state’s ceded (crown/government) lands and described how OHA will use public comments to shape its recommended next steps.

"These are the crowning government lands of the Hawaiian Kingdom," the chief advocate said, describing the lands’ historical origins and OHA’s role under the state constitution to protect the public land trust. Presenters traced the history from the Mahele through the 1959 Admissions Act and the 1978 constitutional convention, noting Article XII, section 4 identifies Native Hawaiians as beneficiaries of the trust.

OHA staff said they have reviewed multiple draft Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) and identified shortcomings, including unsurveyed cultural sites, limited consultation and restricted access for customary practices. "Our staff has reviewed the documents and flagged the deficiencies that we've seen in them," the chief advocate said, urging residents to submit written feedback via a QR-code survey and to testify when the Board of Land and Natural Resources considers final EIS documents.

Presenters summarized island-specific proposals described in federal drafts: on Hawaii island (Pohakuloa), the military has proposed retaining most acreage while returning roughly 250 acres to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; on Oahu, the services have proposed returning portions of Makua and Poamoho while retaining some training acreage; and on Kauai, the Navy’s proposed renewal for portions of the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) remains subject to a pending FEIS and Record of Decision, with the transcript referencing roughly 8,000 acres under negotiation.

Speakers emphasized environmental and cleanup concerns. Presenters cited past cleanup efforts and said communities have seen large investments with only partial surface clearance; one presenter described roughly three-quarters of land surface cleared and only about 10% cleared to a 4-foot depth in prior efforts, underscoring the scale of unexploded ordnance and contamination issues.

The trustees also described governance and procedural moves. A trustee reported that OHA had previously established a permitted interaction group of trustees, staff and elected technical advisors so trustees could convene with needed expertise and move more quickly on evolving negotiations. "The significance of this permitted interaction group is that it allows the trustees to meet without having to have a published or notice meeting," the trustee said, framing the group as a tool to respond within tight federal timelines.

Trustees flagged a practical federal deadline: language related to Hawaii’s leases often needs to be draft-ready for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) cycle in April, and congressional or federal stakeholders expect draft parameters by that window. OHA trustees said that while early draft language may be needed in April, the language often evolves between April and later congressional action.

During public comment, residents raised questions and concerns that OHA acknowledged it will follow up on. A resident asked whether national security claims would override OHA’s fiduciary duty; the chief advocate replied that OHA’s duties "definitely run to beneficiaries" but that national security and federal condemnation powers constrain some options. Community speakers asked for more detail about PMRF activities, raised concerns about archaeological consulting practices and possible conflicts of interest in monitoring and cultural assessments, and questioned statutory questions about the Admissions Act; staff pledged to review specific points and incorporate written input.

Trustees said staff will compile the collected comments and prepare recommendations to be considered at a public board meeting. The meeting concluded with trustees asking beneficiaries to submit written feedback and promising a report summarizing community input and OHA’s recommended next steps.

OHA asked attendees to use the online survey and to testify before the Board of Land and Natural Resources when final EIS materials are released, noting those BLNR hearings are the principal statutory opportunity for public input under the current review framework. The session closed with trustees thanking attendees and offering informal time to discuss issues after the formal presentation.