HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES             H.C.R. NO.56          
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                     HOUSE CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION
REQUESTING THE UNITED STATES ARMY TO PREPARE AN ENVIRONMENTAL
   IMPACT STATEMENT FOR MILITARY TRAINING AND RELATED
   ACTIVITIES AT THE MAKUA MILITARY RESERVATION ON O'AHU.
 


 1       WHEREAS, since World War II, the United States Army has
 2   gained control of approximately 4,200 acres--including over
 3   3,000 acres of ceded land--at the Makua Military Reservation on
 4   O'ahu, by presidential executive order, state lease, easement,
 5   and permit; and
 6   
 7       WHEREAS, the Army and other branches of the United States
 8   military conduct live-fire training and related activities at
 9   the Makua Military Reservation, which have increased in the
10   last 25 years; and
11   
12       WHEREAS, the Makua Military Reservation provides habitat to
13   some of Hawai'i's most imperiled plants and animals, including
14   at least 30 endangered plant species, the endangered Hawaiian
15   monk seal, endangered O'ahu creeper, endangered pueo, proposed
16   endangered O'ahu 'elepaio, endangered O'ahu tree snail, and
17   threatened green sea turtle; and
18   
19       WHEREAS, sacred Hawaiian sites and over 150 archaeological
20   features are found at the Makua Military Reservation, including
21   Ukanipo Heiau, which is on the National Register of Historic
22   Places; and
23   
24       WHEREAS, since 1990, at least 270 fires have been caused by
25   military training and related activities at the Makua Military
26   Reservation, burning thousands of acres, native forest,
27   endangered species and their essential habitat, and cultural
28   sites; and
29   
30       WHEREAS, live-fire training, unexploded ordnance, fires,
31   hazardous waste, traffic, and noise associated with activities
32   at the Makua Military Reservation raise serious concerns for
33   the safety and well-being of residents along the Wai'anae Coast
34   of O'ahu; and
35   
36       WHEREAS, the loss of native forest, introduction of alien
37   species, and contamination by unexploded ordnance and hazardous
38   waste limit future land-use options at the Makua Military
39   Reservation; and
40   

 
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                                  H.C.R. NO.56          
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1       WHEREAS, the fundamental purpose of the National
 2   Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is to ensure that the 
 3   environmental impacts of federal agency actions are scrutinized
 4   before such actions are carried out and environmental damage
 5   occurs; and
 6   
 7       WHEREAS, NEPA requires all federal agencies to prepare
 8   environmental impact statements for major federal actions
 9   significantly affecting the quality of the human environment;
10   and
11   
12       WHEREAS, NEPA requires that an environmental impact
13   statement discuss the environmental impact of the federal
14   action , including ecological, aesthetic, historic, cultural,
15   economic, social, and health effects, the justification for the
16   action, and the alternatives to the action and their impact;
17   and
18   
19       WHEREAS, military training and related activities at the
20   Makua Military Reservation significantly affect the quality of
21   the human environment by: threatening public safety and quality
22   of life on the Wai'anae Coast of O'ahu; destroying native
23   forest, endangered species, essential habitat, and cultural
24   sites; and interfering/limiting/restricting traditional
25   customary Hawaiian practices and worship at Makua; and
26   
27       WHEREAS, the Army has never prepared an environmental
28   impact statement for military training and related activities
29   at the Makua Military Reservation; now, therefore,
30   
31       BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the
32   Twentieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session
33   of 1999, the Senate concurring, that the Legislature requests
34   the United States Army to prepare an environmental impact
35   statement for all of its actions at the 
36   Makua Military Reservation, including military training and
37   related activities, and

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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                                  H.C.R. NO.56          
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1   
 2       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
 3   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Commander of the
 4   25th Infantry Light and United States Army Hawai'i, Hawai'i
 5   Congressional Delegation, Board of Land and Natural Resources,
 6   Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Honolulu City Council, and Wai'anae
 7   Neighborhood Board.
 8    
 9 
10 
11                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________