📣 URGENT KĀHEA!! 📣 - Save Our Sacred Lands

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Aloha mai kākou,

As the Community Outreach and Administrative Coordinator for the Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Action (HAPA), I am reaching out to our community with an urgent plea for action. The U.S. Army is attempting to extend their 65-year leases on stolen Hawaiian lands at Mākua, Poamoho, and Kahuku, and we need your kōkua to prevent this.

Recently, I attended a hearing in Waiʻanae to help take space, represent HAPA, and show our collective voices against this proposal. The urgency of this matter cannot be overstated—our sacred lands are at risk, and it is imperative that we come together to demand #LandBack.

Why This Matters

• Environmental Concerns: The proposed retention threatens Oʻahu’s unique ecosystems, including habitats for endangered and endemic species. The military’s activities could cause irreversible damage to native flora and fauna, soil health, and water quality.

• Cultural Significance: These lands are deeply significant to the Native Hawaiian community. They contain sacred sites and are integral to traditional practices. Continued militarization erases Native Hawaiian culture and violates our rights to access and preserve our heritage.

• Social and Health Impacts: Local communities near these areas suffer from noise and air pollution and potential exposure to hazardous materials. These conditions lead to health issues and disproportionately affect marginalized groups.

• Inadequate Community Engagement: The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) has not genuinely engaged with Native Hawaiian organizations, local residents, or environmental groups, undermining the integrity of the review process.

How You Can Help

We need your voices! Please provide testimony and submit written comments to let the Army know that we oppose this land retention. The comment period for the Army’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) closes on August 7, 2024.

Submit Your Testimony Online or via Mail: Visit bit.ly/ARMYLEASES for detailed instructions on how to submit your comments.

Sample Testimony for You to Use

Feel free to copy and paste the following testimony to make your voice heard:

SUBJECT: Testimony Against the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Army Training Land Retention on Oʻahu

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Army Training Land Retention (ATLR) at Kahuku Training Area (KTA), Kawailoa-Poamoho Training Area (Poamoho), and Mākua Military Reservation (MMR) on the island of Oʻahu. This testimony highlights significant environmental, cultural, and social concerns that render the proposed retention of these lands unacceptable.

Environmental Concerns The proposed retention of these training areas poses severe risks to Oʻahu’s unique ecosystems and biodiversity. The KTA, Poamoho, and MMR encompass critical habitats for numerous endangered and endemic species. Continued military activities, including live-fire exercises, heavy machinery operation, and the potential for unexploded ordnance, threaten the integrity of these ecosystems. The Draft EIS inadequately addresses the cumulative impacts of prolonged military use on native flora and fauna, soil health, and water quality. A more thorough analysis is necessary to understand the full extent of environmental degradation caused by these activities.

Cultural and Historical Significance These lands hold profound cultural and historical significance for the Native Hawaiian community. They are home to sacred sites, traditional practices, and ancestral lands that have been stewarded by Kānaka Maoli for generations. The ongoing militarization of these areas represents a continued erasure of Native Hawaiian culture and a violation of their rights to access and preserve their heritage. The Draft EIS fails to meaningfully engage with the cultural impacts of land retention and the desecration of sacred sites, which undermines the integrity of the environmental review process.

Social and Health Impacts The retention of military training areas has adverse social and health implications for local communities. Residents living near KTA, Poamoho, and MMR are subjected to noise pollution, air pollution, and potential exposure to hazardous materials. These conditions contribute to stress, respiratory issues, and other health problems, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities. The Draft EIS does not adequately address these human health impacts nor propose sufficient mitigation measures to protect public well-being.

Inadequate Community Engagement The preparation of the Draft EIS has lacked genuine community engagement and consultation with Native Hawaiian organizations, local residents, and environmental groups. Meaningful input from these stakeholders is essential to ensure that their voices are heard and their concerns are addressed. The failure to incorporate comprehensive community feedback undermines the credibility of the EIS process and raises questions about its legitimacy.

Conclusion Given the significant environmental, cultural, and social concerns outlined above, I urge the Army to reconsider the proposed retention of the Kahuku Training Area, Kawailoa-Poamoho Training Area, and Mākua Military Reservation. The Draft EIS must be revised to incorporate a more thorough and inclusive analysis of the impacts on Oʻahu’s ecosystems, cultural heritage, and community health. The protection of these lands for future generations necessitates a commitment to environmental stewardship, cultural respect, and social justice.

Aloha ʻĀina Forever,

First Name, Last Name, Zip Code

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Mahalo nui for standing with us to protect our sacred lands. Together, we can ensure that these lands are preserved for future generations.

me ke aloha ʻāina,

About the Author

Nanea Lo, Community Engagement and Administrative Coordinator

Nanea Lo is from Papakōlea, Oʻahu. She is a Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian). Lo's educational expertise is in community planning and urban planning infrastructures. She is also a podcast host for Native Stories.

Lo is a public servant and serves as the Kona representative for the Oʻahu Island Burial Council, a commissioner on the Oʻahu Historic Preservation Commission, sits on the board of the Hawaiʻi Workers Center, newly elected member of the Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi Executive Committee, and serves on the grant making committee for Hawaiʻi People’s Fund.

Through civic engagement, podcast hosting, and community organizing, Lo advocates for Hawaiian sovereignty, Aloha 'Āina, and feminism on the national and international scale. She has been a part of innovative local and international education and advocacy programs such as Planned Parenthood “National” Storyteller for the Pacific Northwest and Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi-Asia Pacific Leadership Program, Native American Political Leadership Program, Kuleana Academy, Young Pacific Leaders, and Peace Scholars. She believes that relationships are the fabric of life and that Aloha ʻĀina is forever.