By David Corrigan

The US Army is looking to extend its lease of state lands at Pohakuloa, well before the end of the current 65 year agreement which began in 1964.

In an exclusive story by Ikaika M Hussey on The Hawaii Independent website, an October 2012 staff memo reveals the State of Hawaii is in negotiations with the U.S. Army for a new lease for Pohakuloa Training Area.

The Hawaiian Independent 3.17.2013

“The reason for the request is to relocate the base camp at the east end of Bradshaw Airfield to safeguard personnel and facilities, which will require significant capital improvements. The General Accounting Office advised Applicant that it would need to secure a long-term interest in the premises to justify the investment in such improvements.”

The lease is for a 24,000 acre parcel that makes up a quarter of the size of the Army training facility on Hawaii Island’s Humu’ula Saddle between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, the website reports. Currently, the land is being leased by the Army for $1.00, with an expiration date of 2029.

Activists are already springing into action.

Peace activist Jim Albertini reports that he and Isaac Harp met military leaders “to discuss a range of concerns” on Wednesday. March 20. Albertini wrote in an email that the military’s delegation included the PTA base commander, Lt. Col. Eric Shwedo, the Command’s Sgt Maj. Alan Higgs, and PTA Safety Officer, Tim Keller.

Albertini, who runs the Malu `Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action, has been a vocal critic of the military in Hawaii for years, and he has often demonstrated outside the gates of Pohakuloa. In his email – which demands “Don’t Renew — Cancel the Unlawful PTA Lease!” – Albertini wrote about the meeting.

Jim Albertini 3.21.2013

“Other points raised: Citizens deserve answers to dozens of questions submitted to the Army in writing since 2007 that have gone unanswered; what are the current number of live-rounds fired annually at PTA? Military documents, more than 5 years old say up to 14. 8 million live-rounds annually; list Depleted Uranium (DU) spotting rounds as well as DU cartridge penetrator rounds (if any) that have been fired at PTA in addition to the Davy Crockett DU spotting rounds; the military confirmed the use of Sparrow and Raven Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) commonly called drones at PTA; why has the military failed to respond to 8 actions called for by Hawaii County Council, resolution 639-08 passed on July 2, 2008 that included a halt to all live-fire and clean up of DU contamination present at PTA; would the military provide 24-hour urine tests for personnel at PTA to check for uranium exposure?”

Albertini and Harp also wanted to know “by what authority are Hawaiian Kingdom Crown lands being leased?”

Jim Albertini 3.21.2013

“Isaac Harp presented a 3 page press release dated Dec. 10, 2012 by David Keanu Sai, Ph.D. concerning United Nations and the International Criminal Court involvement over the prolonged and illegal occupation of the Hawaiian Kingdom by the United States. It detailed various war crimes for which individuals may be prosecuted. In addition, Harp presented summarized facts about invalid US executive orders, the State of Hawaii and counties possessing no lawful jurisdiction over Hawaiian Kingdom lands, and listed proposed actions and specific requests for information, and access to cultural and historic sites.”

The Hawaii Independent reported that DLNR chair William Aila said the land board wont be taking up the lease within the next three or four months.

Meanwhile, its unclear how much money will even be available for “significant capital improvements” at Pohakuloa these days, since the federal sequestration cutbacks are still being figured. Major General Roger Mathews of U.S. Army Pacific told state lawmakers during a March 5th special briefing before the Hawaii State House Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs that they are bracing for lost civilian jobs due to decreased military construction.

Major General Roger Mathews 3.5.2013

“We will also see another approx. $106 million reduction in base support operations, and $100 million dollars in project cancellations in military construction; sustainment, restoration and modernization projects… and those are largely dollars that come from IMCOM that does our installation support, cause they also had significant reduction in their top line as well.”

In a media release issued on Thursday, March 21, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said the Department of Defense decided to delay the issuance of civilian employee furlough notices for approximately two weeks. “This delay,” Little wrote, “will allow the department to carefully analyze the impact of pending continuing resolution legislation on the department’s resources. We have not made any decisions on whether or not the total number of planned furlough days for fiscal 2013 will change as a result of this delay.”