University of Hawai‘i and the US Navy partner to support Pacific Missile Range Facility Barking Sands

The University of Hawaiʻi and the Department of the Navy signed a historic 10-year agreement to support the protection and management of natural and cultural resources on Navy and Marine Corps installations in Hawaiʻi.

The agreement, which includes climate resilience support for bases and their surrounding areas, covers Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and Marine Corps Base Hawaiʻi on Oʻahu, and Pacific Missile Range Facility Barking Sands on Kauaʻi.

The agreement was signed by UH Vice President for Research and Innovation Vassilis L. Syrmos and Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations and Environment Meredith Berger.

“Those who live and work in Hawaiʻi have a responsibility to be good stewards of the land and this partnership with the Navy signifies their willingness to fulfill their natural and cultural resource responsibilities by utilizing UH’s knowledge and expertise in these areas,” Syrmos said.

According to a press release from the university, defense programs throughout the U.S. are investing in collaborations that will allow them to better understand and address the ways severe weather and other hazards could impact military missions.

The recently signed agreement, known as a renewable Intergovernmental Support Agreement, enables the Navy to potentially fund UH to conduct $10 million in projects and support services annually to enhance the Navy and Marine Corps’ resilience against environmental hazards.

The agreement is the first in Hawaiʻi between an academic institution, Commander, Navy Region Hawaiʻi and Marine Corps Installations Pacific.

Support services provided by UH to CNRH and MCIPAC under this agreement may include, but are not limited to: biological assessment development, pest and predator control, marine debris removal, Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan implementation, curation services, Integrated Cultural Resource Management Plan implementation, engineering plans and implementation of Nature-based Solutions, floodplain analysis and mitigation, wildfire management and planning, hydrology/sea level rise mitigation, shoreline stabilization, Geographic Information System support, land/ocean/nearshore based surveys, and equipment and supply purchases.

The agreement provides the necessary framework for UH to use its collective knowledge and resources—scientists, laboratories, students, and outreach programs—to help the DoN balance the critical needs and requirements of the nation’s defense with its ongoing natural and cultural resource responsibilities in Hawaiʻi.

As a large part of its land-, sea-, space-grant mission, the university works to leverage federal partnerships like this agreement to provide meaningful impacts for the state in environmental and cultural management.

“We are proud to partner with the University of Hawaiʻi and will benefit tremendously from its world-class research, specialized training programs, and the traditional ecological knowledge that UH incorporates into its educational program,” said Berger, who also serves as the Navy’s Chief Sustainability Officer. “As proud members of this community, we recognize our kuleana to protect Hawaiʻi’s environment and natural resources. When we care for this extraordinary place, we advance our diplomacy and reinforce our defense.”

U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono applauded the agreement between the university and the Navy to protect and manage natural and cultural resources on military installations in Hawai‘i.

“By enabling the Navy to utilize UH’s world-class resources and insight to address climate-related challenges, this agreement will help the military better protect Hawai‘i’s natural resources and strengthen our national security.”

U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda for Hawai‘i’s second congressional district, said the Navy has a duty to the people of Hawai‘i to be a responsible steward of the lands and waters, and this partnership agreement is a positive step forward in rebuilding trust with communities.

“Whether it’s invasive species and biosecurity, land and natural resource management, coastal resiliency, or some other problem we have yet to encounter, this partnership puts us on the right footing to meet those challenges,” Tokuda said. “I will continue fighting to ensure that the Navy and Marine Corps, as well as the Department of Defense at large, upholds their responsibilities and commitments to mālama ‘āina.”