Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources granted a 15-day extension for U.S. Department of the Navy and National Aeronautics and Space Administration on their final environmental impact statement for Pacific Missile Range Facility and Kōkeʻe Park Geophysical Observatory.
The impact statement is required as part of the application submitted by U.S. Navy and NASA to renew leases on the state lands they now use.
“We have heard from residents who are concerned that the [final environmental impact statement] could be automatically accepted on Sept. 14 because it is not on the Board of Land and Natural Resources Sept. 11 agenda,” said Hawaiʻi Board of Land and Natural Resources Chairperson Ryan Kanakaʻole in a state release. “I want to assure everyone that we would not let that happen. It is vital that the public have an opportunity to provide testimony on this matter — and it will.”
The Navy and NASA concurrently filed the final environmental impact statement Aug. 14 with the state Land Department and Hawaiʻi Office of Planning and Sustainable Development Environmental Review Program, setting the original 30-day acceptance deadline for Sept. 13.
The 15-day extension was granted Sept. 4.
Giving the Navy and NASA the 15-day extension provides a 45-day acceptance period, the maximum allowable time by state law. The state Land Department now has until Sept. 29 to decide on the final environmental impact statement.
“The [final environmental impact statement] may still be placed on the [Board of Land and Natural Resources] Sept. 25 agenda,” Kanakaʻole said. “The Navy and NASA could also choose to withdraw and resubmit their [final environmental impact statement], which would result in consideration at a future date. Regardless of what occurs, the Department of Land and Natural Resources will keep the public informed.”
