Navy, NASA seek public comment on draft environmental impact statement for Pacific Missile Range Facility

The U.S. Navy and NASA are seeking public comment on their recently released Draft Environmental Impact Statement for proposed continued use of state lands on Kaua‘i for the Pacific Missile Range Facility.

The two agencies prepared the statement as joint applicants to retain the land before the leases expire in 2027 and 2030. The community is now invited to provide input on the statement’s environmental analysis.

Click here to view the statement.

The public’s participation in the public review and comment period is important to ensure community concerns are identified and addressed, officials stated in a press release.

The public comment period on the statement is open till Aug. 7.

The Navy currently leases 8,172 acres of land where it operates the Pacific Missile Range Facility, also known as PMRF. The proposal to retain the land would allow for operational continuity and sustainment in support of continued military training, testing, and facility operations at PMRF.

The environmental effects of these training and testing operations are analyzed in previous, focused environmental documents referenced in Section 1.5 of the Draft EIS

NASA leases 23 acres within the Kōke‘e State Park where they study the Earth’s rotation and local land motion at Kōkeʻe Park Geophysical Observatory.

For NASA, these state lands are critical to maintain data collection efforts of global significance. It also ensures the continued conservation management by the Navy and NASA of natural and cultural resources on these lands.

“By ensuring continued Navy and NASA operations on Kaua‘i, the real estate action would also preserve local jobs and income for Kaua‘i residents, financially contribute to the overall economic well-being of Kaua’i, and maintain continued conservation management of natural and cultural resources on state lands at no cost to the State of Hawai‘i,” officials stated in the release.

For portions of PMRF, the Navy has real estate agreements with the State of Hawaiʻi for 8,172 acres, comprised of 684 acres of leaseholds and 7,488 acres of easement lands. The Navy operates on approximately 410 acres of the total acres leased from the State of Hawaii. The majority of the leasehold and easement areas remain intentionally undeveloped as they are used as an encroachment buffer and security for the range’s mission. The Navy’s current leases and easements support mission operations, access, and utilities at five general locations: Main Base[1], Kamokalā Ridge, Mānā Water Well, Miloli‘i Ridge, and Mākaha Ridge.

NASA operates 23 acres, comprised of 16 acres of leaseholds and seven acres of easement lands, across five parcels along a 1-mile stretch of road in Kōke‘e State Park. NASA issued the Navy a Use Permit in 2016 for portions of KPGO to conduct radar, telemetry, and communications services in support of PMRF operations.

For the Board of Land and Natural Resources, in addition to its role as the lessor of state lands, the proposed real estate action presents an opportunity to secure a revenue source to support its management of public lands and associated environmental and conservation programs. Fees from leases and easements would be put into a state fund as required by law.

The Draft EIS analyzed the potential environmental effects of the Proposed Action and alternatives, including the No Action Alternative. The Draft EIS satisfies both federal and State of Hawaii requirements and provides the necessary analyses to allow the Navy, NASA, and the Board of Land and Natural Resources to consider the environmental effects of the Proposed Action as part of their decision-making.

The Navy and NASA will also host three public meetings. Each meeting will include a live online broadcast and public comment opportunity. The public is encouraged to attend any of the public meetings to talk story, learn more, and submit written or oral comments.

The public meetings will take place on the following days:

• July 15 at Kaua‘i Veterans Center, located at 3215 Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Highway in Līhuʻe

• July 16 at Kekaha Neighborhood Center, located at 8130 Elepaio Rd. in Kekaha

• July 17 at Sheraton Kaua‘i Coconut Beach Resort, Makai Ballroom, located at 650 Aleka Loop in Kapaʻa

All meetings will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. To participate online, register at PMRF-KPGO-EIS.com.

Comments can also be submitted online or by mail through Aug. 7.

Email comments to info@PMRF-KPGO-EIS.com. Mail comments to Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Environmental OPHEV2; Attention: PMRF and KPGO RE EIS Project Manager, Ms. Kerry Ling
400 Marshall Road, Building X-11
Pearl Harbor, HI 96860

For language assistance or special accommodations, the public should contact the PMRF Public Affairs Officer at 808-335-4740 or PMRFPublicAffairs@us.navy.mil. Requests for language assistance or special accommodations should be made at least seven days prior to the public meeting.

A copy of the Draft EIS is available at PMRF-KPGO-EIS.com and at the Waimea Public Library and the Hawai‘i Documents Center at the Hawai‘i State Library on O‘ahu.