Department of the Army June 7, 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of the Army (Army) announces the availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS) regarding its proposed action: to retain up to approximately 6,322 acres of land the Army currently leases from the State of Hawai`i. These lands are located on the island of O`ahu and comprise approximately 1,150 acres at Kahuku Training Area (KTA), approximately 4,390 acres at Kawailoa- Poamoho Training Area (Poamoho), and approximately 782 acres at Makua Military Reservation (MMR). The purpose of the proposed action is to retain these three areas for military training beyond the end of the current leases. The need for the proposed action is to maintain facilities for training by the Army and other Department of Defense organizations, as such training facilities are not available elsewhere in Hawai`i. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Hawai`i Environmental Policy Act (HEPA), the Draft EIS analyzes the potential direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts of a range of reasonable alternatives that meet the purpose of and need for the proposed action. The Draft EIS also analyzes the potential impacts of the No-Action Alternative, under which Army use of these lands would cease when the leases expire in 2029. Because the proposed retention involves state-owned lands, the EIS is a joint NEPA-HEPA document. The two public review processes run concurrently.