Welcome
Welcome to the official website for the Army Training Land Retention at Pōhakuloa Training Area (PTA) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). This website was created to share information about the Proposed Action and provide an opportunity for the public to get involved and stay informed.
Project Overview
The Army proposes to retain up to approximately 22,750 acres of State-owned land at PTA. The Proposed Action is a real estate action that would enable continuation of ongoing activities on the State-owned land.
A Second Draft EIS has been prepared under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Hawai‘i Environmental Impact Statement laws and rules (referred to as HEPA). Both NEPA and HEPA ensure environmental concerns are given appropriate consideration in decision-making, along with economic and technical considerations. Public input is a valued part of the NEPA and HEPA processes.
In response to comments received from agencies and the public on the Draft EIS published in April 2022, the Army is no longer considering the retention of approximately 250 acres of State-owned land administered by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. In addition to analyzing impacts of a fee simple retention method, the Draft EIS also assesses impacts of a lease retention method. Due to these changes, the Army determined that a Second Draft EIS for public review during the comment period from April 19 through June 7, 2024.
Recent Project Announcements
- April 23, 2024: Publication of the Second Draft EIS in the State of Hawai‘i Office of Planning and Sustainable Development Environmental Review Program’s publication, The Environmental Notice: The Second Draft EIS has been published in the April 23, 2024 issue of The Environmental Notice.
- April 19, 2024: Publication of the Notice of Availability (NOA) and Second Draft EIS and Start of the Public Comment Period: The Army published the NOA in the Federal Register on April 19, 2024, announcing the availability of the Second Draft EIS (Documents Page) and the start of the public comment period. The Second Draft EIS public comment period begins today, April 19, 2024 and ends on June 7, 2024. The Second Draft EIS will also be published in the April 23, 2024 issue of the State Environmental Review Program’s publication, The Environmental Notice.
- April 19, 2024: Second Draft EIS In-Person Public Meetings Announced: The Army encourages the public to attend the in-person Second Draft EIS public meetings that will be held on Hawai‘i Island at the following locations on the following dates and times:
- Waimea District Park on May 6, 2024 from 6-8 PM HST
- ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center on May 7, 2024 from 6-8 PM HST
Read All Project Announcements
Public Involvement
There are multiple opportunities for public review and input throughout the Second Draft EIS process. Written comments may be submitted here, emailed to atlr-pta-eis@g70.design, mailed to ATLR PTA EIS Comments, P.O. Box 3444, Honolulu, HI 96801-3444, or provided during public meetings. Comments must be postmarked or received by 11:59 PM HST on June 7, 2024. Comments may also be submitted in person at the public meetings, or by phone on May 6 and May 7, 2024.
Public Involvement Page
Project Documents
All documents related to the Army Training Land Retention at PTA EIS that have been publicly released to date are provided here.