Press Release For Immediate Release 9PM Tuesday, July 15, 2003 Re: Questions for Military press Briefing 2PM Wednesday, July 16, 2003 further contact: Jim Albertini -966-7622 I just received word that the military will have a press briefing at 2PM in Hilo on Wednesday, July 16, 2003 regarding its expansion plans at Pohakuloa Training area and the overall Army Expansion in Hawaii. This is an appeal to the media to please ask the hard questions that members of the public will NOT be able to ask the military at its closed-door "by invitation only" meeting set for 5:30PM at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, Wednesday, July 16, 2003. Questions: 1. CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED The Army's Transformation Stryker Brigade is the largest proposed Army construction project since WWII. Please state the reasons why the 5:30 PM meeting on July 16, 2003 in Hilo is NOT open to the public and the press. Why aren't the taxpayers being allowed to ask questions how and why their money is being spent? 2. DONE DEAL Senator Daniel Inouye says "he has been assured that Hawaii will get a Stryker brigade" ("Sen. Inouye Says He Was Assured a Stryker Brigade," Associated Press, Hawaii Tribune-Herald, June 20, 2003) $89.3 million in funding has already been approved in the U.S. Senate to fund projects in support of the Hawaii Stryker Brigade. (July 14, 2003 Honolulu Star Bulletin) It seems like the Hawaii Stryker Brigade is a done deal when the draft EIS hasn’t even been released? Is the process rigged or for show? Do you consider 45days to be an adequate time for the public to review and respond to a 1500 page draft EIS? Could you comment on this please? 3. CUMULATIVE IMPACT In 1997 the Army purchased 1000 acres for Pohakuloa. The Saddle Road is being realigned. Now the Army proposes expanding Pohakuloa by 23,000 acres. An Army land use plan of 1997 proposed nearly 80,000 additional acres of contiguous training is needed in Hawaii. The C-17 aircraft, which is essential to the Stryker Brigade is going through a separate but not well publicized process. Is the cumulative impact of all these projects together being assessed in the draft EIS for Army Transformation? If not, why? 4. OLD ORDNANCE In the past few years, unexploded ordnance was found at Hilo Bay, Hapuna Beach, and a Waimea Middle School. There are over 50 former military sites on Hawaii Island with known hazards at most of them. An ordnance removal project has begun in Waikoloa, but only a fraction of the funds needed have been set aside. How can the military justify taking new land, when its old land is still hazardous to the people who live and visit here? CLEAN-UP OF UXO $400 million will be expended by the end of this year in cleaning up the island of Kahoolawe of unexploded ordnance. Reports are that only about 10% of the island will be clear of UXO. The existing Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) of 108,000 acres is approximately 3 times the size of Kahoolawe. The 123,000-acreWaikoloa Maneuver Area is about 4 times Kahoolawe. Add to that the former Pakini Iki bombing range near south point, the Mt. View firining range, the Makuu bombing range, the several south Kohala off shore bombing ranges and we have a real costly mess to clean up. What is the estimated cost of cleaning up PTA of UXO? What is the estimated quantity and kinds of UXO at PTA? 5. LAND IMPACTS & ACQUISITION What is the current status of the Army seeking to acquire 23,000 additional acres of land from Parker Ranch adjacent to PTA? How far along is the acquisition process? What would the dust impact be on Waiki`i and other Waikoloa residents from Stryker vehicles maneuvering nearby? What are the current terms of the State lease to the Army at PTA? Is it correct that approximately 80,000 acres are leased from the state for 65 years for the total cost of $1 dollar? What a deal for a multi-billion dollar mess in return! 6. STRYKER QUESTIONED Last year Ron Borne, head of Army Transformation, was asked if training needs could be met without the 23,000-acre expansion at Pohakuloa. He said perhaps training needs could be met by using existing military land elsewhere. Has the Army even looked elsewhere and if so where? An Air Force-sponsored report found that the Army cannot achieve its goal of deploying a Stryker brigade anywhere in the world within four days. Last year Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld directed the Army not to spend money on Stryker units designated for Hawaii and Pennsylvania until all options are explored, but today we have the Senate funding going forward before the draft EIS is even completed. Is the tail wagging the dog? Questions of safety have been raised because of field tests where the Stryker rolled over and got stuck in the mud. (See www.combatreform.com) Comments please. *********************** Mahalo to the media for your consideration. Please come by the 4:30 -6PM picket on Wednesday, July 16, 2003 on the sidewalk fronting the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel to talk with the citizen "outsiders" for their thoughts on military expansion in Hawaii. Everyone's voice is important, not just the "insiders." -pau-