Posted on: Tuesday, October 2, 2001
Senate OKs $378 million for Hawai'i military
By Susan Roth
Advertiser Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON — Hawai'i's military installations could get more than $378 million for construction projects in fiscal 2002 under a bill that has unanimously passed the Senate.
The Hawai'i money is a portion of the $10.5 billion military construction measure that passed the Senate last week.
A House bill passed previously would earmark nearly $366 million for Hawai'i projects. A House-Senate conference is expected to iron out the small differences between the two bills quickly because of the terrorist attacks and because a new fiscal year began yesterday.
The Senate bill includes $38 million more for Hawai'i than the fiscal 2001 military construction spending bill. Of the total Hawai'i amount, about $227 million is for family housing or barracks projects, most of which are under way.
"I have asked that some of these projects be accelerated," said Sen. Dan Inouye, D-Hawai'i, chairman of the defense appropriations subcommittee. "These new and refurbished housing units are critical to maintain quality living conditions for our military families. This is especially important in light of what our nation will be asking our men and women in uniform to do as we fight terrorism."
In a statement, Inouye added that the building projects also would help boost the state's construction industry, one of many sectors struggling following the Sept. 11 attacks.
But the Senate bill does not include $11.8 million for housing rehabilitation at the Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands, Kaua'i, requested on the House side by Rep. Neil Abercrombie, top Democrat on the House Military Installations and Facilities subcommittee.
Inouye's staff said yesterday they did not know the fate of the money for that project.
New projects included in the Senate bill include $14.1 million to replace a water line on Ford Island as part of the larger Ford Island rehab project and $1.5 million to buy about 1,000 acres on Parker Ranch adjacent to the Pohakuloa Training Area. Air Force officials said they need the land because it is the only certified drop zone on the Big Island and the ranch refused to continue a current lease arrangement for it.
The Senate bill also contains an extra $8.2 million for additional family housing construction at Kane'ohe Bay. President Bush's request included $47 million for the housing, increased to $55.2 million by the Senate.
At the request of Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawai'i, chairman of the Armed Services Readiness and Management Support subcommittee, the new money was also included in the Senate defense authorization bill now under debate on the floor.
Some other large Hawai'i projects include:
• $23.3 million to modernize bachelor enlisted quarters at Pearl Harbor.
• $23 million to continue work on the Wilson Street barracks complex at Schofield Barracks.
• $50 million to continue construction on the aviation barracks complex at Wheeler Army Airfield.
• $37.6 million to continue work on headquarters of the Commander in Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Camp Smith.
• $24.9 million for construction of bachelor enlisted quarters at the Marine Corps base at Kane'ohe.
• $47 million to replace 172 units of family housing at the Marine Corps base.
• $25 million to replace 102 units of family housing at Hickam Air Force Base, and $29.2 million to replace the hydrant fuel system at Hickam.
