Contractor concludes Kaho'olawe cleanup
| • | Kaho'olawe workers feel gratified as cleanup ends |
By Timothy Hurley
Advertiser Maui County Bureau
Today is the final day of the $400 million cleanup of unexploded ordnance on Kaho'olawe.
When the Navy's contractor leaves, it will mark the first time in 63 years that Kaho'olawe will have no controlling U.S. military presence.
It's a milestone that has those who fought to wrest control of the island from the Navy feeling pretty good.
"We're all excited," said Kim Birnie, access coordinator with the Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana, a group that led the fight to stop use of the island as a bombing range. "It's something the 'ohana has been looking forward to for a long time."
"It's the end of a long era, a new beginning," said Burt Sakata, a member of the Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana and the state's Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission. "It's exciting — a new period for us."
No formal ceremonies are planned to mark the occasion, although some Kaho'olawe commission members and Rear Adm. Barry McCullough, commander of Navy Region Hawai'i, are scheduled to visit the island today.
The admiral plans to meet with the contractors and view the final demobilization efforts, while commissioners plan to check out the condition of the island they will oversee for the state. According to law, Kaho'olawe will be held in trust for transfer to a future sovereign Hawaiian entity recognized by the federal and state governments.
Today, the last barge is scheduled to pick up the remaining scrap material and equipment, ending the massive, federally financed operation that began 5 1/2 years ago and saw the removal of 5,000 tons of target-range scrap and shells and other military remains.
Tom McCabe, project manager with contractor Parsons-UXB Joint Venture, said the project's remaining workforce of about 140 has been cleaning work areas, packing up equipment and taking down structures to be hauled off the island. A third of the equipment was shipped last week, McCabe said, and three barges came this week.
"Everybody's working hard because it's crunch time," said Stanton Enomoto, the Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission's acting executive director.
Enomoto said his staff has been busy inventorying the equipment the Navy agreed to leave for state use, including $4.9 million in facilities and $4 million in equipment.
"We want to make sure everything is in place that needs to be in place for the turnover of operations," he said.
Parsons-UXB Joint Venture's McCabe is expected to be on island this weekend to help set up the new operations of a base camp in the western corner of the 28,800-acre island. Parsons Inc. won the $1.85 million contract from the Kaho'olawe commission to run the camp for 15 months.
The battle for control of Kaho'olawe began in 1976, when a group of men and women defied the Navy and occupied the island, drawing national attention to the plight of Native Hawaiians.
The Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana emerged to lead the fight to stop the bombing. More recently, the group clashed with the Navy over access issues.
With the cleanup over, environmental restoration of the island will continue, financed by the commission's $30 million trust fund.
Sakata said the Navy's departure will make restoration work easier because there will be fewer layers of government and fewer hoops to jump through.
"The restoration work will move faster," Sakata predicted. "There will be a lot less headaches and bantering over issues that shouldn't be issues."
Although 'Ohana members are thrilled at the thought of a Kaho'olawe with no Navy presence, there is lingering resentment. That's because only 77 percent of the surface was cleared of ordnance, and of that area, only 9 percent was cleared to a level 4 feet below ground. That fell well short of public expectations.
The limited cleanup also means that access will continue to be restricted and tightly controlled because of the risk of injury from unexploded bombs. Groups will be required to file safety and logistics plans. Signs will be posted in uncleared areas, and escorts will be needed.
Enomoto said today is a milestone for the island's transformation to cultural preserve.
"It's another episode of closure," he said.
Even though the cleanup is ending, the Navy is required to return to the island when, for example, erosion unearths a bomb or a drum containing an unknown substance. The Navy entered into an agreement with the commission setting up a formal response protocol.
The Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana also has talked about holding the Navy accountable to clear the remaining ordnance. But that is a battle being left for another day.
Enomoto said the commission now can get the organization set up on the island and begin to fully implement a range of activities.
"Now the real work begins," he said. "Although we have been coming to the island for several years, it has always been in the context of the ongoing cleanup and under the control of the Navy. Now that they are gone, we have much to do and much to learn about the island, operating the facilities, controlling access and utilizing our resources in the most efficient manner."
The Navy formally transferred control of access to Kaho'olawe to the state Nov. 11.
Reach Timothy Hurley at thurley@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 244-4880.
