Marines leaving Waikane; cleanup decision left to Navy

By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Windward O'ahu Writer

KAHALU'U — The Marines are moving ahead with their closure of the Waikane training area, shutting down a culturally sensitive area for good as they search out other potential training sites.

Some people are calling for a cleanup of the 187-acre, live-fire training ground in Waikane Valley that was used by the military for 33 years, ending in 1976. But others say it would be too costly and could never be guaranteed safe.

Maj. Chris Hughes said the Marines are processing the closure of its Waikane training site and hope to take advantage of training areas used by the Army at Schofield Barracks.

"We're looking at a lot of options," Hughes said yesterday. "We think we'll have a short-term solution just because of the fact that the (25th Infantry Division) is going forward. We won't be competing with them for range space."

The Marines had wanted to activate Waikane and begin training there, but studies showed the area was too dangerous because of unexploded ordnance. The decision was made to close the area and further decisions about cleanup or other options would be made by the Department of the Navy, Hughes said.

"It's beyond the scope of Marine Corps Base Hawaii," he said. Any decision may take a long time and people shouldn't expect a cleanup once the area is closed, Hughes said.

Even if a cleanup was ordered, it would be a challenge and could cause environmental problems for the community and Kane'ohe Bay, he said.

In the meantime the Marines are erecting an $800,000 fence around the site and exploding any ordnance found during the project, he said.

Residents from the community have mixed views of a cleanup, said David Chinen, with the Waiahole Waikane Community Association.

"About 50 percent feel it should be cleaned up, but the other half feel a fence and some warning signs would be sufficient," Chinen said. The reason is that like Kaho'olawe, where government spent $400 million on a cleanup, no one could guarantee the safety of the area, he said.

Nevertheless, Chinen said he can understand why people would want it cleared of unexploded ordnance.

Kapua Sproat, with environmental group Earthjustice, said the area should be cleared because of the cultural and environmental resources there. A fence wouldn't keep people out, so the danger is still there, Sproat said. Chemicals from the unexploded ordnance could even threaten Kane'ohe Bay and the food people get from it, she said.

"The responsible thing is for them to clean up their mess," Sproat said.

Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com or 234-5266.

Correction: A headline on a previous version of this story was not clear about the decision about a cleanup of Waikane or other options.