The Army today announced that it has completed an environmental impact statement that identifies Hawai'i as the preferred site to base the Stryker Brigade Combat Team.

"I am pleased the Army has recommended Schofield Barracks as the preferred alternative for stationing the 2/25 Stryker Brigade Combat Team," U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Akaka, D-Hawai'i, said in a statement.

The EIS was completed after three groups — Ili'ulaokalani Coalition, Na 'Imi Pono and Kipuka — had sued to halt the Hawai'i Stryker project in 2004.

In October 2006, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with the groups that the Army violated the law by not adequately considering alternative locations outside Hawai'i for the $1.5 billion Stryker brigade.

The court ordered the Army to complete the study.

At issue was whether the 4,000 Stryker brigade soldiers now deployed to Iraq with 328 of the eight-wheeled vehicles would return late this year or early in 2009 to Schofield Barracks, Fort Richardson in Alaska, or Fort Carson in Colorado.

Hawai'i's U.S. Sens. Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka praised the Army's decision to pick Schofield as its preferred alternative for the Stryker Brigade.

In its news release, the Army said the final environmental impact statement "provides the Army's senior leadership with a 'hard look' at environmental impacts associated with the proposed action so their decision-making process for selecting the final stationing location will be fully informed."

In his statement, Akaka said, "Since Oct. 5, 2006, when the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals directed the Army to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement to consider alternative sites for the permanent location of the 2/25 BCT, I have strongly urged the Army to carefully weigh the many important national security and environmental concerns in this vitally important decision."

"I am confident that in this supplemental EIS, the Army has carefully considered the strengths and weaknesses of each alternative location. It is my understanding that the Army's recommendation to permanently base the 2/25 BCT in Hawaii supports their efforts to ensure strategic deployment capabilities in the PACOM region, provide optimal training opportunities for the 2/25 BCT, and offer the highest quality of life for our soldiers and their families. "

The Army said it will publish the final supplemental EIS in the Federal Register on Feb. 22.

The Army's announcement may be viewed at www.army.mil/news/newsreleases/