SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

During World War II, the U.S. Marine Corps trained on the land now known as PTA. A 1956 maneuver agreement between the Territory of Hawai'i and the Army formally established PTA. In 1964, the State of Hawai'i granted the Army a 65-year lease of approximately 23,000 acres of land adjacent to PTA for military purposes. Utilities, critical infrastructure, maneuver area, and key training facilities now sit on this tract of leased land. Some of these human-made features are not available elsewhere in Hawai'i. The parcel also provides access between the PTA cantonment area and approximately 84,000 acres of adjacent, federally owned land at PTA.

The Draft EIS evaluates the potential impacts of a range of alternatives: (1) Full Retention (of approximately 23,000 acres); (2) Modified Retention (of approximately 19,700 acres); (3) Minimum Retention and Access (of approximately 10,100 acres and 11 miles of roads and training trails); and (4) No-Action Alternative (under which the lease lapses in 2029 and the Army loses access to the land).

The Draft EIS analyzes land use, biological resources, cultural resources, hazardous and toxic materials/wastes, air quality, greenhouse gases, noise, geology, topography, soils, water resources, socioeconomics, environmental justice, transportation, traffic, airspace, electromagnetic spectrum, utilities, human health, and safety.

The Draft EIS indicates that under Alternatives 1, 2, and 3, continued public access restrictions on land used for traditional and customary practices will result in significant but mitigable adverse impacts to cultural resources. These significant impacts can be mitigated through appropriate consultation with Native Hawaiians and/or other interested groups. Impacts can also be mitigated through provision of public access to promote and protect cultural beliefs, practices, and resources. Impacts to other resources are less than significant for all action alternatives. The No-Action Alternative would have significant adverse impacts on biological resources, socioeconomics, and utilities.

The Army distributed the Draft EIS to Native Hawaiian organizations, to federal, state, and local agencies/officials, and to other key stakeholders. The Draft EIS and related information are available on the EIS website at: https://home.army.mil/​hawaii/​index.php/​PTAEIS. The public may also review the Draft EIS and select materials at the following libraries:

1. Hawai'i State Library, Hawai'i Documents Center, 478 S King Street, Honolulu, HI 96813

2. Hilo Public Library, 300 Waianuenue Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720

3. Kailua-Kona Public Library, 75-138 Hualalai Road, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740

4. Thelma Parker Memorial Public and School Library, 67-1209 Mamalahoa Highway, Kamuela, HI 96743

Native Hawaiian organizations, federal, state, and local agencies/ ( printed page 20827) officials, and other interested entities/individuals are encouraged to comment on the Draft EIS during the 60-day public comment period. All timely comments will be considered in the development of the Final EIS.

87 FR 20826