HONOLULU — Two Native Hawaiian residents of Hawaii Island are suing the state, alleging it has failed to protect former kingdom lands at Pohakuloa now being used for live-fire exercises by the U.S. military.
HONOLULU — Two Native Hawaiian residents of Hawaii Island are suing the state, alleging it has failed to protect former kingdom lands at Pohakuloa now being used for live-fire exercises by the U.S. military.
The lawsuit filed in state court in Honolulu this week names the Department of Land and Natural Resources and department head William Aila.
The lawsuit says the federal government’s Pohakuloa lease requires it to remove or deactivate live ammunition after training exercises. But the lawsuit says there is unexploded ordnance on the land.
The federal government leases three Pohakuloa parcels from the state. The lease expires in 2029.
The Native Hawaiian Legal Corp. is representing plaintiffs Clarence Ching and Mary Kahaulelio. Aila declined to comment Tuesday because he hasn’t had a chance to read the complaint.