North Kohala’s Upolu Airport is no longer being considered for use as a tactical training area, U.S. Marine Corps officials said. North Kohala’s Upolu Airport is no longer being considered for use as a tactical training area, U.S. Marine Corps
North Kohala’s Upolu Airport is no longer being considered for use as a tactical training area, U.S. Marine Corps officials said.
Officials revised the military’s final environmental impact statement on the potential relocation of several squadrons to Oahu to remove Upolu as a site for confined area landings.
“Upolu Airport would be available for routine flight operations, similar to other state airports and particularly as a diversion airfield in case of emergencies or due to weather conditions at (Pohakuloa Training Area),” the document said. “This type of use would be infrequent.”
The military may consider requesting to use Upolu for specific training exercises, but that requires state Department of Transportation approval, officials said.
Kohala residents were concerned about earlier plans to increase operations at the airport by 23 percent, about 250 more operations.
Statewide, residents commenting on the proposal to base the MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft and the H-1 Cobra and Huey helicopters on Oahu cited noise as one of their top concerns, the EIS said.
Specifically, people said they worried about noise from aircraft, particularly during night exercises.
Commenters asked for a comparison with other common noise levels and for flight paths that would keep flight paths over the ocean and not over homes. Other concerns included depleted uranium at Pohakuloa Training Area, hazardous material storage and disposal, and jet fuel pollution.
The Marine Corps proposed basing one or two Marine medium tiltrotor squadrons, which would bring 24 MV-22 aircraft to Marine Corps Base Kaneohe, and one Marine light attack helicopter squadron, which would bring 15 AH-1 Cobra and 12 UH-1 Huey helicopters. The squadrons are now based at Camp Pendleton in California.
About 1,000 active duty Marines, 22 civilian employees and 1,106 dependents would be brought to Hawaii if the Marine Corps moves ahead with the plan, the document said. Those personnel would be stationed in Hawaii beginning this year, with full delivery of aircraft and personnel anticipated in 2018, the document said. Renovation, demolition and construction of hangars, taxiway and parking apron at the Kaneohe base would be phased over six to 10 years. The lack of these specific aircraft limits troops’ ability to train, officials said.
“For most resources/issues, no significant impacts would be associated with either (alternative),” the document said. “Changes in environmental conditions under the alternatives would be small when compared to existing conditions.”
People may comment on the final EIS by writing to Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, 258 Makalapa Drive, Suite 100, Pearl Harbor, HI, 96860-3134, Attn: EV21, MV-22/H-1 EIS Project Manager. Comments must be post marked by July 11 to become part of the official record. Comments may also be submitted emailed to mv22h1eis@beltcollins.com.
