SBCT Final EIS - Govsupport.us

Chapter 3 ⎯ Affected EnvironmentLand uses surrounding Drum Road are Open and Forested Areas, Agriculture, and Military/Federal(City and County of Honolulu 2000). Drum Road is adjacent to and west of KLOA.In 2006, USAG-HI contributed $3.5 million to the purchase of 1,875 acres in the Waimea Valley westof KLOA. As part of the Army’s Collaborative Use Buffer (ACUB) program, USAG-HI was one ofseveral contributing entities. Partnered with the Trust for Public Land and The North Shore CommunityLand Trust, USAG-HI holds no ownership status to the acquired lands. Also under the ACUBprogram, USAG-HI was a contributor to the purchase of the 3,716-acre Moanalua Valley near Honolulu.3.1.5.4 Pohakuloa Training AreaLocated on the island of Hawaii, PTA is the largest Army training area in Hawaii, totaling132,784 acres. PTA lands are within the state-designated Conservation District General, Limited, andResource Subzones (State of Hawaii 2002a). Land uses at PTA include the cantonment area, BAAF,maneuver training areas, drop zones, live-fire training ranges, artillery firing points, an ordnance impactarea, and areas unsuitable for maneuver. The cantonment area consists of 566 acres with 154buildings, mostly Quonset huts (USARHAW and 25 th ID [L] 2006). BAAF has a 3,969-foot runwayand offers helicopter access and, until recently, limited C–130 access (USARHAW and 25 th ID [L]2006). Land suitable for field maneuvers consists of approximately 56,661 acres, and the ordnanceimpact area is approximately 51,000 acres (USARHAW and 25 th ID [L] 2006). Recreation at PTA includesarchery, biking, motor sports, and hunting on designated training areas, which the Army coordinateswith the state (R.M. Towill Corp. 1997a).Lands surrounding PTA are generally within the state-designated Conservation District (USARHAWand 25 th ID [L] 2006). Land uses in the areas include cattle grazing, game management, forest reserves,and undeveloped land. Land to the northwest of PTA is agricultural, primarily for cattle grazing,and also provides limited hunting opportunities for big game species and game birds. Land to thenorth of PTA includes the Kaohe Game Management Area, Mauna Kea State Park, Mauna Kea ForestReserve, and the Mauna Kea National Natural Landmark. Land to the east and south is included in theMauna Loa Forest Reserve.PTA Trail would include approximately 132 acres of land northwest and west and of PTA to KawaihaeHarbor. Land uses within the proposed military vehicle trail corridor include cattle grazing, agriculture,periodic military training, open space, utility easements, a portion of a former military vehicletrail, and Kawaihae Harbor. PTA Trail land is mostly agriculture, with urban areas at and nearKawaihae Harbor. The southern portion of the proposed military vehicle trail is designated as OtherAgricultural Land (State of Hawaii 2002a). The trail alignment near Kawaihae Harbor is included inthe SMA (County of Hawaii 2001). There is also a shoreline setback along the harbor property. Thesouthern portion of the PTA Trail crosses the Parker Ranch-managed hunting area, which is locatedwithin the Keamuku Parcel.Land uses surrounding the proposed military vehicle trail include cattle grazing, residential (WaikoloaVillage and Kawaihae Village), Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site, agriculture, agricultural subdivision,open space, and periodic military training.According to USACE, the ordnance and explosives hazard level for the PTA Trail alignment rangesfrom low to high, and the policy regarding use of roads and trails primarily depends on landownersand current land use (Earth Tech 2002; USAG-HI 2004). The institutional controls for these areas includecommunity awareness outreach programs, educational media, and coordinated constructionsupport.February 2008 3–45 2/25th SBCT Final EIS