SBCT Final EIS - Govsupport.us

Appendix D ⎯ Responses to Comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement138. I want to start with Chapter 3, paragraph, 1.4, page 3, dash, three-two. I request that all referencesto “sacred” and “sacred sites” clearly define what religion or what god justifies its sanctity.If it is attributed to Hawaiian gods and religion, then all references to “sacred” should bereferred to as “formerly considered sacred” or that they’ll be deleted.Response: We thank you for your comment and participation in this public process. Yourcomment has been considered and has been included as part of the administrativerecord for this process. No change, however, was made to the EIS basedon this comment.139. The Prehistoric Context for the Hawaiian training area are noticeably lacking from the DEIS.The lands slated for Stryker construction and training are some of the most sacred lands in allof Hawaii. The context needs to be presented.Response: The Prehistoric Context is addressed in Section 3.1.4 of this EIS. A more thoroughdiscussion can be found in the 2004 Transformation FEIS, which this EISsupplements. Please refer to that document for more detailed information.140. On page 3–34, the DEIS acknowledges the Army failed to evaluate “[m]ost of the archaeologicalsites” at Schofield Barracks for eligibility to the NRHP, it inaccurately asserts that archaeologicalsurveys have been completed. Moreover, it fails to disclose the impacts relatedto its past violations of the PA (such as the destruction of a portion of the Haleauau Heiaucomplex) or to evaluate the increased likelihood of irreparable harm due to its demonstratedinability (or unwillingness) to implement required mitigation measures and its acknowledgedfailure to complete archaeological surveys at DMR, KTA, KLOA, and PTA, including itsfailure to survey areas that “are similar to areas with known sites.”Response: Although formal evaluation of archaeological sites at SB has not occurred, allof the identified sites have been treated as though they are eligible which actuallyconveys a higher and broader level of protection to these resources. Reasonableand good faith surveys of all areas have been completed. For areaswhere pedestrian survey is not advisable due to UXO or terrain/vegetation, informationon sites has been gathered through interviews, oral histories, publicmeetings, and archival research. There was no damage to a portion of theHaleauau Complex. For more information on the Haleauau Heiau complex,please see the response to comment 127.141. Why haven’t there been meetings between the community and cultural monitors on HawaiiIsland like those that occurred on Oahu?Response: The cultural monitors at Pohakuloa have been selected and approved by theCultural Advisory Committee, a working group of Native Hawaii and communitymembers that has been in place since 2003. It currently meets at PTAevery two months. Please contact the garrison at PTA to determine when thenext meeting will be. The Army looks forward to hearing your concerns andways that it can improve operations at PTA.142. PCMS encompasses undisturbed, pristine natural areas with important ecological, archaeological,and historical values that must be protected. Any stationing decision for the SBCTmust not increase the number of troops training at the PCMS to protect these values.February 2008 D–48 2/25th SBCT Final EIS