• PMRF expansion
PMRF expansion
Last night the Navy presented their case for having some control over 6,000 acres of state-owned land that borders the Pacific Missile Range Facility to the north.
The issue has created a stir among Westside surfers, environmentalists and many other local residents across the island.
The turn out of over 200 people about at Kalaheo School shows their is widespread interest in the future of Westside beaches, and lingering doubts about how much control the Navy is seeking in this area.
Since the events of September 11, 2001 access to beaches in and around the Navy base has become more restricted. The flash point on this issue is that the Navy has worked out a compromise of sorts for access to the Major’s Bay surfing and fishing recreational area on the base that isn’t fully implemented; now they appear to be asking for more control of the coastline near the base and surfers, fishermen and the public in general are concerned that they will lose more access.
The road to Polihale State Park is also the route to surfing spots. At times of rocket launches in the area the beaches can be closed down. A security zone in this recreational area could eat away at the access to these recreation spots, that’s one main concern.
What control the Navy would have to the agricultural lands where Gay & Robinson is now growing sugar cane is another. The Navy is asking that the state keep the lands in agriculture use; they don’t want electronic signals in the area that might have an effect on sensitive radar and other high-tech gear in use at the base, nor bright lights that might impede military exercises.
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources co-hosted tonight’s meeting. If an agreement is brokered with the state the Navy would be consulted if use of the land changes.
The Navy is also asking for more of a buffer zone between Kaumuali‘i Highway and their range at PMRF.
A careful look at what the Navy is proposing is now being made by those who attended the meeting.
This request might be a reasonable one. If you look at coastal U.S. military bases like Vandenberg in Central California, Patricks Air Force Base and the Kennedy Space Center in central Florida one finds large chunks of oceanside lands heavily restricted.
The Pacific Missile Range is a different case in part because the constitution of the State of Hawai‘i protects access to beaches and mountains, and the area has been used for recreation prior to the existence of the base. The Barking Sands located on the north end of the main base at PMRF were a popular gathering spot decades if not centuries prior to the establishment of the base.
However, a careful look at the Navy’s plans by both the public and state and county government officials is absolutely necessary. If more control over Westside beaches is exercised in this plan the Navy needs to provide a very clear-cut plan for continued public access to this area before the State Land Board even considers a vote on the issue.
Highlighting this concern was the absence of the commander of PMRF at the meeting. The presentation by the representative of the DLNR could have been done in a different manner, too. The people of Kaua‘i are right in demanding they be a key player in this decision, it shouldn’t be done solely between state and federal agencies who later say they gave the public a chance to be heard.
This issue is also tied into the complex issue of beach access across Kaua‘i. With the growing development of Kaua‘i following the gradual closing down of sugar cane plantations across the island over past thirty or so years what once was easy access to remote beaches is now a hard route. In other cases access has been lost or made very difficult by private landowners.
A survey of beach accesses from Ke‘e Beach clear round to Polihale is needed. With the growth of coastal development the need for access to areas further away from our towns is needed.
If this PMRF access issue bring about more concern about other beach access issues it will be a good thing for Kaua‘i.
