Generally, when thinking about the Pacific Missile Range Facility, the first thing that comes to mind is a powerful projectile being launched into the sky. It’s easy to explain, considering the name, but this critical piece of real estate is more than just a place to test missiles; it has become a conduit for conservation and education. Over the course of its existence, PMRF has integrated itself into the island of Kauai, and become a responsible neighbor and member of the community.
As Kauai’s largest high-tech employer, PMRF provides almost 1,000 jobs on the island. A $171 million local economic impact each year, along with its valuable contribution to national security training, research and testing, make PMRF central to our nation’s long-term defense priorities in the Asia-Pacific region. The U.S. will continue to maximize these impacts and invested resources as our nation pivots to the region, but PMRF, and the Asia-Pacific rebalance alike, are not strictly about the military. They have far-reaching implications in other realms, including education, environment, culture and research.
First, take the Agricultural Preservation Initiative, a restrictive easement which provides the Navy rights to prevent encroachment at PMRF. The land around PMRF was originally used for sugarcane for many decades, but since the closure of Kekaha Sugar, various development activities emerged that potentially could have led to the degradation of rural land and interfered with ongoing training operations at PMRF. Sen. Inouye had the foresight to champion the API as a solution with a dual purpose. Primarily, though the API allowed the state to continue leasing out the land around the base for agriculture — preventing incompatible uses — it also resulted in the long-term conservation and viability of prime lands on Kauai.
Humpback whales and other marine species have always been a concern. This is understandable due to the nature of some of the training that goes on at PMRF, but it has also forced a large organization in the Navy to focus their resources on conservation of endangered species. The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary was established in 1992 when the humpback whale population in Hawaii was estimated to be 3,000-5,000 animals. In 2005, a Pacific Oceanwide study estimated the same population as 18,000-20,000. PMRF was at full operation during this time period, and in partnership with the sanctuary, procedures and safeguards that the Navy developed helped contribute to this rise in the population.
The intense focus on mitigation benefited more than the humpback whale and marine species. In January 2014, PMRF reported a 100 percent reduction in seabird fallout for the previous year. The result of a six-year, commonsense project, the 2013 Newell Shearwater fledgling season ended with zero injuries or casualties at the base. This was done by installing shielded “green-lights,” that not only had the effect of threatened species protection, but resulted in energy savings as well.
PMRF does not stop at conservation, having branched into cultural and educational programs alike. The traditional culture of Niihau, one of the last pure forms of the native Hawaiian community, has been further preserved as a result of the Navy’s involvement with the owners of the island. By operating small support sites on the island, PMRF and the Navy has provided income that supplements the community and has allowed them to stay clear of other forms of tourism and revenue that might fundamentally change the island’s traditional way of life.
Facts speak for themselves, and in PMRF, the Navy has created not only an economic boon and premier training range on the island of Kauai; it has become a stalwart of the environment and integral member of the community. Successful practices from the Navy in Kauai can be applied throughout the country, and with more resources on the way due to a Pacific focus in national strategy, the Navy can increase the resources directed to the environmental and educational programs it already has in place. It is often said, but worth repeating in this instance: rebalancing toward the Asia-Pacific will have continual positive impacts on Hawaii.
