GOVERNOR GREEN NAMES ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR MILITARY LEASED LANDS
Committee Made Mostly of Native Hawaiians will Provide Guidance on Ongoing Military Leased Land Discussions
News Release from Office of the Governor, November 13, 2025
HONOLULU — Governor Josh Green today announced his Advisory Committee to provide guidance related to ongoing discussions on military leased lands. The committee, made up mostly of Native Hawaiians from state government and the private sector, is charged with advising Governor Green on cultural, natural and economic strategies regarding lands currently leased by the U.S. Army on Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island that are set to expire in 2029.
Following the Board of Land and Natural Resources’ rejection of the Army’s Final Environmental Impact Statements earlier this year, Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll has indicated that the Army will possibly move toward condemnation. The state of Hawai‘i has learned that the offices of the U.S. Army Secretary and the U.S. Department of Justice have begun consultations on the Army’s legal right of condemnation for training lands in Hawai‘i.
The next steps, should the Army proceed, include joint negotiations, federal funding for cultural and environmental restoration and support for critical infrastructure projects that will provide benefits to our communities and national defense in the form of access and military fire response.
The Governor’s office transmitted a formal proposal to Secretary Driscoll on October 29 outlining Hawaiʻi’s priorities, including:
- Environmental remediation and land restoration;
- Increased access for cultural and community organizations; and
- Federal investment in local infrastructure and workforce opportunities that would provide benefits to both Hawaiʻi residents and national defense.
The Governor emphasized that these discussions must proceed transparently, guided by those of Native Hawaiian ancestry and community voices, including the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
“Hawaiʻi stands at an important crossroads — between national security and cultural stewardship; between federal authority and our responsibility to care for cultural and natural resources,” said Governor Green. “We respect the role of the U.S. military in defending our islands and our entire nation, but that role must coexist with our values and our commitment to the people who call these islands home.”
The committee will advise Governor Green on desired next steps to achieve the best possible outcome for the people of Hawaiʻi. Should the Army elect to pursue condemnation, the committee will provide guidance to the Governor on a path forward that will deliver immediate and long-term benefits that reflect the true environmental and cultural costs of continued federal use of our lands.
Updates and opportunities for public input will continue to be made available at https://engage.hawaii.gov/.
Members of the committee serve as unpaid volunteers and do not require Senate confirmation.
The Governor’s Advisory Committee members include:
- William “Bill” Ailā, Jr., member, Hui Mālama ‘O Mākua
- Scott Glenn, Office of the Governor facilitator
- Ryan Kanaka‘ole, deputy director, Department of Land and Natural Resources
- Kūhiō Lewis, CEO, Hawaiian Council
- Laurie McAllister Moore, executive director, Military and Community Relations Office
- Mahina Paishon-Duarte, Consulting Founder and CEO
- Ed Sniffen, director, Hawai‘i Department of Transportation
- Summer Sylva, interim administrator, Office of Hawaiian Affairs
- Kali Watson, director, Department of Hawaiian Homelands
- Noe Noe Wong-Wilson, Ph.D., executive director, Lālākea Foundation
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OHA Board Approves Action on Military Land Lease
News Release from OHA, Nov 13, 2025
HONOLULU (Nov 13, 2025) — The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Board of Trustees today approved a response to the ongoing military land-lease and funding negotiations between the state and federal governments.
The plan calls for OHA to hold community consultation sessions on its military lease negotiating positions, in order to further inform OHA’s stance on the future of these leases. The first meeting is scheduled to be held at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo on Wednesday, November 26, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
The plan also calls for OHA to be included in Governor Josh Green’s “Joint Negotiation Team,” as well as to cochair the state’s “Technical Working Group” with the Department of Land and Natural Resources. OHA’s Interim Administrator, Summer Sylva, was one of several individuals named today to the Governor’s Advisory Committee for Military Leased Lands.
“The state constitution requires that Native Hawaiians and OHA not only be considered and consulted but also compensated for any use of lands of the public lands trust,” said OHA Board of Trustees Chairperson Kaialiʻi Kahele. “Our beneficiaries are insisting that OHA be a leader with the state in talks with the military about the future use of our lands.”
The Board also approved including in OHA’s 2026 legislative package a bill calling for a constitutional amendment on the 2026 ballot to prohibit live-fire military training on the state’s public trust lands.
OHA has launched a webpage dedicated to the history and information about military land leases in Hawai‘i. Visit www.oha.org/aloha-aina. The page includes an anonymous community survey to gather public sentiment on the military land-lease issue.
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