Re: Range Fires

[Henry Hildebrand <henry@maui.net>]

[I'd like to hear from the military/federal community about some of the 
issues addressed in this and other related postings. --Aimee Houghton, CPEO 
Associate Director]

Aloha Aimee and Listserver Participants -

The Kaho'olawe Island, Hawai'i range is about to be cleared of UXO. The
contractor's plan calls for the use of both controlled burns and defoliants
to decrease vegetative cover.

The plan also utilizes Open burn/Open detonation pits for UXO remnants and
movable UXO. We further understand that the primary UXO contractor on this
job tends to Blow in Place more than move to Open Det pits.

The issues out here are many.

Will the controlled burns stay controlled? Kaho'olawe is a very windy and
dry place with no water source. On the Big Island of Hawai'i, at Volcanos
National Park, most "controlled burns" have gone out of control.

There is concern that subsequent erosion caused by the burnoff of
vegetation in an already environmentally degraded area will increase
erosion and that the increased runoff will further damage the reef system
surrounding the island.

There are also over five hundred registered archaeologicial sites on
Kaho'olawe. How will the use of fire impact these places?

Then there are the chemical components of the explosives and propellants
that will burn off or decompose in any vegetative burn or open burn pit
operation. Will they leech into the soil and/or runoff into the reefs?
Also, Kaho'olawe is seven miles from one of the world's most luxurious
resort destinations - Wailea, Maui. (Not to mention the rest of Maui and
it's population of 100,000 - including me.) What will be the impact of the
airborne components?

Now, having said the above, let's consider the comments of Mr. Rick Stauber,
Master EOD Technician. He's been trained to deal with every explosive
device made by every country on earth. He knows very well what these things
can do to people. In my many years of involvement with Kaho'olawe I have
met many Navy EODs. They are serious and dedicated people who know what
they are talking about and dealing with. They very well understand the
risks of working around and with UXO.

Among all the other ordnance littering Kaho'olawe, the most dangerous to
UXO cleanup workers and everybody else are the "golf balls", "base balls",
and other anti-personnel sub-munition trinkets scattered everywhere just
waiting to be disturbed. Want to kick one of those?

Think about being out on the range - it's your fifth straight day, it's 3
PM and it's hot - real hot. You're tired, your concentration is shot, your
mind is wandering to your time off and the prospects of your family and
"real" life for the next couple of days. The brush is high. How dangerous
is the situation then?

So, no free lunch over here or any other UXO range. The situation sucks.
Yes we want the places cleaned up, they need to be restored, we demand they
be restored, but at what cost to human and other life?

I don't know the answer. I do know the feeling of being many, many times on
a UXO range. When I'm there I feel danger and anger and pity and humbleness
and compassion. I feel moved to do do something - only God knows what.

We of the Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana are called to nuture the island, to
render it safe, to see it restored for future generations, to feel it
living again.

What will actually occur here? Stay tuned. Now it's a big bucks federal
contract with all the attendant politics and money sharks circling the
waters. Hopefully there wil be some positives.

As we begin here, we ask all to keep a close eye on what occurs here.
Please, please watch and absorb and comment.

Help us so that we may help you.

Malama pono,
(nuture righteousness)

Henry Hildebrand
Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana
henry@maui.net

P.S. to EOD Rick Stauber - the latest I hear is that the grunt labor for
Kaho'olawe is getting $ 16.50 and the UXO types are getting $ 33.00 despite
contracts calling for much less (as I said - politics).