Governor Green’s office received an official letter from the U.S. Secretary of the Army, Dan. P. Driscoll, outlining the Army’s intent to reach a new framework on military land leases in Hawaiʻi by the end of 20024.
The letter underscores the Army’s position that continued access to training lands in Hawaiʻi is critical to national security and reflects a commitment to continue discussions with the state.
The Army has signaled its intent to work toward outlining general terms of a framework agreement by the end of this year, versus the previously stated 60-day timeline.
The concept of a land exchange has been raised as one possible option, but no specific parcels have been identified and no official conversations on parcels have occurred to date between Governor Green and Secretary Driscoll. Any such proposal may be subject to state and federal review, as well as evaluation by stakeholders before moving forward. By law, the Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) hold statutory authority over state lands, while the Governor’s office plays a facilitating role. Any formal exchange would ultimately require BLNR action and compliance with state law.
The Governor’s office will continue discussions with federal leaders and keep the public informed as negotiations progress.
At the end of this month, the state will launch a new public website to provide transparency throughout this process. The site will include formal documents received from the Army, background on the leases and updates as discussions progress.
The Office of the Governor will provide further updates, including the state’s formal response to the Army, in the weeks ahead.
