US Navy plans bombing exercises at state bird sanctuary amid community backlash

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The military has released plans to conduct bombing exercises at a state bird sanctuary on an island about 60 miles southwest of Kauai.

The Navy claims that the training exercises will have minimal impact but many environmentalists are skeptical.

The state says 100,000 seabirds of 18 different species nest at Ka’ula island

The Navy says its conducted training at the island for decades and says that it’s only dropping ‘inert ordnance’, which are bombs that do not explode.

In a draft Environmental Assessment, the Navy states fighter jets already drop ‘inert ordnance’ on the island about twelve times a year. Under this proposal, it would increase to 31 times.

It also wants to nearly double the use of helicopter activities to about 24 times a year, with crews using guns and rockets to attack targets on the ground, all of which the Navy claims will be ‘inert ordnance’.

The Navy lists the activities planned for Ka’ula island.(US Navy)

But some are skeptical and say after the Navy’s Red Hill fuel spill, there is very little trust.

“I think a lot of people were just informed when this came out that the Navy is bombing this island,” said Healani Sonda-Pale, who has spent years trying to hold the Navy accountable in the aftermath of Red Hill.

Sonda-Pale has created a link for people to testify before the public comment period ends at midnight on Monday.

Among the opponents, is long time activist Walter Ritte who was a part of a group that got the military to stop bombing Kahoolawe in 1990.

“What was really going on in my head was wow, I cannot believe this. It shows a lack of sensitivity of course. “There is no respect of how precious these lands are to us,” said Ritte.

According to a recent article In Honolulu Civil Beat, the state and the Navy have clashed over the ownership of the island since 1920.

“The Kauai County property records list it as property of the state but the Navy in its own report says this is property of the US Government so they are both in conflict right of the bat,” said Civil Beat Journalist Marcel Honore.

In a statement to HNN, DLNR’s Division of Forestry and Wildlife Administrator David Smith said:

The DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife reports the land ownership is in contention and an Attorney General’s opinion has been requested. The main issue in the short term is the use of the island for target practice. DOFAW does not consider that to be a compatible use based on the resources on the island. This is the last island in the Hawaiian chain to still be used for target practice and it time for that to end and the island be put into wildlife sanctuary or refugee status.

In it’s Environmental Assessment, the Navy says it has looked at other options but the island’s remoteness from human populations makes it ideal.

It also adds the training will be confined to the southern tip of the island and that it does not expect the training to have a significant impact on the environment and wildlife there.