Governor’s Military Leased Lands Advisory Committee conducts first meeting

Gov. Josh Green’s advisory committee on the Army’s land lease negotiations gathered virtually for its first meeting on Tuesday, laying the groundwork for future talks with the US Army.

The 10-member panel, which comprises mostly Native Hawaiian leaders from the state and private sector, was created by Gov. Green to provide guidance related to the ongoing negotiations over Army leased lands on Hawaiʻi Island and Oʻahu that are set to expire in 2029.

At the inaugural meeting Tuesday in advance of meeting with Green, the members reviewed their roles and responsibilities, discussed a general framework to proceed and developed a shared understanding of the choices before the state — lease, land exchange and condemnation. The role of the group is to provide advice on strategies regarding these choices. Members also reviewed the five points raised by community groups in a Sept. 26, 2025 letter to the governor. Members engaged in an in-depth discussion of the implications of each possible scenario, particularly the federal government’s proposed aggressive condemnation timeline.

The advisory committee affirmed its commitment to provide meeting minutes to the public two weeks after each meeting. These summaries will be made available at engage.hawaii.gov. It also affirmed that its role is not to supplant robust, meaningful community engagement and advocated for further discussion on public processes and opportunities for community to weigh in on events. Members of the public are encouraged to provide feedback directly through engage.hawaii.gov.

The Army is reviewing whether language in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is required to expedite federal land acquisition procedures.

“Right now, the draft NDAA doesn’t authorize them to take Hawaiʻi land. This would be a significant win for Hawaiʻi,” Green said. “The Army not pursuing a ‘fast track’ condemnation gives my administration and the people of Hawaiʻi a longer runway to conduct robust community engagement through public processes, the Advisory Committee and through OHA’s community meetings. My administration has initiated and continues to secure ongoing dialogue with senior military leaders so we can have the time we need to protect community values and advocate for Hawaiʻi’s interests. This puts Hawaiʻi in a more advantageous position than we were in just weeks ago.”

The US Army’s 65-year leases on 22,971 acres of state-owned lands at the Pōhakuloa Training Area on the Big Island and 6,322 acres of state-owned property on Oʻahu — which include land at the Kawailoa-Poamoho Training Area, Mākua Military Reservation and the Kahuku Training Area — are set to expire in 2029.