The U.S. Navy held a public Scoping Meeting on Thursday (Aug 26) at Hilo High School on the current and future impact of military installations and training in Hawaii and California waters.

The meeting is a precursor to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement (EIS/OEIS) for military training and testing in Hawaii and Southern California. The Draft EIS/OEIS is scheduled to be released in the Spring of 2012 and public comments for consideration in the draft will only be taken up until Tuesday (Sept 14).

Organizers of the Scoping Meeting allowed time for opposing comments to be heard from members of Malu ‘Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action, the Sierra Club along with other Hawaii residents. The comments were not part of the Scoping Meeting but were allowed to be heard.

Concerns by those opposed to present and future military training raised questions about the impact on marine mammals by the use of active sonar and presence of depleted uranium at Pohakuloa Training Area which is not a part of the EIS/OEIS. Protests about the war in the Mid-East and overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom were also voiced.

Mark Matsunaga, Environmental Public Affairs Officer, said the U.S. Pacific Fleet no longer uses depleted uranium. The meeting was for the public to be informed on what the Navy has been doing so the public can submit comments for the Draft EIS/OEIS.

The deadline for public comment submission is Tuesday (Sept 14). The comment form can be found at www.hstteis.com where the information presented by the Navy at the Scoping Meeting can also be found.