Army invites public comments on draft EIS for Pōhakuloa Training Area

[Carey]

"To provide information on the Draft EIS and to enhance the opportunity for public input, two in-person public meetings are currently scheduled to take place from 6 to 8 p.m. in two locations:

• April 25 at ʻImiloa Astronomy Center (600 ʻImiloa Place, Hilo, HI, 96720)
  
  
• April 26 at Waimea District Park (Ala Ohia Road, Waimea, HI, 96743)"
  https://www.army.mil/article/255465/army...ining_area

[TomK]

Interesting that there have been no comments about losing control, no interaction with the community, no song contest or haole comments about a military training area on the Big Island, yet astronomy, a peaceful field that makes discoveries about our universe and where we come from, helps many on the island to have jobs and become educated in STEM, gets trashed.

[kalianna]

Perhaps because the army base isnʻt at the summit of Mauna Kea.

[kalakoa]

PGV isn't at the MK summit either -- but it's still accused of "desecration".

The irony of PTA going unchallenged is indeed thick.

[HawaiiEV]

People do challenge and protest, however I don’t think there’s much hope of progress on the issue given that it’s the Federal Government US Army. Realistically the kids here actually do have future career options with the army and lucrative job prospects available to all of them.. it’s a more diverse organization then the Elite special scientific ass holes occupying the mountain. I love that joke about stem jobs for locals, right after they catch up from their 2 year school hiatus. Aren’t most of the mountain top scientists imported from places far and wide? Like the UK? I guess there might be some janitorial and facility jobs available to locals. I know about 20 students that joined the army in the past two years, off seeing the world. Some end up becoming local politicians like illigan or even a Congresswoman like Tulsi.

[kalakoa]

In other words, because telescopes don't create enough jobs for the right people, they're totally unnecessary and can be shut down. It's OK to ignore the desecration caused by PTA because they're Federal.

What's next, the State DOE ruined the possibility that locals could get STEM jobs by deliberately shutting down the schools, so the telescopes would be forced to hire people from outside Hawaii, thereby demonstrating the lack of available STEM jobs for locals?

The problem with most Hawaii BS is that it takes years to play out, and I only have the attention span for 22 minutes of animation.

[HawaiiEV]

You can think what you want. I’m not local, I’m not a TMT protester I’m just playing devils advocate. I certainly spend more of my time complaining about the military occupation of Hawaii then telescopes. I also have more friends that work the telescopes here and Maui then I do army friends. Unfortunately due to Hawaiis location and Pearl Harbor, the military attraction is even greater then the astronomical attraction of the mountains. A military of some sort will forever be linked with Hawaiis future. Im sure the space force also looking to expand satellite tracking from the astronomical perspective as well. All I’ve ever suggested about the Telescope issue is that they are brain dead in the PR department and would be better served by expanding their perspective on issues rather then continue to ridicule and Dismiss anyone who doesn’t share their unique perspective on what the top of Mauna Kea is for.

---

The army guys go to the schools and elsewhere regularly to recruit and spin their PR. When was the last time Tom showed up to Pahoa high school to teach them about the stars?

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

joined the army in the past two years, off seeing the world. 

If they were only expected to see the world, like astronomers see the universe, that wouldn’t be a problem.
Mauna Kea protestors repeatedly cited a few ounces of spilled antifreeze at one of the observatories as pollution of Mauna Kea’s water table.  The rounds of depleted uranium still scattered around PTA are barely mentioned these days.

[HawaiiEV]

I attend the protest every year.. see you there

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

see you there

I’ll look for you.  Will you be chained to a cattle grate, or in your car parked across the entrance road?
Becaue if equating the protests at Mauna Kea with the protests at Pohakuloa are not false equivalencies, then similar actions will probably occur?