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Photo of Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll (left) during a July 21, 2025, visit to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaiʻi (U.S. Army Photo by Staff Sgt. Tristan Moore) with a screenshot of the August 20th letter to Governor Green on the right.

Army Secretary Letter On Hawaiʻi Land Leases Made Public, Governor Responds
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by Big Island Video News
on Aug 21, 2025 at 4:57 pm

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STORY SUMMARY

HAWAIʻI ISLAND - The Office of Governor Green acknowledged the receipt of the letter after the U.S. Army shared it with the public on Thursday.

(BIVN) – With growing public concern that a new land lease for the Pōhakuloa Training Area on Hawaiʻi island will be negotiated behind closed doors within the next 60 days, both the U.S. Army and the State of Hawaiʻi on Thursday appeared to take a step towards greater transparency.

First, the U.S. Army made public a letter from Army Secretary Dan Driscoll to Governor Josh Green, dated August 20, 2025, expressing desire to work with the state on a “mutually acceptable framework” in order to retain the training lands at PTA.

The Office of Governor Josh Green then followed up with a news release, acknowledging the receipt of the Army’s letter, saying that the Governor will continue discussions with federal leaders and keep the public informed as negotiations progress.

The public letter exchange comes two days after a Hawaiʻi County Council committee voted to advance a resolution urging the State request the U.S. military stop “all bombing and desecration activities” at Pōhakuloa. 

Council Resolution 234-25 also urges the State of Hawai‘i to reject land swaps and lease renewals “unless stipulations are established to address comprehensive cleanup, restoration, and bioremediation at PTA”, and conduct a full Ka Pa‘akai Analysis of PTA “to ensure the protection of Native Hawaiian cultural practices and resources”. The resolution still needs a vote by the full council.

Location of Pōhakuloa from US Army maps found in the DLNR submittal



The U.S. Army is currently seeking to retain up to to approximately 22,750 acres of State-owned land at Pōhakuloa to support continued military training. While that effort continues, the military was dealt a blow by the Hawaiʻi Board of Land and Natural Resources when the BLNR voted to reject the Army’s Environmental Impact Statement, a major component of the land retention process. 

Testifiers at Tuesday’s council committee hearing expressed concern following a Honolulu Star Advertiser news report that the U.S. Army Secretary is looking to fast-track a new lease agreement within 60 days.

“As the gateway to the Indo-Pacific, Hawaiʻi plays a pivotal role in supporting the Army’s mission to maintain peace and stability in the region,” stated Thursday’s United States Army Pacific (USARPAC) news release. “USARPAC stands ready to support this process and work collaboratively to build a mutually acceptable framework that balances the Army’s needs with the values and priorities of Hawai’i’s people.” 

Here is the full letter shared by USARPAC:

Secretary of the Army letter to Governor Josh Green



The Office of the Governor provided this news release, confirming the receipt of the letter, and laying out the State’s approach to the ongoing negotiation:

Governor Josh Green, M.D., announced today that his office has 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 this year.

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. As the gateway to the Indo-Pacific, Hawaiʻi plays a pivotal role in supporting the Army’s mission to maintain peace and stability in the region. 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 original lease for the Pōhakuloa Training Area was signed in 1964 for just $1 and it expires in 2029. Federal leaders have stated there are national security considerations at stake and they’ve made clear they could act through eminent domain, which would take the land without giving Hawaiʻi anything in return,” said Governor Green. “We in Hawai‘i know the best path is always through collaboration which acknowledges our values.”

Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll (left) visits Lightning Labs on Schofield Barracks, Hawaiʻi, July 22, 2025. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Duke Edwards)

“That’s why I’m insisting on a fair deal, for example, the return of lands like Mākua Valley, cleanup of contaminated training areas, protection of our water and a commitment to build thousands of new homes to relieve pressure on our housing market,” said Governor Green. “I’m also pushing for lands that can be transferred to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, so more Native Hawaiian families have the opportunity of homeownership. And I want the military to invest in renewable energy and safer infrastructure to lower costs for our people.”

“While some may say we are being too accommodating, the truth is this path ensures that Hawaiʻi’s people and values come first,” Governor Green said. “By negotiating firmly and fairly, we can secure real benefits for our future while maintaining national security.”

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.


Filed Under: Mauna Kea Tagged With: Dan Driscoll, Pohakuloa Training Area

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