[CPEO-MEF] Makua to get full review

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

Hawai'i
THE HONOLULU ADVERTISER
Makua to get full review
By William Cole
Posted on: Tuesday, September 16, 2003

With the Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund threatening a lawsuit, the Army
yesterday said it will "formally consult" with the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service over a July 22 fire at Makua Military Reservation.

The environmental group sent a letter yesterday on behalf of community
group Malama Makua saying it would sue if the Army failed to consult.
Earthjustice called the fire "catastrophic."

Whether the Army can return to live-fire training in the Wai'anae Coast
valley before the first of two brigades deploys to Afghan-istan in
February is in doubt.

Following the 900-acre "controlled burn" that got out of control and
scorched 2,100 acres in the valley many Hawaiians consider sacred,
Earthjustice said the Army was legally obligated under the Endangered
Species Act to formally consult with Fish and Wildlife to develop a new
habitat protection plan.

But the Army had agreed only to "informal" consultation, which is
intended to provide quick solutions, and is limited to situations where
the activity "is not likely to affect endangered species."

Earthjustice said the July 22 fire destroyed at least 71 individual
endangered plants and 150 acres of critical habitat — area essential to
species recovery — for the endangered O'ahu 'elepaio bird and endangered
plants.

The Army said less than 10 percent of 'akoko plants, one percent of the
nehe, and less than one percent of the kului'i in Makua Valley were
burned.

This article can be viewed at:
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2003/Sep/16/ln/ln17a.html

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