[CPEO-MEF] Groups want time to study Stryker report

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Hawai'i
HONOLULU STAR-BULLETIN
Groups want time to study Stryker report
By Diana Leone, dleone@starbulletin.com
October 1, 2003

Environmentalists are complaining the Army isn't giving the public 
enough time to review and comment on a three-volume environmental impact 
statement released yesterday about its planned Stryker brigade in Hawaii.

The environmental report "has more than 1,000 pages of core text, plus 
appendices," said David Henkin, an attorney for EarthJustice. "There are 
11 pages of acronyms alone. The public is being asked to wade through a 
mountain of paper in the bare minimum of time that regulations require 
for public comment."

Public meetings are tentatively set to begin Oct. 28 on Oahu and 
conclude Nov. 6 in Hilo on what's expected to be one of the largest 
military construction projects in the islands since World War II. The 
Army's total price tag for local construction is $693 million.

The Army will allow written comments until 45 days after the 
Environmental Protection Agency publishes availability of the document 
in the Federal Register, which is expected soon, Army spokeswoman Maj. 
Stacy Bathrick said.

After holding public hearings, the Army may extend the comment period, 
Bathrick said, but waiting 90 days between the EIS release and the 
hearings, as requested by the Sierra Club, is "not part of our plan at 
this time."

"This is a massive transformation that's impacting many branches of the 
military and more than one island," said Jeff Mikulina, Sierra Club 
state director. "It's imperative to include the community every step of 
the way and ensure the broadest community participation. Clearly they're 
going with the bare minimum."

The draft report explains what environmental and cultural effects it 
expects from the transformation of the 2nd Brigade of the 25th Infantry 
Division (Light) at Schofield Barracks to a Stryker Brigade.

This article can be viewed at:
http://starbulletin.com/2003/10/01/news/story14.html

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