The Army still needs to do so-called controlled burns of brush at Makua Valley to complete its required and long-overdue environmental impact statement, a spokesman said yesterday.

Lt. Col. Michael Donnelly, 25th Division spokesman, said these controlled brush fires are needed to clear key areas of the 4,190-acre Makua Military Range so the Army can complete its cultural assessment of an area that some Hawaii groups believe is sacred ground. He would not say how many more controlled burns would be needed.

Controlled burns at Makua have been a major problem for the Army. In July 2003, under what was supposed to be strict controls, about 2,100 acres were torched when a controlled burn of a planned 500 acres got out of control. The fire destroyed at least 71 endangered plants and 150 acres of designated critical habitat.

The long-delayed environmental impact study justifying the Army's continued use of Makua Valley Reservation might be not be completed until summer, months later than a revised Army estimate.

The Army Corps of Engineers put out a public notice this week asking for comment on a marine resources study, which is one of six that make up the Makua Military Reservation environmental impact statement. The last day for comment is April 6.

That deadline under the original timetable was supposed to have been Feb. 20, with a draft report completed by June and a final report two months later.
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Yesterday, the Army declined to discuss the timetable for the marine resources study or if it would delay the completion of the EIS.