U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie has asked the military to plan for the eventual return of Makua Valley and a portion of the old Navy air station at Kalaeloa, which he said could be used as a stop for a mass transit rail system.

The two requests were part of the 2007 Defense Authorization bill that passed the U.S. House and Senate yesterday.
[...]
As for Makua Valley, which has been used by the military as a firing range since World War II, Abercrombie said in a written statement, "Eventually the land must be returned, so the Army needs to look beyond its current use to the eventual return of this historic and environmentally sensitive treasure."

The language of Abercrombie's provision requires the Army to report to Congress by March 1 on its future training range plans in Hawaii, including alternatives to Makua. The return of Makua has long been advocated by Hawaiian activists, who have filed numerous lawsuits to stop all military training there. The last time the military used live ammunition in the 4,190-acre valley was August 2004.

The Army has fallen behind a deadline to complete an environmental impact study justifying the continued use of the valley, home to more than 30 endangered plants and animals. The environmental study was supposed to have been completed in October 2004.

CONGRESSIONAL pressure has been added to a federal judge's rulings that the Army justify its continued use of live ammunition in field exercises in Makua Valley along the Leeward Coast. A defense authorization bill enacted last week includes a provision authored by Rep. Neil Abercrombie that should force the Army to explain the need for such training in the valley or look elsewhere.

Sen. Dan Inouye has warned that transporting troops to the Big Island would be costly and that some military planners might consider moving Hawaii's bases to the mainland. Inclusion of the Abercrombie provision in the authorization bill indicates Inouye has softened his concern about the military reaction to placing the valley off-limits.