PTA trial ends

Trial ended Friday for a lawsuit alleging the state failed to ensure the U.S. Army complies with its Pohakuloa Training Area lease.

David Frankel, attorney for plaintiffs Clarence Ching and Mary Kahaulelio, said both parties have until Oct. 16 to submit their findings of fact and conclusions of law to Oahu Circuit Court Judge Gary Chang.

Chang will later make a ruling.

The trial started Sept. 29 and lasted four days in Honolulu.

Frankel, who works for the Native Hawaiian Legal Corp., said eight witnesses took the stand.

The Army’s lease covering 22,836 acres of state land between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa requires it to make every reasonable effort to clean up debris following training exercises, according to the lawsuit.

The plaintiffs, who cite the presence of empty casings and other debris, allege the state Department of Land and Natural Resources failed to ensure compliance with this requirement.

The Army’s PTA website says it is a “vanguard of environmental and cultural protection,” with 50 employees involved in protecting endangered species and cultural resources.

The plaintiffs are asking Chang to require the state to fulfill its trust duties and prevent the Army from receiving a new lease until it satisfactorily fulfills the terms of the existing agreement.

The existing lease expires in 2029.

Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.