Progress continues on a new Hawaii Island shooting facility at a proposed Pu‘uanahulu location near Waikoloa.
The roughly 1-square-mile facility would incorporate pistol and long-distance rifle ranges, noise mitigation, trap and skeet fields, and bays for classes and competitions.
The next major hurdle will be securing funding during the legislative session starting in January.
“The Legislature is going to have to approve some funding to push it across the finish line,” said Glennon Gingo, president of On Target Inc., a nonprofit that has been working to develop a new Big Island shooting facility for nearly two decades. “We tried to streamline the process a bit, and that includes this final phase, which is to get the engineering group on board and to procure (environmental impact studies) for the property.”
The working group is collaborating with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources to update an unpublished EA (environmental assessment) for the project.
“The whole study is basically there,” said Darren Ogura, acting manager of the Hawaii Hunter Education Program for DLNR. “But the EA wasn’t published yet, and it needs to be updated.”
Updates include adjusting the names of those involved to match the new working group, which expanded after the passing of a Senate bill during the last legislative session. The bill approved the working group’s collaboration with DLNR and requested a list of facility requirements, a preliminary design, time estimates for construction, and potential revenue sources.
Three sound tests were completed at the Pu‘uanahulu location, which is in a Game Management Area. The tests allowed engineers to collect data and analyze sound level, wind speed, direction and atmospheric conditions.
DLNR confirmed a preliminary report has been submitted for review to lawmakers prior to the legislative session.
“We already turned in the report for the Legislature to review, as far as what they wanted in the bill,” said Ogura. “Federal funding is ready, not the total, but to start, but we need the state match.”
Construction would take place in several phases, with staggered funding distributed by DLNR.
“We’d start with basics for pistol and rifle ranges,” said Ogura. “If you do it all at one time, it would take $10 million just to start.”
Both Ogura and Gingo are hopeful community support will help the facility move forward.
“We have a lot of community support,” said Gingo. “It’s always a challenge when you’re in a private community group or you’re citizens that are trying to accomplish something, and working with a government agency can take time.”
The facility would be an improvement compared to the current range on the Daniel K. Inouye Highway. Land for that 40-acre range, located at the 16-mile marker, was designated in 2018.
“There’s minimal facilities out there,” said Todd Yukutake of the Hawaii Firearms Coalition. “It’s a clearing basically in the lava field that DLNR made as a shooting range. I believe it’s over 100 yards long, but there’s no classrooms or anything like that.”
If the ongoing Mauna Loa eruption closes the highway, access to the range would be impacted.
“I noticed on one of the (closure) maps that (officials) might close it at mile marker 8, which would affect the range,” said Yukutake. “People have to take their conceal carry tests, and that might interfere, and hopefully it doesn’t get covered up by lava.”
The working group is also prioritizing safety for the proposed facility by providing range safety officer training.
“That’s the person at the range ensuring everyone is doing everything according to the safety rules,” Gingo said. “That’s something we provide as a working group, and I hope that’s something people see and will get behind.”
The next meeting for the group is tentatively set for January, where they will discuss the EA update and ways to secure funding.
“We have ball fields, swimming pools, tennis facilities, and we want to make sure people have an adequate place to go shoot, too,” Gingo said. “When you have different players, it’s really down to the state government to get it over the finish line, you just have to be there. We feel very positive, and we’re picking the ball up and going forward with it.”
Those interested in attending the upcoming meeting or seeking more information about the potential range can contact On Target Inc. at (808) 960-9348.
Email Grant Phillips at gphillips@hawaiitribune-herald.com.