More information on the proposed stationing of Joint High Speed Vessels in Guam, Hawai’i, San Diego and/or Seattle. The Army is currently conducting scoping on a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for stationing of these military fast transport vessels. In Hawai’i a grassroots resistance stopped the Hawaii Superferry, a JHSV disguised as a civilian ferry, through legal and direct action. Proponents of the Hawaii Superferry denied that there was any relationship between their project and the military. Then it turned out that the Hawaii Superferry helped the Austal corporation leverage its position to compete for an win a major contract to build the JHSV based on the same design. Activists who exposed the military agenda behind the Superferry were right all along.
From the Army Environmental Command website: http://aec.army.mil/usaec/nepa/topics00.html
Joint High Speed Vessel
The Army intends to prepare a programmatic environmental impact statement in 2010 for the proposed stationing and operation of joint high speed vessels. The JHSV is a strategic transport vessel designed to support the rapid transport of military troops and equipment in the U.S. and abroad. All interested members of the public, including native communities and federally recognized Native American Tribes, Native Hawaiian groups, Guam Chamorro Groups, and federal, state, and local agencies are invited to participate in the scoping process for the preparation of this PEIS. Comments may be sent to the Public Affairs Office, U.S. Army Environmental Command, 5179 Hoadley Rd, Attn: IMAE-PA, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010-5401; (410) 436-2556; fax (410) 436-1693; e-mail USAEC NEPA.
Download the NEPA Notice of Intent here.
Am assuming the DoD will write up an EIS for themselves that does not negate the basing of JHSV’s in Hawaii to operate between Pearl Harbor and Kawaihae Harbor.
Some key points that need to be addressed:
1.) Detailed procedures to ensure that depleted uranium dust is not transported on armored equipment aboard the JHSV’s from the Big Island to Oahu and possibly vis-a-versa.
2.) Detailed procedures to ensure that invasive species are not transported in the tires or undercarriages of Army vehicles between whatever islands are involved.
3.) Procedures for handling and reporting whale strikes. Repercussions including ceasing operations if a certain level of whale strikes happen. Stiff penalties on the DoD if whale strikes are detected but unreported by the the vessels.
That’s a start. Assuming somebody doesn’t some up with some better ideas.