US NAVY COMPLETES WITHDRAWAL FROM BOMBING OF SACRED HAWAIIAN ISLAND OF KAHO'OLAWE
Much Work Left For Native Hawaiians To Do
The U.S. Navy expects to remove all personnel and equipment from Kahoolawe on Thursday, according to the state's Kahoolawe Island Reserve Commission.
The commission will assume control of the reserve, which consists of the island and surrounding two-miles of ocean.
"Kaho'olawe" in the Hawaiian language means "the taking away."
The U.S. government has controlled the island since World War II and used it as a bombing range until 1990.
The island, whose names in ancient times were Kanaloa and Kohemalamalama, was reknown anciently as a training center for celestial navagation between Hawai'i and Tahiti.
The Navy was responsible for cleanup of more han 22,000 acres, or 77 percent of the island. The Navy will fund and continue to remove any newly discovered ordnance on the island.
The Navy's departure from Kahoolawe marks the end of a 63-year era.
"We have much to do and much to learn about the island, operating the facilities, controlling access and utilizing our resources in the most efficient manner," said Stanton Enomoto, acting executive director for the commission.
Under state law, access to Kahoolawe is restricted unless authorized by the commission.
For more information go to www.kahoolawe.hawaii.gov or contact (808) 243-5020.
