With some of Hawaiʻi’s biggest military land leases edging toward expiration and a high-profile congressional hearing on Indo-Pacific security set for Wednesday, OHA Board Chair Kaialiʻi Kahele is in Washington, D.C., this week leading a delegation with a blunt message: Hawaiʻi’s public-trust lands and Native Hawaiian programs are not up for casual debate.
Kahele and his team are pressing federal and military leaders on what happens next to military-leased public-trust lands in Hawaiʻi and pushing back against proposed cuts to federal programs that serve Native Hawaiians. OHA officials say early, meaningful consultation and firm legal protections are essential to safeguard cultural sites, environmental health and the rights of Native Hawaiian beneficiaries.
Who Is Making The Trip And What They Want
The delegation includes OHA Trustees Keoni Souza and Carmen “Hulu” Lindsey, Interim Administrator and CEO Summer Sylva and Associate General Counsel Rozelle Agag. Over the course of the week, they plan to hold more than a dozen meetings with congressional staff and Defense Department leaders.
On the schedule: high-level talks at the Pentagon with officials responsible for installations, energy and environmental policy. The group plans to press for robust consultation with Native Hawaiian stakeholders and statutory protections surrounding any potential use of condemnation, according to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
Which Hawaiʻi Lands Are On The Line
State legislation and OHA materials flag several major leases that are set to collide with the calendar between 2028 and 2031. Among them: Mākua, Kawailoa–Poamoho, Kahuku, Pōhakuloa and Waimea. When those leases run out, the federal and state governments will have to decide what stays, what goes, and who is responsible for cleanup and long-term stewardship.
These parcels sit in Hawaiʻi’s public-land trust and have long been at the center of debate over contamination, unexploded ordnance and cultural access, as laid out in a recent state bill. LegiScan details the leases and how lawmakers are trying to respond.
The timing of OHA’s visit is no accident. The delegation plans to attend a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Wednesday that will examine U.S. military posture and national security challenges in the Indo-Pacific. U.S. Indo-Pacific Commander Adm. Samuel Paparo is listed as a witness. The committee calendar highlights how the future of Hawaiʻi’s leased lands now sits squarely at the intersection of local rights and national defense planning.
“OHA will continue to advocate strongly for the resources our lāhui depends on,” Kahele said, adding that “federal investments in Native Hawaiian programs are not optional - they are essential to addressing longstanding disparities and fulfilling the federal government’s trust responsibilities.” Those comments, along with details of the delegation’s agenda, were reported by Maui Now.
OHA’s Home-Front Strategy And What Comes Next
The D.C. trip is only one piece of a broader play. Last fall, OHA’s board approved a strategy to hold community consultations, seek a formal seat in state negotiations over the leases and participate in the governor’s advisory group on military lands. The board also backed legislative language for a constitutional amendment that would prohibit destructive live-fire training on public-trust lands, as described in OHA’s public materials. OHA has said these moves are aimed at transparency and strong fiduciary oversight of trust resources.
On the ground, public engagement has been underway across the islands. Hawaiʻi Public Radio reported a series of community briefings and meetings this spring designed to gather input ahead of any lease renegotiations, reflecting deep community concern about military training, contamination and access. Hawaiʻi Public Radio noted that the sessions and related coordination efforts are structured to feed directly into upcoming federal-state talks.
As leases head toward their 2028–2031 expiration window, the stakes only get higher. Between OHA’s legal push, organized community pressure and the Pentagon’s posture review, Hawaiʻi could see a range of outcomes, from negotiated land returns to revised retention agreements or new statutory guardrails that spell out future use and cleanup obligations. For now, the real action is in closed-door meetings in D.C., but the consequences will land squarely back home.
