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THE SENATE |
S.R. NO. |
16 |
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THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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SENATE RESOLUTION
requesting the commander of joint base PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM TO ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU TO USE THE RESTRICTED VACANT LAND ON THE PEARL CITY PENINSULA FOR YOUTH BALL PROGRAMS.
WHEREAS, every year, youth ball teams comprising both public and military family volunteer coaches and young children who want to play soccer, baseball, and flag football line up at the office of the Department of Parks and Recreation of the City and County of Honolulu to apply for an annual permit to use city park ball fields for team practices and events; and
WHEREAS, the city does not have a sufficient number of ball fields to accommodate the demand; and
WHEREAS, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on the Pearl City Peninsula has about twelve acres of land that has been vacant and restricted from use for the past three decades due to a Fuel Depot Tank Farm Fire on Tank No. 1 that occurred in October of 1985; and
WHEREAS, the United States Navy Federal Fire Department used per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) fire retardant to put out the fire and the United States Navy later made the decision to close down the tank farm, clearing the land and leaving it vacant since 1985; and
WHEREAS, the Pearl City Neighborhood Board No. 21 has attended previous Pearl Harbor Restoration and Advisory Board meetings and asked if this land could be used for youth ball fields; and
WHEREAS, it is the Legislature's understanding that the use of PFAS fire retardant was isolated to the area where Tank No. 1 was located and that the much larger area was not contaminated with PFAS; and
WHEREAS, the Legislature believes that this larger area of non-contaminated vacant land could be used to build a minimum of three ball fields and land that was contaminated with PFAS could be used to build a parking lot; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that the Commander of Joint Base Pearl-Harbor Hickam is requested to allow the Department of Parks and Recreation of the City and County of Honolulu to temporarily use the restricted vacant land on the Pearl City Peninsula for youth ball programs such as soccer, baseball, and flag football; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Commander of Joint Base Pearl‑Harbor Hickam and Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu.
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OFFERED BY: |
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Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam; Department of Parks and Recreation of the City and County of Honolulu; Youth Ball Programs