Stephens Media
Stephens Media
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu District, will investigate and dispose of military ordnance and explosives starting Monday within the Sandalwood subdivision of Waimea. The Corps is working with the state Department of Health and other Hawaii County safety and law enforcement agencies.
The Sandalwood subdivision is within the boundaries of the Formerly Used Defense Sites property known as the Waikoloa Maneuver Area. The Corps has been clearing unexploded ordnance and munitions at the former Waikoloa Maneuver Area for many years. The purpose of this ongoing work is to protect public health and safety by minimizing potential explosive hazards.
In 2012, the Corps conducted an investigation at Sandalwood that identified the presence of items underground that could potentially be unexploded ordnance or munitions. At that time, the Corps was unable to further investigate those underground items because not all Sandalwood residents were able to evacuate.
The Corps is returning to Sandalwood to investigate the underground items found last year. If any of these items are unexploded ordnance or munitions, the Corps will dispose of them using the highest standards of safety.
For the Corps to conduct this work, residents of the Sandalwood subdivision may be asked to evacuate their homes at various times during the day while the work is in progress. The work is estimated to take three days — Monday through Wednesday — with investigations and removal taking place between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
On Monday, Kawaihae Road between Ko Uka Street and South Kohala Distribution Road will be intermittently closed between 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. The road closure is necessary to safely investigate and clear underground items that could potentially affect the road area. Road closures are not planned for Tuesday or Wednesday.
General questions about the work at Sandalwood can be directed to Project Manager Walter Nagai, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu District at 835-4089 or walter.t.nagai@usace.army.mil or Paul Chong, Hawaii Department of Health at 586-4256 or paul.chong@doh.hawaii.gov.