Army’s land acquisition
plans face court fight

Several native Hawaiian groups want to stop the Army from acquiring 1,400 acres of Campbell Estate land adjacent to Schofield Barracks and using it as a training ground for the new Stryker armored vehicles.

Native Hawaiian organizations Ilioulaokalani Coalition, Na Imi Pono and Kipuka, represented by Earthjustice, filed a motion in federal court yesterday to intervene in the condemnation process.

The Army agreed on Friday to pay Campbell Estate $15.9 million for the land.

On Aug. 17 the Hawaiian organizations filed a lawsuit seeking to block the 25th Infantry Division from converting one of its combat units to the Army's new Stryker force.

Earthjustice's lawsuit alleges that the Army failed to consider locations other than Hawaii in its final environmental impact statement as required by the National Environmental Policy Act.