CaseStudy:Footprint reduction program at Pearl Harbor Naval Complex (2009)

The Commander Navy Region Hawaii footprint reduction program is designed to reduce excess square footage. The fiscal year 2009 program proposes to demolish a total of 167,000 excess square feet. Demolition of the facilities will include removal of entire structures, floor slabs and foundations, removal and disposal of any hazardous materials, termination of utilities, and site restoration.

This case, and the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) being pursued, could set a precedent for this Navy region. In the future, the Commander Navy Region Hawaii may handle footprint reduction initiatives on a more programmatic basis to meet Navy requirements while assessing potential impacts and cumulative impacts to historic properties and districts. On a much broader scale, the Chief of Naval Operations has set a target goal to reduce the Navy’s infrastructure by 30 million square feet through fiscal year 2013. Thechallenge of addressing the footprint reduction initiativeat the Pearl Harbor Naval Complex and its potential impacts to historic properties will continue in future consultations. This approach gives consulting parties an understanding of the broader program rather than continuing to handle individually proposed demolitions on a case-by-case basis. The historic buildings of current concern are located within the Shipyard, Submarine Zone, Naval Supply Center, NAVFAC Hawaii Compound, Ford Island, and Makalapa. Some of the buildings are eligible for listing in the National Register, and others are contributing to the Pearl Harbor National Historic Landmark. Consulting parties include the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), the Hawaii State Historic Preservation Division, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Park Service, and the Historic Hawaii Foundation. The Navy initiated consultation with the ACHP in September 2008 and conducted a site visit to many of the properties in October 2008. Since that time, the Navy has hosted a series of consultation meetings via conference calls.

The consulting parties have discussed alternatives to demolition for certain historic properties and mitigation strategies. An MOA is currently being sought regarding appropriate mitigation to resolve the adverse effects of this undertaking.