U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii) joined his colleagues on the Senate Armed Services Committee in approving the $393.4 billion National Defense Authorization bill for fiscal year 2003. The Committee reported the bill, which authorizes funding for the Department of Defense (DOD) and national security programs of the Department of Energy (DOE), on a bipartisan vote of 17 to 8. Akaka, chairman of the Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support, led the Subcommittee's efforts to support the readiness of U.S. military forces, improve the facilities in which our military personnel work and housing for them and their families, and enhance the efficiency of DOD operations.
"I am proud that our Subcommittee and Committee have taken positive, practical steps to enhance and protect military training and operating areas for our service members, many of whom are deployed and engaged in operations to defend this great nation," Akaka said. "The Readiness Subcommittee took proactive steps to expand opportunities for our Armed Forces to ensure they make the most effective use of existing training assets. We included $126 million for a range enhancement initiative, with $106 million set for improvements to training ranges and range management.
"We also provided $20 million for a new fund to purchase easements on land near military installations to help protect existing operations and training ranges. This bill provides legislative authority for the Department of Defense to enter into agreements with non-federal entities to create and manage buffer zones around military installations. These are positive, practical steps to enhance and protect military training and operating areas."
The bill continues efforts from last year to enhance the Department's coordination of anti-corrosion programs. The Committee recommended that the Department designate a senior official to oversee anti-corrosion plans and policies and included $39 million to fund these efforts and other anti-corrosion testing, technologies, and research and development (R&D). "Studies estimate that corrosion costs the Department up to $20 billion annually, and that corrosion continues to be a serious maintenance challenge and manpower drain," Akaka noted. "Our initiative ensures that we continue to make the best use of our defense resources."
The bill authorizes $251.36 million for military construction funding in Hawaii, an increase over the President's budget request of $203.91 million. This increase reflects additional military construction projects requested by Senator Akaka and members of Hawaii's Congressional delegation. The total also includes two military construction projects funded through the Defense Emergency Response Fund (DERF).
The FY03 Defense Authorization bill also includes funding authorization and statutory language Senator Akaka sought for several projects of particular interest to Hawaii, including provisions on Kahoolawe and Waikoloa.
Projects included in the bill:
1. Fusion Processor and Integrated Contextual Reasoning ($3 million)
The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has been conducting extensive research into the use of hyperspectral technology to provide our war fighting forces with a surveillance sensor that is highly capable of finding difficult military targets in clutter-rich environments. The NRL's hyperspectral module upgrade program has provided sensors that show great promise over current conventional panchromatic or multi-spectral reconnaissance sensors. The Navy will incorporate hyperspectral technology into the EP-3 and other aircraft and combine it with panchromatic sensors. Over the last three years, NRL has made excellent progress in developing this technology. Novasol, a Hawaii firm, is working on the program.
2. Photovoltaic Energy Park-Solar-Powered Generating System and Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Research and Development on a Navy Site ($2.5 million)
The project seeks to increase reliability and security of the energy needs for the military in Hawaii and abroad through the development of a photovoltaic energy park to provide a solar-powered electric generating system and by conducting research and development related to renewable energy, hydrogen and fuel cells. Since 1997, the Navy and the Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) have been in discussions to evaluate the potential use of Navy lands to accommodate the installation of a large-scale solar-powered electric generating system in Hawaii. The development of the photovoltaic energy park would be large enough to accommodate a utility-scale facility (2-3 MW) of photovoltaic arrays using current photovoltaic technology.
3. Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Program for Navy and Marine Corps ($6 million)
The Department of the Navy (DON) Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Program exists to raise the level of protection of Navy and Marine Corps facilities, information processes, and weapons acquisition activities from terrorist and other attacks. The DON CIP program leverages efforts of the DoD and of individual organizations through integrated physical/cyber and on/off-base infrastructure and acquisition protection strategies in order to enhance the protection of mission essential infrastructures. $4 million of the $6M requested will be dedicated to the security of Navy and Marine Corps commands in Hawaii. This project would greatly benefit the Pacific Command by identifying at a minimum, the critical infrastructure vulnerability of Navy and Marine installations and support services.
4. Stainless Steel Sanitary Spaces (S4), Joint project with Corrosion Engineering Services and Honolulu Shipyards International ($6 million)
The Fleet needs to backfit as many ships as possible on an accelerated schedule to reduce life cycle cost and ensure quality of life for sailors. The funding would provide for the installation of Stainless Steel Sanitary Spaces, resulting in significant reductions in maintenance costs.
5. SEE/RESCUE Distress Streamer ($4 million)
SEE/RESCUE is a patented, compact, high-strength, bright orange streamer deployed by survivors on land or water. The streamer vastly improves the visibility of a survivor from an aerial view. A pilot flying at 1500 feet can see the streamer from 1.3 miles away, thus significantly increasing a survivor's chance of rescue. The streamers, when not deployed, are worn in compact holsters in life vests. Since the streamers are constructed of inert materials, they do not require costly maintenance and do not require batteries, chemicals, or electronics to operate.
Rescue Technologies, a Hawaii-based company, is in the process of developing a Self-Deploying Infrared (SDIR) signaling system to be put on the streamer. The SDIR is a new system being developed in response to the U.S. Air Force's desire for an infrared strobe that would deploy upon immersion in water. Rescue Technologies personnel are working with the Air Force to develop this system, which would increase the survivability of military personnel.
Senator Akaka also secured the inclusion in the bill of two provisions of particular importance to Hawaii:
FORMERLY USED DEFENSE SITE, WAIKOLOA
The bill includes a provision to begin to address the clearance of unexploded ordnance (UXO) at a designated formerly used defense site (FUDS) in Waikoloa, Hawaii. The provision calls for the Secretary of the Army to develop a comprehensive plan to address risks to human health and safety at the Waikoloa FUDS site, which would include specific milestones for the UXO problem and the Department's plans for funding the cleanup.
CLEANUP OF KAHOOLAWE
FY03 is the last year that the Department of the Navy is scheduled to receive funding for the cleaning of Kahoolawe from the trust fund established in 1994. The Navy has done a considerable amount of work on Kahoolawe despite the fact that actual cleanup did not begin until 1998. Senator Akaka has been concerned that the November, 2003, deadline for the cleanup may negatively impact the Navy's ability to maximize its efforts to clear the island. For that reason, a provision was included in the FY03 Department of Defense Authorization bill which states that the Department of the Navy will continue cleanup activities on the island of Kahoolawe until it has, at a minimum, inspected and assessed 100 percent of the island, cleared 75 percent of the surface of the island (Tier I) and cleared the designated 25 percent of the island to Tier II levels (4-inch standard). The provision is based on the Navy's representation that it can meet these standards in FY03.
"While I remain disappointed that the Navy has communicated its inability to clear Kahoolawe to the levels agreed to in 1994, I want to ensure that the Navy maximizes it efforts to clear the UXO on Kahoolawe this year," Akaka said. "I appreciate the difficulty of the task, but I also would hate to see the Navy more focused on demobilization than on clearing ordnance."
