Bill > SR193

This Resolution requests the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources to collaborate with the Secretary of the Army and other federal officials to finalize the transfer of Dillingham Airfield, also known as Kawaihapai Airfield, to the State of Hawaii. The airfield, currently owned by the U.S. Army and leased to the state's Department of Transportation for general aviation since 1962, is a vital economic asset recognized globally for recreational activities like skydiving and glider flights, generating significant revenue. Although a federal law from 1991 authorized the conveyance of 87 acres of this land, including a portion of the airfield and Army Beach, to Hawaii, the transfer has not yet been completed, despite state legislation in 2001 to officially rename it Kawaihapai Airfield upon completion. The resolution emphasizes that these lands are valuable assets that rightfully belong to the State of Hawaii and urges the Chairperson to take action to secure their conveyance.