Some 800 feet above sea level, two dozen volunteers embarked on a nearly 24-mile trek by all-terrain vehicle to clear debris left behind by an inert testing missile that crashed on a Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) parcel atop the Niu Valley Ridge in Waimea, Kauaʻi, more than 60 years ago as part of “Operation Regulus.”
On Dec. 19, 2024, an estimated 2,300 lbs of debris were collected and airlifted out of the area to be recycled at Resource Recovery Solutions in Līhuʻe.
Discovered in 2022 by a DHHL lessee exploring the region, the debris was in an area used for grazing by a herd of feral goats. The debris field was examined by the Kauaʻi Police Department and Navy Security and Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasures personnel who determined it did not pose a threat to the environment. Further investigation by unexploded ordnance crews found no explosives in the area and deemed it acceptable to keep the debris in place.
For Thomas Nizo removing the debris wasn’t just a task, it was his kuleana, regardless of the findings. “If can, can; if no can, how can? Getting to a ‘yes’ response is the goal,” said Nizo.
Nizo, an Anahola residential lessee, serves as Pacific Missile Range Facility Barking Sands’ (PMRF) deputy of public works and stewardship officer and is the first Native Hawaiian to hold the position. His unwavering dedication to the cleanup is firmly rooted in his love for the land.
“E pane mai ka nonoi o Nohili,” (answering the requests of Nohili) is PMRF’s slogan. This reflects the staff’s awareness of the importance of Native Hawaiian cultural values. Nohili refers to the high sand dunes at Nohili Point, the famous “Barking Sands” of Kauaʻi.
Operation Regulus, conducted by the PMRF from 1956 to 1964, was an operation used for missile launch and guidance training. Flight-test vehicles and training missiles were never armed and contained retractable landing gear, making them reusable.
DHHL commends Nizo and his team for their outstanding efforts in Kekaha and the Mānā Plain, as their actions align with the mission of Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole and benefit the broader community. Their removal of the missile debris allows for effective land use.
DHHL manages more than 14,500 acres of land in Waimea; two-thirds of the area can be described as steep mountainous terrain and isolated valleys. DHHL’s Kauaʻi Island Plan (KIP) calls for development in Waimea to be centered around residential and subsistence agricultural homesteads – a self-sustaining community where residents can cultivate produce for both personal use and sale. Surrounding parcels may include community-use spaces, a puʻuhonua or retreat, areas for conservation, and opportunities for kalo cultivation.
