The United States Space Force and Department of the Air Force (DAF) announced plans to construct and operate two commercial rocket landing pads at Johnston Atoll – an ecologically and culturally significant area protected within the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument (PIHMNM) and as a National Wildlife Refuge. 

Johnston Atoll, given the Hawaiian name Kalama by King Kamehameha IV and claimed for the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi by 1858, has a dynamic, connected relationship with Hawaiʻi and Papahānaumokuākea. One of the last wild, healthy ocean ecosystems on Earth, the atoll has invaluable cultural and spiritual significance. It is home to endangered and threatened wildlife, including seabird nesting grounds, more than 300 species of fish, and a shallow coral reef encompassing approximately 32,000 acres. These waters are sacred; they tell the stories of our ancestors and connect us to our cultural heritage and cousins across the Pacific. 

However, for nearly a century, Kalama (Johnston Atoll) has been controlled by the US Armed Forces and has endured the destructive practices of dredging, atmospheric nuclear testing, and stockpiling and incineration of toxic chemical munitions. The area needs to heal, but instead, the military is choosing to cause more irreversible harm. Enough is enough. 

Landing pad construction and large commercial rocket cargo testing at Kalama (Johnston Atoll) pose serious risks —contamination, debris, noise pollution, and the potential for failed landings within protected waters. Yet, the Department of the Air Force plans to move forward with only a limited Environmental Assessment (EA) and begin testing, demonstrating, and evaluating these capabilities as soon as 2025. A Draft EA and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) are expected in April, opening a 30-day public comment period. 

The Pacific Islands Heritage Coalition strongly opposes this plan and urges the public to reject this reckless proposal and demand a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to assess the risks to Johnston Atoll and this significant area. 

Why This Matters:

• Environmental Destruction – Kalama (Johnston Atoll) is home to 14 seabird species, including the largest known nesting populations of red-tailed tropicbirds. Its surrounding waters contain more than 300 species of fish and a pristine coral reef spanning 32,000 acres. The construction and operation of commercial rockets pose significant risks from contaminants, debris, noise, and potential catastrophic landings.
• Invaluable Cultural Heritage – The area has invaluable cultural and spiritual significance, including for Native Pacific Islanders’ cross-oceanic migration and voyaging. The area has deep cultural and spiritual significance, particularly for Native Pacific Islanders’ cross-oceanic migration and voyaging traditions. The island has endured nearly a century of military control, including nuclear testing, toxic chemical munitions stockpiling, and hazardous waste incineration. 
• Lack of Transparency & Insufficient Environmental Review – The Department of Defense plans to release a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) and a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) in early April 2025, allowing only a 30-day public review period. Given the severe risks involved, we demand a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to comprehensively assess the potential damage.
• Dangerous Testing Record – Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which has been linked to this project through its partnership with U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), has experienced over ten catastrophic rocket failures, including explosive incidents as recently as January 17, 2025, and March 6, 2025. These failures disrupted commercial flights and rained hazardous space debris——risks that will cause irreversible damage to this habitat and its species, which are part of our collective Pacific heritage. 

Our Call to Action: 

• An Immediate Halt to plans for constructing and operating commercial rocket landing pads at Kalama (Johnston Atoll).
• A Full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to thoroughly evaluate the consequences of this project on the atoll’s fragile ecosystem and cultural significance.
• Exploration of Alternative Sites that do not pose risks to critical marine habitats, protected wildlife, and cultural heritage. 

We, the undersigned, strongly object to the Department of the Air Force’s proposed plan to use Kalama (Johnston Atoll) and the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument as a testing ground for large commercial rockets, which will cause irreversible damage to the habitat and species of this ecologically and culturally significant area.

The agency must pursue alternatives that will not damage environmental and cultural treasures in its wake, here, or anywhere on Island Earth.

Learn more at www.protectpri.com