MEDIA RELEASE
Aloha ,
From native forests to traditional fishponds, reefs and beachs to forest and sacred pu’u, from mauka to makai, much of Hawai’i's surviving natural and cultural resources-our natural heritage and cultural landscape-lie within conservation districts.
You can make a difference just by spreading the word!
In the waning days of the Lingle Administration, DLNR is proposing major changes to the laws which protect Hawai’i's conservation districts. The proposed changes to these laws will fundamentally alter the way certain kinds of decisions are made for 2 million acres of public and private lands in Hawai’i. This will affect the future of “ceded” lands, nearshore and submerged lands, watersheds, and all mauka areas under conservation.
We know these kinds of regulatory changes aren’t super sexy, but if you’ve ever seen a bulldozer in a wahi pana, you know why these kinds of hearings are where the action is at!
Are these Laws working? What happens when we change them?
This is the first major change to these legal protections since 1994. Yet, no study of these rules has been done, no working group was convened to evaluate these changes and their implications. We should be asking ourselves: In what ways are these laws working for communities? For landholders? For native species and habitats? For island ecosystems?
In fact, there was no public process to examine, evaluate or ask about how these laws are working before these draft rules were released. Nor have we effectively answered questions about what these changes mean, and how they will affect communities, species, habitats, landholders, and ecosystems. In informational meetings, DLNR staff were unable to answer critical questions about what these changes to the law will mean in practice. Yet, DLNR is committed to changing these laws by December. This is not how conservation decisions should be made.
What you can do
(1) Take a look at the rule changes at http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/occl Can you understand them? Can you tell how they will affect the future of the conservation lands in your area? If the answer is NO, you are not alone!
(2) Attend a Hearing. Be heard! Tell DLNR you want to know why they are changing the law, and how it will affect you and the things you care about in Hawai’i nei.
(3) Tell your hiking club, fellow practitioner, hula sisters, surf buddies, or anyone else you enjoy these places with! Attend the hearing as a hui (everything is better with friends).
The hearing for Kona and Hilo is coming up soon!
Aug. 5, Wailuku, Maui, 6PM, Velma M. Santos Comun. Center, 395 Waena Place
Aug. 9, Kona, Hawaii, 6PM, Mayor’s Conf. Room, 75-5706 Kuakini Hwy, Rm 103
Aug. 10, Hilo, Hawaii, 6PM, State Office Bldg., 75 Aupuni St., Conf. Rm. C
Aug. 11, Kaunakakai, Molokai, 6PM Mitchell Pauole Center, 90 Ainoa Street
Aug. 12, Honolulu, Oahu, 6PM, Kalanimoku Bldg., 1151 Punchbowl St., Rm 132
Aug. 19, Kapaa, Kauai, 6PM, Kapaa Library, 1464 Kuhio Hwy
*OCCL website says hearings are “not to exceed two hours.”
Talking points
- These laws affect over 2 million acres of conservation lands. Why is this process so rushed? If we haven’t changed these laws in 15 years, why do we suddenly need to have new laws by December?
- Why haven’t we fully studied how these laws are working? How are these laws serving communities? Native species? Ecosystem function? Landowners? Cultural practitioners? Hikers? Divers? Surfers?
- We should know the full implications of these laws before the changes take affect. Why can’t DLNR tell us what these changes will mean on the ground, in practice?
- How will these changes impact many “ceded” public trust lands that are in conservation districts?
- Lands in the Conservation District are there for a reason-because they are rare or beautiful, ecologically important or unique, culturally significant, or important to what makes Hawai’i…Hawai’i. Let’s uphold our promise to protect them for future generations!
Mahalo nui,
Us Guys at KAHEA: The Hawaiian-Environmental Alliance
1140 Bethel St., #415
Honolulu, HI 96813
www.kahea.org
blog.kahea.org
phone: 808-524-8220
email: kahea-alliance@hawaii.rr.com