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I am Old Fulks, Chairman of the Hawaii Speleological Survey, a non profit public service organization with about 60 members. We prepare reports for landowners, government agencies and other land managers on caves which are of concern to them or to_the public. c=' T ~ Ede have reviewed the current draft of the General Ply:-,an^:~5fi~_d. -~~~r it considerably improved from the 1990 version. Howeu~~, ar-e very concerned about two items in it. Of greatest concern is the plan to return Kaumana Caved Cou~y Park to state administration. _ f_? This county park is a very popular recreation and touriatri sip and should not be taken away from the people of the Big island. We have no confidence that the state would manage the park in a manner accestible to the people of our county. The record shows that the state has neglected the part of the cave lying outside our county park, for almost a century. It has not even fenced the openings unlawfully used as illegal dumps of toxic and haz-~ ardous garbage. It showed no initiative when local speleologist contacted its administrators about volunteer cleanups. =eVhen problems need correction, Big Island residents clearly have much better access to Harry Kim than to Benjamin Cayetano. Therefore we strongly urge deletion of this provision of the General Plan draft, and substitution of a sentence supporting completion of land transfer to the county of all the land in this popular county park. Secondly, we are very disappointed to see no mention of Laniakea Cave in Kailua-Kona. The county already owns the most accessible part of this cave, and it is a tremendous potential educational, and touristic resource for that community. This is the most his- toric cave in Hawaii. In 1823 it already was described as "cele- brated". ,The state has dragged its collective feet in placing this notable cave on the Hawaii Register, but there is no valid reason for the county also to lag. We recommend the following for the General Plan 1) listing it as a historical resource of North Kona; 2) replacement of the present bars across the county-owned en- trance with a locked gate and stairs; 3) inclusion of this part of the cave in walking tours of down- town Kailua-Kona. We also urge cautions in the General Plan's sections on road construction and improvements, and development of commercial an industrial sites. To protect construction workers and caves alike, all such activities should be carried out taking into account all known lava tube caves. Thank you very much. J