2024-03-06 PL-SMA-2023-000046 Marsha Hee Opposition Testimony

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From: Marsha Hee To: WPCtestimonv Cc: Marsha Hee Subject: DENY this SMA application and protect Punalu'u Black Sand Beach Date: Wednesday,March 6,2024 7:57:27 AM Aloha Chair Lin, Vice Chair Daniele, and Members of the Windward Planning Committee, My name is MARSHA HEE and I urge you to deny the Special Management Area permit application (Agenda Item 93, PL-SMA-2023-000046)that will build a luxury resort development at Punalu'u Black Sand Beach. I speak for myself and on behalf of hundreds of others who value the life,place and role of Punalau'u Black Sand Beach.What happens there affects its neighboring water,land and forest.What happens there impacts all living plants and animals both on land and in the sea.It is our responsibility to go with respect treading carefully there in the home of others who have lived there for many generations. It is not to be mistreated for our human short sightedness. We humans are the visitors asking permission to spend some time there,to observe,listen and learn. What can we humans possibly bring that is already there in its fullness,vitality of life cycling and living in harmony. But we have not done a service to someone else's home by our actions that desecrate,pollute and cause havoc and disrespect to the real inhabitants of Punalu'u Black Sand Beach and it's neighboring water,land,forest, sky and air. This is definitely not the time for coming in with our machinery,disruption and construct our short term human desires that will only make it worse for the natural world that depends on us to do what's really right now. It is time for us to acknowledge and be guided by the true power and wisdom of diverse biological nature that existed before humans.Open our minds and hearts to the guiding voice of our indigenous wise kupuna-those standing at the source and by collected experience voice their warning that this is not simply a"done deal"by a small group of humans who have not done their true"home"work to address the real facts at hand for Punalu'u Black Sand Beach and it's neighboring water,land,forest,sky and air-for creatures living in and on the soil,water, sky for whom it has been the real home since before we humans arrived.What we can do is take action that kokua, giving back to this place by coming together amongst ourselves to get on the same page,using our collective wisdom,skill,tools and technology to clean up our mess with intention to make things right,improving conditions and allow long term restoration so the natural life of Punalu'u Black Sand Beach can return for generations to come. That is our kuleana and responsibility at this time. As our climate crisis inevitably worsens, it is critical that our precious natural and cultural resources are managed as a public trust resource, as envisioned in our Hawaii State Constitution, and as carefully contemplated with critical input from key community stakeholders in the Ka`u Community Development Plan. Additionally, the SMA applicant proposes a development that caters to tourists at the expense of our own - our own people who are already housing insecure,job insecure, and our natural and cultural resources. The lack of planning with the prematurely proposed SMA application for a development that will only exacerbate the erosion of our natural and cultural resources undermines the Ka`u Community Development Plan and does not facilitate the county fulfilling its affirmative duty to protect nearshore marine waters. Accordingly, I respectfully urge the committee to DENY this SMA application and protect Punalu'u Black Sand Beach. Mahalo nui for the opportunity to testify. Sincerely, Marsha Hee PO Box 1050,Volcano, Hawaii 96785 Life-long resident and lineal descendant of Hawaii