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STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC LINDA JANE IRWIN: (At this time Linda Jane Irwin came forward to address members of the Commission.) MS. IRWIN: Thank you for all your work. I'm Linda Jane Irwin from Volcano and I saw in the paper this morning that yesterday there was testimony for Volcano to be affiliated with the Puna side, and I would like to present the other side. And I have talked to a number of people in Volcano that prefer going towards the Ka' u- side where we have been before. One of the reasons for this is that there's a very strong possibility that the International Biosphere Buffer Zone designation will happen which would include Volcano and this just makes so much more sense with our proximity to the park and the possibility that another buffer zone might happen on the other end of the park which would be in Ka` u. And, just as things have gone on over time, it just feels like Volcano is less closely affiliated with things that go on in Puna and the needs of Puna than the kinds of things that happen in Ka`u. So I don't think there's a strong contingent only for the Puna side in Volcano. I think there's also one for the Ka`u side. So that's it. VICE CHR. KANUHA: I have one question. You were talking about the Biosphere. Can you explain that a little bit. MS. IRWIN: Well, you know the park is designated as an international biosphere, I don't remember the exact terminology, but, the International Organization for Biosphere designations now is very interested and actually recommends that parks and other international biosphere places have buffer zones in the community surrounding them. And we've been looking at this for years, but because of the push by the international organization, it seems even more likely that will happen. Hopefully if that does happen there'll be more protection of the forest and so forth within the community and things that we can do to help in that area. And it would alter in some ways in how the community functions. I'm not sure exactly how, but I think it's a really good thing because we're right next to the park. I was looking at your maps. It's kind of hard for me to tell just from the color zones where everything is, but I did notice on number 40 that the one coming, District 6 coming up from Ka' u- and including Volcano goes all the way down to Fern Forest and the people that are working the on Biosphere issue now are talking to the folks in Fern Forest as possibly being part of that. So for me, from my perspective that would be the best one. VICE CHR. KANUHA: Thank you. Just for the record, Patrick Kahawaiola` a from District 4. MR. MELROSE: You know, when you think about Volcano, when you use the term Volcano, close your eyes and think what are the geographic boundaries of that cause it's not just the Village, is it `Ohi`a Estates, is it the Country Club, does it get down to Akatsuka, I mean where are the boundaries in your head about Volcano? MS. IRWIN: A lot of times it will go down to around the store when we're talking about the greater Volcano area, including of course the golf course. 3