|
celebrate the beauty and ambience of Hawai‘i by preservation of its existing pristine nature while
<br />allowing the historic and traditional uses of the area to thrive and survive.”
<br />
<br />In conclusion, our group’s vision and goal, as was stated in Group 70s’ planning documents, is
<br />that Kekaha Kai State Park, in all of its sections, be preserved “as a pristine, public wilderness area
<br />for future generations to enjoy.”
<br />
<br />We appreciate the State’s support of that vision and ask that this Commission work with them to
<br />add the strongest language to an SMA Permit to insure the fullest protection of Kekaha Kai State
<br />Park as the unique entity it is. Mahalo.
<br />
<br />WHITTEMORE: Thank you. Can I ask, before we go onto our next testifier, if Commissioners
<br />have any questions at this time regarding this testimony? None? Okay. Mr. Camara?
<br />
<br />CAMARA: Good morning. I apologize for not having written testimony. I, let’s see, I first went
<br />to Manini‘ōwali in 1972, just after the then new Keāhole Airport was open. And I doubt that there
<br />is anyone on this island who knows that place better than I do. I’ve spent countless days there.
<br />I’ve participated an archaeological studies with Bishop Museum and Tom Dye and Associates.
<br />I’ve worked with State Parks and other planning groups in getting facilities built or redone in
<br />some cases. So my relationship with Kekaha Kai State Park lands is maybe different than a lot of
<br />other people’s might be.
<br />
<br />Following up on what Janice said about Kekaha wai ‘ole, the area not having any water, that is in
<br />fact a hallmark of that park. You know, backpacking in there in the old days when I was a lot
<br />younger and more nimble, we carried in our own water, and if we ran out, we tried to get to Kona
<br />Village and their brackish water spigots and, you know, drink really foul tasting water over there.
<br />But we were pretty independent. My fears at Manini‘ōwali, and this is something Mr. Kumabe
<br />touched on a little bit, State Parks seems to be very lacking in operational budgets and staffing.
<br />Money is there for CIP projects to build things, but once things are built, it seems almost
<br />impossible to get them to be maintained properly, and this includes, you know, not only State
<br />Parks facilities but, you know, something even like the State Capitol Building on O‘ahu.
<br />
<br />What I would like to see at Manini‘ōwali, you know, if asked, take out the showers. While it’s
<br />possible to fix problems after they occur, I think it’s a lot easier to make it so that they don’t occur
<br />in the first place. If you go down to Manini‘ōwali now, the one shower toward the shoreline last I
<br />saw had a big pile of sand and wetland vegetation growing on it, so they are, you know, creating
<br />wetlands; there is hardly any drainage right there, so sand is piling up. The original showers at the
<br />comfort station did not work because they were poorly designed. We recommended years and
<br />years ago that a vault toilet be also built at Manini‘ōwali, and I wasn’t part of the discussions, but
<br />it turned out that the adjacent developer, W. B. Manini‘ōwali and Kūki‘o, has a sewage treatment
<br />facility mauka of Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway, and so what’s being done now is that the waste
<br />from the restrooms and the flush toilets at Manini‘ōwali are being pumped mauka of Queen
<br />Ka‘ahumanu Highway for processing. From a sustainability viewpoint, from a cost viewpoint,
<br />from any number of viewpoints, I think having a vault toilet at Manini‘ōwali just like the one at
<br />Mahai‘ula, well, maybe not just like the one at Mahai‘ula, which is quite elaborate, would work
<br />really well. And, you know, when the park was envisioned, as Janice said earlier, there was
<br />11
<br />EXHIBIT B
<br />
<br />
|