2016-03-03 Hearing Transcript - Update Puna Pono Alliance et al GAF Claim

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HEAUKULANI —I— ALBERTINI: —14 months— HEAUKULANI: —That is— ALBERTINI: —That’s inexcusable! HEAUKULANI: That’s a problem. I don’t disagree with that. ALBERTINI: And Duane Kanuha said he would personally take responsibility and make sure this got worked out to a way it could go through. What have you done in a year? That’s the question Palikapu was asking you. What have you done in 14 months? HEAUKULANI: Thank you, Jim. Katarina Culina. CULINA: Aloha. My name is Katarina Culina, and I’m testifying today as a Director of Puna Pono Alliance to ask the Commission to consider, approve, and authorize the Native Hawaiian Psycho-Social Impact and Community Well-Being Study. I also want to point out that the addendum for today’s agenda, the Native Hawaiian was left out. So, the purpose of the study is two-fold. Specifically, to conduct a baseline and perspective psycho-social impact assessment on the Big Island in order to identify past, existing, and potential adverse impacts upon Native Hawaiians associated with the development of geothermal energy. The second general purpose is to provide a framework to the government on how to measure and examine impacts of proposals for energy, tourist, or science developmental projects, proposals on the Native Hawaiians whose religion is based on relationship with land and nature. Currently, there is no framework for balancing this perceived religious desecration of Hawaiʽi’s natural environment against the interests of those asking for land use permits. Some of us have already spoken here to give you a little bit more of the background of this original proposal—2012, Mayor Kenoi commissioned the Geothermal Public Health Assessment Study Group or Adler Study Group as it was called. It’s called to examine the potential health effects from geothermal development. In 2013, the study group issued a report and recommendations. In its narrative on Native Hawaiian issues, it says, beginning of the quote, Native Hawaiians, especially Pele practitioners, have suffered additional health harms because geothermal energy development is a cultural and religious desecration. Geothermal energy development on top of other historical dispossessions now creates unique suffering amongst Hawaiians in ways that stand apart from non-Hawaiians and the conventions of Western science and medicine, end of quote. So, as you know, several members of the study group have joined with community groups, Native Hawaiian advocacy groups, and other community leaders in asking for the approval of the funding for this study, which was originally submitted to the Commission in the late 2014. 19 EXHIBIT E