HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0595.066 2020-2022 i
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From: Emma Stierhoff
Sent: Monday, February 07, 2022 12:47 AM
To: Council Testimony
Cc: Kimball, Heather, Chung, Aaron; Lee Loy, Sue; Kierkiewicz, Ashley; Kanealii-Kleinfelder, Matt;
David, Maile;Villegas, Rebecca; Inaba, Holeka; Richards, Tim j
Subject: Testimony for Bill 112 and Bill 115
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Aloha County Council Member,
My name is Emma Stierhoff and I am from Hilo, HI.
I am testifying against Bill 112 and Bill 115. I do not support the passing of this bill. 4
These bills raise many questions and concerns that I have regarding shoreline development. Such a development
would increase tourists, transient residents and offshore investors despite the fact that the local community has
repeatedly expressed deep discontent regarding tourism issues, the depletion of natural resources, and the
extreme lack of affordable housing. This rezoning would increase water usage by over a million gallons per month in
a very dry and hot location where equitable access to clean water is already a concern.
The rezoning proposed in Bill 112 and 115 do not support the need to focus on resilience against the pressing threat of
climate change and rising sea levels in this area. It also does not address the affordable housing crisis that the working
lower and middle classes are experiencing, and could even work to exacerbate this issue. These bills threaten both
people and the environment in this area and unjustly prioritizes tourism above our own residents.
Another concern about Bills 112 and 115 is the deceitful promise to donate a certain amount of money to charity in
exchange for allowing these harmful bills to pass when Waikoloa Land Company also benefits from such donations
through tax deductions. The livelihood of our people is not negotiable, and cannot be bought off even with the guise
of charity.
It is time that we put our communities before private profit. I respectfully urge you to reject the rezoning proposed in
Bill 112 and Bill 115.
Mahalo for your time.
Emma Stierhoff
96720
Emma Stierhoff (she/her)
Graduate Assistant & Master of Science Student
Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science
University of Hawaii at Hilo
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