HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0609.026 2022-2024 P/Council
Dill 107
COMM.L03
Hawaii County Council Meeting.
1/09/2023
a
Opposition to Bill 107 c
Aloha mai kakou, ^,
Im providing testimony today in opposition to Bill 107. r--
E 1
My name is 'Ainaaloha W. loane. I was born on the coastline of Waika'alulu in the village of. 11
King's Landing, on Hawaiian Homestead lands. I am the Executive Director of the Kelii William
loane Legacy Foundation in Keaukaha, and I serve as Board Support for the MAHA, Kings
Landing Village community.
I start todays testimony with this information, because the proposed Puna Makai Alternate
route study directly impacts my 'onehanau, and the Hawaiian Beneficiary community in which I
serve.
I am also a District 5, upper Puna resident.The loane 'ohana has come to call the forest of'Ola'a
our home for nearly 20 years.
The need for an Alternate route doesn't only impact lower or makai of Puna, but the entire
Puna district.
My concerns with this current bill as it stands, is that it limits possible route solutions and
oppurtunities by narrowing the sollution window to only the lower Makai Puna area.
In addition,the amount of money budgeted for a study alone, $1.5 million dollars is a lot of Tax
payer money.
An alternate route for our Puna 'ohanas I agree is needed and I am in support of, however
limiting our future solution opportunities is nelglectful on the part of this current project and
bill as it is currently written.
I will like to speak on the kuleana and burderns that our curent community of Hilo, and the
beneficiaries of Panaewa, Keaukaha and King's Landing already hapai, and carry for all of East
Hawaii.
Sorrounding the East Hawaiian Homesteads of Panaewa, Keaukaha and King's Landing are the
Waste Treatment Facility, the rubbish dump,the Hilo airport, the Port of Hilo,The electric
facility, the unwanted tourist attractions, and now this narrow planed alternate route will ask us,
the Native Hawaiian beneficaires, once again, to hapai the needs of the entire East Hawaii.
Please, know that I support the need for an alternate route, however, an alternate route doesnt
not mean the quickest route, or the smoothest route, its just means alternante.
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Ref. Date JAN 1 0 2024
The way in which this bill is written is to relieve traffic congestion and increase evacuation
capacity if needed. I would like to point out that both of these statements serve two different
purposes.
The question being what situation would cause only the Puna Makai residents to evacuate, and
what is the timeline for evacuating.Are we preparing for imidiate evacuation? Fire. Are we
preparing for tutu Pele, what are we preparing for that only impacts the makai side of Puna?
I am concerned the the narrowed focused alternate route even with its good intentions, may
open the door for future development grabs along our beautiful coastline.
The Waiakea coastline is already innundated, please do not ask and please do not take more
from us.
I am hopeful that a larger comprehensive study including Mauka of Puna will provide more
route opportunities that services all of Puna,while respecting 'aina, and the Native Hawaiian
beneficiaries of Waiakea.
I oppose Bill 107 as it is currently written, and encourage our County to support an alternate
route study that emcompases all of Puna.
In closing, I would also ask our Council Members to be bold, to be brave, and reject the State
funding and use County of Hawaii funding alone to conduct a study,that way we as a County
retain control of the scope of the project.
I would hope that the current$500,000 that Bill 107 is proposing would be sufficient for a study.
So Lets spend $500,000 on our own terms and collect a more comprehensive study.
We are strong as a community and as the County of Hawaii. And your Hawaii County people
support you.
Ma halo,
'Ainaaloha W. loane