HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0258.000 1996-1998 RECEIVED H J
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Friends ofHamakua County CouncO~
Cowicilman llominic Yagong
Hawaii Cowity Cottncil
County of Hawaii
Hawaii County Building
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, HI, 96760 April 14, 1997
Dear Domuvc:
Friends of Hamakua, a local communty group in the Hamakua area, requests that you
add your support to ottr request of the BLNR to hold hearings in Honokaa regarding the
Letter of Latent from Oji/Marubeni Company to the State of Hawaii regarding leasing 6,000
acres of State land for a eucalyptus monoculture tree plantation operation (see copy enclosed
of letter that was sent to all BLNR members on 4-ll-97).
Friends of Hamakua has 2,000 signatures on a community petition requesting
Hamakua Timber to stop aerial spraying anti burning, and about 200 dues-paying members.
We are applying for IRS 501(c)3 non-profit status and are incorporated in the State of
Hawaii. Friends is a broad-based community group drat will be involved in community issues
for a long time to come. We feel that the community needs to be included in the
considerations of the BLNR regarding tilesc Stale lands.
We feel that dzc invitation of the timber industry to the Big Island was neither well-
thought out nor well researched. Our research has indicated that there are serious potential
community healdl and environmental impacts drat were never considered when this issue was
in the planning stage. Timber plantations have had enormous effects on their host
commtmidcs in odicr countries dlroughout die world, many of them extremely dclctccious to
die communities involved.
We are developing an alternative plan drat cans for sustainable and responsible forestry
(rather that: pulp plantations) in an}' arees tL.at are identified and approved by the State for
forest indtstry. Our research has indicated better financial returns from sustainable and
respotsible forestry, with the added benefits of no tonic chemicals or unknown environmental
impacts and concerns. We will be making proposals in many of the same venues that d1c
current corporations arc so the public knows there arc alternatives to pulp.
I dlatilc you in advance for your consideration. Please feel free to call me at 775-0949, or fax
me at 775-0949, wide any questions, droughts, or concerns.
Sincerely,
Tim Matut, Fricuds of Hamakua Iry;~ '.i t _ _._..~~tS
li:.f. ''r - -
POgox 1060, Honokaa, Hl 96 72 7-1060
Friends ofHamakua
Colbert M. Matsumoto, Esq. (To Board of Land and Natural Resources)
Matsumoto IaFountaine & Chow
2000 Amfac Tower, 700 Bishop Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
Dear Mr. Matsumoto:
We are writing this letter because we are very concerned that the State is about to make a
major and tragic mistake in public policy if it proceeds with the Oji/Marubeni Letter of Intent and
grants them a lease of ceded lands. What this project is going to be, and what the State says that it
is, appear to us to be two separate things. In our judgement, based on a fair amount of research, the
Oji/Marubeni project is in fact a eucalypt monoculture plantation proposal, not just some benign
"forestry" project, much less a benign "sustainable forestry project". On these grounds alone the
Letter of Intent should be put on hold immediately and the whole project should be reassessed. This
would also mean the preparation of a properly noticed Environmental Assessment with full
disclosure as is required by law. So far there has never been any meaningful community
consultation or disclosure made to affected communities.
Because of these concerns, we request that you hold all future meetings conducted by the
Board on the subject of the Oji/Marubeni Letter of Intent in Honokaa so that, finally, members of
affected conununities can be informed and also so that they can respond to whatever information
you have to convey. We request that if the process of community involvement is to be done fairly
that there be three meetings of the Board (I) a public informational meeting with all members of
the Board present; (2) a hearing with all members of the Board present for community members to
give their input with such consultants as they might want to have testify before you, and (3) If after
the first two meetings you proceed with the Letter of Intent (we, of course, hope you don't) then the
final meeting on the question of the issuance of a lease should be held in Honokaa with all members
of the Board present.
At a community meeting held in Honokaa on April 1. 1997, the community presented a
resolution adopted at the meeting to Michael Buck of DOFAW/DLNR. This resolution stated that
the community was wialterably opposed to monoculture eucalypt tree plantations. Please see the
copy of this resolution enclosed for your information. Our group in collaboration with other
community groups will also be offering an alternate forestry proposal for the 5,986 acres which will
be community based and truly sustainable. We urge you to reopen the process and we believe that
this is the time to do that. We are looking forward to your prompt written response to this request.
Sincerely, Friends of Hamakua
ec: Rep. Dwight Takamine, Senator Malama Solomon, Councilman Dominic Yagong, Mike Buck,
Dr. Bruce Anderson
PO13ox 1060, Hoaokaa, HI 96727-1060