HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0363.014 1996-1998 Human Resources and Economic Development Committee
Hawaii County Council
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, Hi 96720
RECEIVEp -1
July 22, 1997 ilme__-----------------By-----
Date__.~_--
Dear Council Members: ~O""~ ~~"ctl---""
I am giving testimony as to why I am against leasing public county
lands to Oji/Marubeni of Japan.
1. Oji paper is considered the third largest paper producer in the world.
There is no doubt that the final product of their timber operations will be
pulp. Hamakua Timber has stated that they will not be harvesting their
timber, how can they say what is to be the final outcome when they will
not be involved? In fact, isn't it true? That Prudential timber is hoping
that OjilMarubeni will be harvesting their trees?
2. Now can Hamakua Timber forecast the probable production route for
this industry? Guy Cellular stated to you that there is a saw mill at
O'okala and there is to be a processing plant in Honoka'a!! I'm sorry this
will not fly. In the first place, the saw mill at O'okala is small and old.
Secondly, a processing plant in Honoka'a -what does this mean? And
thirdly, doesn't Oji have plans and has committed monies for a processing
plant at Kawaihae? Trucks will be going through Waimea to be sure.
3. This pulp industry is not sustainable -can we eat it? Can we use the
arable lands after eucalyptus have been grown there for 35 to 55 years?
Like any huge monocrop investment there is much susceptibility to market
fluctuations. Haven't we learned from sugar not to put all our eggs in one
basket?
4. This pulp tree growing will be a terrible strain on the environment. I
know that the proponents say differently, but imagine acres clear-cut
(how can Guy Cellular mention anything about harvesting when his
company will have nothing to do with it?!!), stumps poisoned and perhaps
burned. Logging trucks and chippers that are so loud and obnoxious has to
frighten away all wildlife not to mention people. ~ 3(p3~~
1!b E S
~ Presented ~ C.
2 2 '
>..r. n.
page 2. Testimony 7/22/97 Against the pulp timber industry
5. How can this industry promote the concept that they are not subsidized
when even the mayor admits that Oji will be leasing the land at 4 (or is it
10?) dollars acre, while local business has to swallow the price of $40 an
acre!!! Is this fair and reasonable? While it may take more administration
to lease smaller parcels to diversified ag at least the county collects
more money!! But it seems to me it should be the other way around. Why
help a foreign company whose operations will not create that many jobs
{especially when you compare it to ag) and whose operations will be hard
to live with?
8. And finally, isn't this a dangerous precedent to be setting -leasing
large tracts of public land to foreign interests, especially when the
communities are gathering and submitting better land use proposals? Do
we really want Hawaii to become another third world country that is used
and abused by a huge pulp plantation system? Don't we want to promote
our own self sufficiency, our own use of our lands? Please put your trust
in the people you serve -not into strangers and huge corporations. Hawaii
is very tired of this approach to living, let's be courageous and believe in
ourselves - after all its the 90's!!
Mahalo for reading this. Thank you for your serious consideration in this
matter.
Aloha nui loa, ~
Linda L Shackelford i ~ t~J/
~C~