HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 635 Draft 01 2016-2018COUNTY OF HAWAII
RESOLUTION NO.
STATE OF HAWAI `I
Gas 13
A RESOLUTION URGING THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS, THE
DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOMELANDS, BERNICE P. BISHOP ESTATE AND
KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS, THE QUEEN LILI`UOKALANI TRUST, LUNALILO
HOME, HUI MALAMA OLA NA OIWI, ALU LIKE, AND THE COUNCIL FOR
NATIVE HAWAIIAN ADVANCEMENT TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY AND
EXPEDIENTLY TO ASSIST NATIVE HAWAIIANS WHO ARE DISPLACED OR
OTHERWISE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY THE CURRENT LAVA ERUPTION IN
LOWER PUNA.
WHEREAS, on May 3, 2018, active fissures began appearing and emitting molten lava
in the Leilani Estates subdivision located on the eastern rift zone of the Kilauea volcano in the
district of Puna; and
WHEREAS, on that same day, the County of Hawaii and the American Red Cross
began opening emergency shelters at the Pahoa and Kea` au Community Centers to accommodate
evacuees, where many still remain; and
WHEREAS, as of June 19, 2018, 533 homes were destroyed by the lava eruption, at
least 2,700 people were ordered to evacuate, main roads were impassible, and dangerous gasses
continued to threaten the area; and
WHEREAS, while hundreds of people were directly displaced by lava inundation of
their homes and properties, many others are displaced due to inaccessibility to their residences,
toxic gasses, ash, Pele's hair, and vog that continue to create dangerous and uninhabitable
conditions in the greater lower Puna region; and
WHEREAS, the initial emergency response was extremely successful on the part of the
community, County administration and all the other agencies involved, however now is the time
that long-term solutions must be formulated and implemented to begin to rebuild the lives of the
residents, heal the community, and support local business in the area; and
WHEREAS, residents of Puna are probably the most uniquely prepared for emergencies
due to recent and past damaging storms and volcanic eruptions, and have demonstrated their
experience and acquired skills by being the first to respond, this time in the form of an immediate
and organized coalition of community volunteers as a Pu`u Honua, or place of refuge; and
WHEREAS, there are many governmental, private and not-for-profit entities that exist to
serve and assist the Native Hawaiian population, many of whom reside in the Puna district,
including kupuna with limited resources and pre-existing health issues; and
WHEREAS, in an effort to assist Native Hawaiians displaced and/or negatively
impacted by the volcanic eruption, Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustees and staff members visited
the devastated area and put out a press release announcing the intake of applications for
emergency relief assistance on June 15, 2018; and
WHEREAS, all emergency situations provide opportunities for lessons to be learned, as
such, serious consideration of the conditions that existed prior to the emergency, that have made
and continue to make response and recovery so difficult should be recognized and addressed,
including the following priorities: ensuring access to technologies that disseminate timely
information including alerts, increased and on-going air quality monitoring, improved roads and
transportation systems, increasing the inventory of affordable housing projects and long-term
rentals island -wide; and
WHEREAS, while realizing that people of all ethnicities, cultures, and backgrounds
have been affected by the current lava eruption, this Council feels that specific or unique
resources may be available and should be utilized by the aforementioned entities, to address the
needs of the affected Native Hawaiians; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII that the
aforementioned entities are urged to work collaboratively and expediently to assist Native
Hawaiians displaced or otherwise negatively impacted by the lava eruption in the Puna district.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the County Clerk shall transmit a copy of this
resolution to the administrators of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Department of Hawaiian
Homelands, Bernice P. Bishop Estate and Kamehameha Schools, the Queen Lili`uokalani Trust,
Lunalilo Home, Hui Malama Ola Na Oiwi, Alu Like, and the Council for Native Hawaiian
Advancement.
Dated at
COUNTY COUNCIL
County of Hawaii
Hilo, Hawaii
Hawaii, this day of
I hereby certify that the foregoing RESOLUTION was by
the vote indicated to the right hereof adopted by the COUNCIL of the
County of Hawaii on
ATTEST:
20
INTRODUCED BY:
4 1, /�g
COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNTY OF HAWAII
ROLL CALL VOTE
AYES NOES ABS EX
CHUNG
DAVID
EOFF
KANUHA
LEE LOY
O' HARA
POINDEXTER
RICHARDS
RUGGLES
Reference: C-974/Waived GREDC
COUNTY CLERK CHAIRPERSON & PRESIDING OFFICER RESOLUTION NO. 635 1.8
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