HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0985.002 2016-2018 PI GRODG
< . 9Hq y; �c5O 040 DAVID Y.IGE
OFFICE OF PLANNINGMil- GOVERNOR
C0 Q LEO R.ASUNCION
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'.< STATE OF HAWAII DIRECTOR
OFFICE OF PLANNING
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4Q . .....'�' 235 South Beretania Street,6th Floor,Honolulu,Hawaii 96813 Telephone: 1808)587-2846
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2359,Honolulu,Hawaii 96804 Fax: (808)587-2824
Web: http://planning.hawaii.gov/
Statement of
LEO R. ASUNCION
Director, Office of Planning
before the
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HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL o
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS —4`
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
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Tuesday, July 24, 2018 -rte
1:00 P.M. =rn
Council Chambers–Building A of
West Hawai`i Civic Center tal Dom.
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in consideration of •
RESOLUTION NO. 640-18
URGING THE STATE BOARD ON GEOGRAPHIC NAMES TO CONSULT WITH
COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE DIRECT TRADITIONAL, CULTURAL,AND
FAMILIAL TIES TO THE DISTRICT OF PUNA TO ESTABLISH APPROPRIATE
NAMES FOR THE FISSURE 8 VENT AND OTHER FEATURES OF THE 2018
ERUPTION OF THE KILAUEA VOLCANO.
Chair Poindexter, Vice Chair Eoff, and Members of the Hawai`i County Council.
The Office of Planning (OP) respectfully offers comments on Hawai`i County Council
Resolution 640-18,which urges the State Board on Geographic Names to consult with community
members who have direct traditional, cultural, and familial ties to the district of Puna to establish
appropriate names for the Fissure 8 Vent and other features of the 2018 eruption of the Kilauea
Volcano.
As noted in the resolution, Chapter 4E, Hawai`i Revised Statutes, as amended, establishes
the State Board on Geographic Names and states that the board "shall designate the official
names and spellings of geographic features in Hawai`i and provide for circulation thereof to the
appropriate state and other agencies."
In practice, the Board is not a naming body. Its purpose is to review and approve names
and name corrections that are submitted to it for review. As Chapter 4E also states, "In its
deliberations, the board shall solicit and consider the advice and recommendations of the
appropriate county government officials, and, should the board desire, other knowledgeable
persons."
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The Board has an established procedure in place to submit an application to name, or to
change the name of a geographic feature. Information on the procedure, including required
forms, can be found on the Board website (http://planning.hawaii.gov/gis/hbgn/). This procedure
was followed in 2015 when a Maui community member submitted an application, with
supporting documentation and evidence of strong community support,to change the name of
`Iao Stream to Wailuku River. After reviewing the submitted material and conducting additonal
research, the Board approved the request and submitted the change to the U.S. Board on
Geographic Names for inclusion in their database and website, and for publishing in all official
United States Geological Survey maps and publications.
In the case of naming new features created by the 2018 Kilauea eruption, the Office of
Planning suggests that this same procedure be followed by community members with direct
traditional, cultural and familial ties to the Puna district.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this measure.
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