HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-03-05 PL-SMA-2023-000046 Dr. Ku Kahakalau Opposition Testimony From: Ouihano,Chasitv
To: WPCtestimony
Subject: FW:Testimony in STRONG OPPOSITION to SMA permit application for Punalu'u, Ka'u by Ms.Liu,scheduled for
Hearing on March 7th at 9 am.
Date: Tuesday, March 12,2024 4:32:44 PM
Attachments: Punaluu-Testitmonv 3-5-2024 KHK.ndf
From: Ku Kahakalau <I<u@kuakanaka.com>
Sent:Tuesday, March 5, 2024 5:53 AM
To: Council Testimony<counciltestimony@hawaiicounty.gov>
Subject:Testimony in STRONG OPPOSITION to SMA permit application for Punalu'u, Ka'u by Ms. Liu,
scheduled for Hearing on March 7th at 9 am.
March 5, 2024
Aloha my name is Dr. Ku Kahakalau. I am an award-winning native Hawaiian educator and
expert on Hawaiian language and culture and resident of Hawai'i Island with strong
connections to Ka'u. In the 1980s and 90s, I spent extended time at Punalu'u and was
blessed to learn from Aunty Pele Hanoa, the expert on Punalu'u during her days and many
other kupa o ka 'aina about the special wahi pana of Punalu'u.
Please accept this testimony in STRONG OPPOSITION to Eva Liu's application for a SMA
permit to engage in development at Punalu'u, Ka'u, scheduled for public hearing on March
7th 2024 at 9 am.
As you well know, it is state policy to preserve, protect, and where possible, restore the
natural resources of the coastal zone of Hawai'i, and institute special controls on
developments within areas along the shoreline, to avoid permanent losses of valuable
resources.
Based on this state policy it is your kuleana to preserve and protect the many invaluable
resources at Punalu'u, by denying Ms. Liu's application. Because if you don't, there is no
doubt that Punalu'u and its shoreline, as well as the people of Ka'u, particularly Ka'u's
native Hawaiian population, will experience permanent, irrevocable losses of valuable and
unique resources.
For over a thousand years, the black-sand beach at Punalu'u has been an important
resource for the people of the majestic district of Ka'u. This includes freshwater springs fed
by mauka aquifers bubbling up along the shoreline and in the ocean, which have provided
life-giving water for our kupuna, who gathered this fresh water by diving into the ocean.
Hence the name puna (spring) lu'u (to dive).
In addition, the ponds at Punalu'u have been used for healing for many generations by the
natives of Ka'u. Allowing development to occur at Punalu'u will put these precious fresh
water sources of Punalu'u Bay, Ninole Cove and the alkaline ponds, which are all
interconnected, at high risk of pollution. When one source becomes contaminated through
run-off from the development, which has happened quite frequently in the past, all
freshwater sources will be affected.
This in turn will have negative impacts on the marine life. This includes the many native
fish who love the brackish water of Punalu'u Bay, as well as the 'opihi, including the ko'ele
variety, the wana, the crabs and many rare varieties of limu, which grow along the
shorelines.
Allowing development at Punalu'u will also have significant negative impact on the
threatened Honu'ea Hawksbill turtles, as well as green sea turtles, who lay their eggs in the
sands of Punalu'u and love to bask on the warm black sand. Increased use of Punalu'u
beach by occupants of the development will harm these turtles, who according to experts,
should have as little human contact as possible. Other sea animals who also use Punalu'u
is the 'llioholoikauaua, or Hawaiian monk seal, who comes to rest on the sands at Punalu'u.
Allowing development to occur at Punalu'u will irreversibly impact the fragile and pristine
ecosystem of Punalu'u Bay, its black sand beach, as well as Ninole Cove and the alkaline
ponds in the area. Specifically development will disturb the habitats of endemic birds, like
the koloa duck, which is known to nest there, as well as the pueo, or Hawaiian owl, the 'io,
or Hawaiian hawk, as well as the 'ope'ape'a, or Hawaiian hoary bat, all observed regularly
at Punalu'u. In addition, it will also affect the rare orange-black Hawaiian damselfly, whose
breeding grounds are the coastal ponds of Punalu'u.
Rare native plant species that will also be negatively impacted by the development include
the critically endangered native loulu palm, the pua kala, or native poppy, as well as the
ma'o or native cotton, all part of Punalu'u's fauna ecosystem.
Punalu'u is also of historic significance, as an important wahi pana, with multiple heiau and
other archeological sites, caves, pre-contact burials sites etc., which all need protection
from over-use by outsiders, especially tourists who are unaware of their significance, and
as a result frequently end up damaging and/or destroying valuable cultural and historic
sites, polluting these areas with rubbish and desecrating sacred areas with their human
waste.
There is no doubt that the proposed development will increase the number of people using
Punalu'u, which will also increase the incidents of illegal taking of sand, as well as the
culturally important 'ili'ili hanau. With large tour buses and hundreds of other tourists
visiting this small black-sand beach on a daily basis, Punalu'u is already overcrowded. And
that is perhaps my most important point. Research shows that if tourist use exceeds the
carrying capacity of beaches like Punalu'u it will impact the coastal ecosystem. As a result,
voting for an increased use of Punalu'u by approving this SMA permit, is in direct violation
of the state policy cited above.
As a native Hawaiian family whose ancestral bones rest in Ka'o, as well as Ka'o
landowners, we urge that you DO NOT approve the SMA permit, which will allow
developers with no knowledge or relation to Punalu'u to profit from this special wahi pana,
while significantly increasing the risk of irreversible losses to Punalu'u's natural
environment, its marine life, fauna and flora, as well as the desecration of the many cultural
and historic resources still found there today.
Please deny Ms. Liu`s application.
Me ka pono,
D
Ku Kahakalau
Executive Director, Ku-A-Kanaka LLC
(808) 937-6854
ku&kuakanaka.com
Ku Kahakalau, Ph.D.
CEO, KO-A-KANAKA LLC
P. 0. Box 431
Hilo, Hawai'i 96721
(808) 937-6854
Ku-A-Kanaka!
When Natives Thrive Everyone Benefits!
March 5, 2024
Aloha my name is Dr. Ku Kahakalau. I am an award-winning native Hawaiian educator and
expert on Hawaiian language and culture and resident of Hawai'i Island with strong connections
to Ka'o. In the 1980s and 90s, I spent extended time at Punalu'u and was blessed to learn from
Aunty Pele Hanoa, the expert on Punalu'u during her days and many other kupa o ka 'aina
about the special wahi pana of Punalu'u.
Please accept this testimony in STRONG OPPOSITION to Eva Liu's application for a SMA
permit to engage in development at Punalu'u, Ka'o, scheduled for public hearing on March 7th
2024 at 9 am.
As you well know, it is state policy to preserve, protect, and where possible, restore the natural
resources of the coastal zone of Hawai'i, and institute special controls on developments within
areas along the shoreline, to avoid permanent losses of valuable resources.
Based on this state policy it is your kuleana to preserve and protect the many invaluable
resources at Punalu'u, by denying Ms. Liu's application. Because if you don't, there is no doubt
that Punalu'u and its shoreline, as well as the people of Ka'o, particularly Ka'o's native Hawaiian
population, will experience permanent, irrevocable losses of valuable and unique resources.
For over a thousand years, the black-sand beach at Punalu'u has been an important resource
for the people of the majestic district of Ka'o. This includes freshwater springs fed by mauka
aquifers bubbling up along the shoreline and in the ocean, which have provided life-giving water
for our kopuna, who gathered this fresh water by diving into the ocean. Hence the name puna
(spring) lu'u (to dive).
In addition, the ponds at Punalu'u have been used for healing for many generations by the
natives of Ka'o. Allowing development to occur at Punalu'u will put these precious fresh water
sources of Punalu'u Bay, Ninole Cove and the alkaline ponds, which are all interconnected, at
high risk of pollution. When one source becomes contaminated through run-off from the
development, which has happened quite frequently in the past, all freshwater sources will be
affected.
This in turn will have negative impacts on the marine life. This includes the many native fish
who love the brackish water of Punalu'u Bay, as well as the 'opihi, including the ko'ele variety,
the wana, the crabs and many rare varieties of limu, which grow along the shorelines.
Allowing development at Punalu'u will also have significant negative impact on the threatened
Honu'ea Hawksbill turtles, as well as green sea turtles, who lay their eggs in the sands of
Punalu'u and love to bask on the warm black sand. Increased use of Punalu'u beach by
occupants of the development will harm these turtles, who according to experts, should have as
little human contact as possible. Other sea animals who also use Punalu'u is the
'llioholoikauaua, or Hawaiian monk seal, who comes to rest on the sands at Punalu'u.
Allowing development to occur at Punalu'u will irreversibly impact the fragile and pristine
ecosystem of Punalu'u Bay, its black sand beach, as well as NTnole Cove and the alkaline
ponds in the area. Specifically development will disturb the habitats of endemic birds, like the
koloa duck, which is known to nest there, as well as the pueo, or Hawaiian owl, the 'io, or
Hawaiian hawk, as well as the 'ope'ape'a, or Hawaiian hoary bat, all observed regularly at
Punalu'u. In addition, it will also affect the rare orange-black Hawaiian damselfly, whose
breeding grounds are the coastal ponds of Punalu'u.
Rare native plant species that will also be negatively impacted by the development include the
critically endangered native loulu palm, the pua kala, or native poppy, as well as the ma'o or
native cotton, all part of Punalu'u's fauna ecosystem.
Punalu'u is also of historic significance, as an important wahi pana, with multiple heiau and
other archeological sites, caves, pre-contact burials sites etc., which all need protection from
over-use by outsiders, especially tourists who are unaware of their significance, and as a result
frequently end up damaging and/or destroying valuable cultural and historic sites, polluting
these areas with rubbish and desecrating sacred areas with their human waste.
There is no doubt that the proposed development will increase the number of people using
Punalu'u, which will also increase the incidents of illegal taking of sand, as well as the culturally
important 'ili'ili hanau. With large tour buses and hundreds of other tourists visiting this small
black-sand beach on a daily basis, Punalu'u is already overcrowded. And that is perhaps my
most important point. Research shows that if tourist use exceeds the carrying capacity of
beaches like Punalu'u it will impact the coastal ecosystem. As a result, voting for an increased
use of Punalu'u by approving this SMA permit, is in direct violation of the state policy cited
above.
As a native Hawaiian family whose ancestral bones rest in Ka'u, as well as Ka'u landowners, we
urge that you DO NOT approve the SMA permit, which will allow developers with no knowledge
or relation to Punalu'u to profit from this special wahi pana, while significantly increasing the risk
of irreversible losses to Punalu'u's natural environment, its marine life, fauna and flora, as well
as the desecration of the many cultural and historic resources still found there today.
Please deny Ms. Liu's application.
Me ka pono,
i
Ku Kahakalau
Executive Director, Ku-A-Kanaka LLC
(808) 937-6854
ku@kuakanaka.com