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From Christine Sheppard, with the Kona Coffee Farmers Association:

Our Hawaii State Legislature operates out of Oahu, and this makes sense. But what does not make sense is the way in which they operate, which essentially disenfranchises all of the outer islands.Bills are scheduled with little or no notice, and written testimony is required to be sent one day ahead. An almost impossible task! Plus we all know that testifying in person makes a much bigger impact on our representatives and senators. But how can people in Hawaii do this? Even if you get two days notice of a hearing, planes are full, flights not available that get there early enough, costs are prohibitively high.

Sometimes it seems that these arrangements are deliberate… let the big corporations on Oahu have the floor to themselves because outer island farmers cannot get there to make their voice heard. HB1226, the Pre-emption Bill, is a classic case of denying outer islands their rights of self-determination.

There is an answer! Hawaii County Council offers video conferencing so that Kona people can give personal testimony to the Council when it is sitting in Hilo, and vice versa.

Why can’t the State do the same?

Make it easier for people to tell their elected representatives how they feel about a Bill. Or perhaps our representatives don’t want to know what WE want, and are too busy running through their own special interests to care?

From the Hawaii Reporter: http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story.aspx?e0e1b47f-f8a5-454d-997e-26fc9a0dbbd9

From Thelma at the Hawaii House Blog from today’s taro festival, put on by the Hawaiian Caucus, KAHEA, and Na Kahu O Haloa:

While watching Monica guide Kat through the traditional process of making poi, and answer questions on the Hawaiian culture, I was reminded of the old ways of teaching and spreading knowledge and appreciation. Not through books. Not through legislation. And definitely not through the internet. But through the experience of sitting next to someone willing and eager to share their knowledge and culture. Someone like Monica.

“I had a dream last night about being here at the Capitol for this event. We were all gathered to pound poi, but instead we started pounding the walls of the building, chipping away at the concrete with each swipe. As the building began to fall away, kalo leaves emerged from the holes,” said Monica Waiau on the excitement she felt to bring taro pounding to the Hawaii State Capitol. “It’s not about bringing down the building, she added, it’s about revitalizing our traditions; unearthing the true value of taro.”

Awesome. Read the full post at the Hawaii House Blog.

From the amazing Hannah Bernard, an invitation to a Maui community event to launch actions that help bring back the health of nearshore waters around Maui.

More Fish in the Sea, A Community Conversation:  E ola ke kai, e ola kakou (As the ocean thrives, so do we)

WHAT: We all want more fish in the sea. How do we make it happen? That is the question we will address in a half day gathering of all segments of the community and a half day work event at a nearshore site to be determined. The results we seek – a community galvanized for practical action to achieve a shared vision: MORE FISH IN THE SEA.

WHEN: April 4, 2009 – 2:00 – 6 pm & FILMFEST 7 – 10pm Sunday April 5, 7:00 am – noon.

WHERE: Maui Community College, Pilina Building and lawn

WHY: Our Earth is truly the ocean planet with more than two thirds of its surface comprised of seawater. The health of our world ocean is paramount for the health of all, but especially for islanders like us who depend on the sea for our sustenance, quality of life, livelihood, well-being and way of life. Yet our oceans are in trouble and our fish are disappearing faster than they are being replaced (>90% of our large fish are gone according to Nature, 5/15/03, to name only one international study). We are calling on everyone to come together to support the healing of our ocean and to work together to return our nearshore waters to thriving health.

HOW: We will join in small group workshops, larger group conversations, and small step action projects to plan together, work together, learn together, and discover how we will change together. We will identify paths forward and begin developing practical concrete steps that individuals, communities, citizens’ groups, businesses, and government can take to help move us toward MORE FISH IN THE SEA.

WHO: Are you an islander? Do you Think Island or want to learn how to? All interested members of the community are invited – fishermen, restaurant owners, dive and snorkel boat operators, the hospitality industry, government representatives, citizens’ and civic groups, ocean scientists, students, communications media, and philanthropists will be invited. A broadly-based steering committee will design an exciting opportunity to talk and learn together, plan together, and act together. The event will be video-taped and we’ll use the resulting video record to help build public awareness of the need for more fish in the sea and what each of us can do to help.

From Marti:

Great news!  S.B. 1088 has a hearing before Chairman Ken Ito (D-Kaneohe) and the House Water, Land, and Ocean Committee.  This hearing may be the biggest hurdle this important bill faces.  So, if you care about improving enforcement of your right to access the beach and mauka recreational areas throughout Hawaii nei, then now is the time to come out.  We need make sure the Representatives do not make any unnecessary changes to the bill, so it is important to ask them to pass this bill as already amended.

The hearing is scheduled for Monday morning, March 23, 2009 at 9:30 am in room 325.

If you can’t attend the hearing, but still want to participate, then click on the link below and take a just a second to personalize your testimony to the Representatives.  Tell them why uphold your constitutional right to reach the beach is so important and deserves improved enforcement.

TAKE ACTION NOW TO PROTECT PUBLIC ACCESS MAUKA-to-MAKAI (this is also where you can find out more about the specifics on this particular bill).

Big mahalos to the Beach Access Hawaii, Hawaii Surfrider Foundation, and the Hawaii Chapter of the Sierra Club for their support in this effort.

Hang Loose!  See you Monday!!

Rob Parsons of the Maui Times “Rob Report” has an excellent piece with a few easy tips on how to keep up with what’s going down at the Hawaii State Legislature, and a nice rundown of some bills you ought to be following.

http://www.mauitime.com/Articles-i-2009-03-12-69021.113117_Call_to_Action.html

Mahalo to Bonnie for the tip!

Today is Cross-Over Day at the State Capitol, the half-way point in the legislative process… and the day the overwhelming majority of bills are declared officially dead (until they can be resurrected next session).  Here is a run-down of the bills KAHEA is following that are still alive this session.  Click on the bill numbers to get the latest update on their status.

GOOD BILLS
SB 1088 - Improves enforcement of the public’s right to beach and mauka access by creating a citizen suit provision.  Call Rep. Sharon Har at 808-586-8500 to ask that it be heard before the House Water, Land, and Ocean Committee.

HB 1663/SB 709 - Bans the genetic modification of taro in Hawaii. (Watch these ones closely. Like last year, amendments could turn them against the interests of Haloa, taro farmers, and taro consumers).

SB 701 – Establishes a moratorium on the siting of landfills along the Leeward Coast.  This is an important bill to help protect the public health of Waianae Coast residents, unfortunately it has a lot of hearings to get through. Call Rep. Rita Cabanilla at 808-586-6080 to express your support.

SB 86 – Establishes the Makua Valley Reserve Commission to allow for community involvement in the management of Makua Valley.  This bill also has a lot of hoops to get through.  Call Rep. Ito at 808-586-8470 to advocate for its first hearing.

SB 1199 – Designates certain state waters surrounding the island of Molokai as the Molokai Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Area.  Protecting the health of the shoreline is critical to Molokai’s economy welfare, unfortunately commercial fishers and aquarium collectors want to continue to take from these coffers.  Call Rep. Calvin Say at 808-586-6100 to ensure this bill gets referred to the Water, Land, and Ocean Committee.

BAD BILLS
HB 1174 - Transfers management of the sacred summit of Mauna Kea to the lease-holder/developer, the University of Hawaii.   Public opposition successfully defeated three similar bills earlier this session.  Call Sen. Jill Tokuda at 808-587-7215 to urge this bill not be heard.  Check out our previous posts to learn way this bill is the best way to undermine protections for Mauna Kea.

HB 1226 – Allows federal preemption of all state and local regulations on genetic modification (except taro).  Labelled the Worst Idea of 2009… hopefully it won’t go any farther.

SB 1108 – Extends the effective date of the Aha Kiole Advisory Committee.  Having a community-based system for managing our fragile resources is exactly what Hawaii needs, but without adding any additional safeguards to this existing system means it could be misused again the way WESPAC did last year.

HB 640 – Exempts certain developments affecting public rights-of-way (like trails) from completing an environmental impact statement.  This totally undermines one of the few opportunities for public oversight of construction in Hawaii.  Call Sen. Mike Gabbard at 808-586-6830 to ask it not be heard in the Environment Committee.

SB 1311 – Exempts the University’s Institute of Marine Biology from all permitting requirements for all activities in Kaneohe Bay.  Our nearshore waters are our most valuable resource and the research being conducted in them should meet the highest standards of the precautionary principle to ensure that no harm comes to them.  Help stop this bill by calling Rep. Calvin Say at 808-586-6100 to ask that it not be heard in the House.

HB 1741 – Raids the Natural Area Reserve System fund to make up for part of the budget shortfall.  While the money in this fund is crucial to protecting Hawaii from invasive species, there isn’t nearly enough to make a dent in the budget shortfall.  Instead, the state should make the foreign telescope owners on Mauna Kea pay rent for use of state lands… like the law requires.

HB 1712 – This is the same “Right to Fish” bill from years passed that paralyzes the DLNR from taking any management actions to protect Hawaii’s marine resources.  If we are really interested in protecting our environment, then the goal should be to give DLNR more tools, not less, to do the job and be held accountable.

Mark your calendars: the next major deadline for these bills is April 9th.

If you want to stay involved, you can sign up for KAHEA’s action alert network by clicking here.  You can also get hearing notices on any bill you are concerned about by clicking here.  On Oahu, some hearings are aired live on “Capitol TV,” Olelo channel 53.

3 down, 1 to go! Thanks to the public’s vigilant support and participation SB 502 is officially dead!!  Yay!

SB 502 was one of four bills proposing to transfer management of one of the Pacific’s most unique and sacred summits, Mauna Kea, over to its primary developer–the University of Hawaii.  The University has facilitated forty years of bulldozing for unlimited telescope development on the summit, which has destroyed ecologically unique habitat and desecrated sacred cultural sites.

Just one more bill remains: HB 1741.  With your help, we can stop it.  Express your opposition to this and the whole suite of bad Mauna Kea bills for which UH is lobbyingby submitting your online testimony.  Support Hawaii’s legislators in seeking accountable, transparent, fair and representative management of Mauna Kea’s sacred summit by submitting your testimony: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2699/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=26592