The Non-Partisan Hawai`i Ohana
MEDIA RELEASE

CONTACT
Michelle Matson
808-222-3936
on O`ahu

OPPOSITION TO “DIRTY DOZEN” LEGISLATION GROWS
Press Conference Set For “High Noon” On Monday

The Non-Partisan Hawai`i Ohana
Concerned Citizens and Voters
Hawaiian & Environmental Groups
Educators, Surfers & Many Others

WHAT

Public-Interest Message to the Hawai`i State Legislature

WHEN

Monday, April 9, 2012

WHERE

Hawai`i State Capitol Rotunda

HONOLULU:  — While presently segmented, certain House and Senate bills poised for passage on Tuesday will have a phenomenal collective effect on the future of the Hawaiian Islands, our land use and our culture.  

SB 755 HD3, SB 2927 HD1, HB 2398 SD1, and HB 2819 SD2 collectively allow exceptionally high-density developments in 

yet-to-be-established urban “planning districts” and state agency/private partnership projects to be channeled through the Public Lands Development Corporation (PLDC), a budding new agency. Via Act 55 enacted in 2011, the PLDC is already exempt from state statutes, city ordinances and building standards; and is attached to the Department of Land and Natural Resources and assisted by the Hawaii Community Development Corporation.  

 State-affiliated development projects embraced by this year’s collective legislation are additionally proposed to be exempted from state coastal zone management and shoreline variance laws, and state environmental and cultural review and disclosure laws. Should these bills be enacted collectively, some major developments with potentially significant undisclosed adverse impacts could proceed in any urban area on each Hawaiian island without necessary environmental oversight and associated public due process.  

Not all state projects have federal funding or are on federal land, so they are absent these federal triggers for comprehensive review. 

Even if some of the exemptions from established protective laws are intended to be a “temporary” moratorium for 3 (or more) years, any and all resulting adverse impacts from exempt developments approved during that time, without costly correction, would be permanent.  

Despite overwhelming public testimony in opposition and a public petition signed by nearly 600 concerned citizens and voters, House and Senate committees have turned deaf ears to the public and passed these bills in their present form. See the attached bill summaries HERE for the most recent House and Senate committee votes on these bills, and the Legislators who did not agree and had concerns about this direction. 

 “The legislature finds that the quality of the environment is as important to the welfare of the people of Hawaii as is the economy of the State. The legislature further finds that the determination of an optimum balance between economic development and environmental quality deserves the most thoughtful consideration, and that the maintenance of the optimum quality of the environment deserves the most intensive care.”

PBS HAWAI`I
INSIGHT

OPEN LETTER
to 

Ua Mau Ke Ea o Ka Aina i ka Pono
View this poignant yet powerful video message HERE