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Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hawaii water commission nominee garners flood of support
COURTESY PHOTO Hannah Kihalani Springer COURTESY PHOTO Hannah Kihalani Springer A Hawaii legislative committee has made quick work recommending confirmation of a special state water commissioner after more than a year of controversy. The Senate Committee on Water and Land voted 5-0 Friday for Hannah Kihalani Springer to be the traditional Native Hawaiian water management expert on the Commission on Water Resource Management for the next few years. The committee's endorsement came just over two weeks since Gov. Josh Green appointed Springer to fill the vacant position subject to Senate confirmation. Previously, Green passed over Springer twice as a candidate in favor of seeking more candidates, moves that drew criticism from environmental and Hawaiian cultural organizations as well as litigation. Sen. Lorraine Inouye, chair of the committee, called Springer a qualified candidate deserving the consideration before this year's legislative session ends May 2. 'I think we're at the point today, and I'm happy, that before end of session we're able to have you here, ' Ino uye (D, Hilo-Pepeekeo ) said during Friday's hearing. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. Having Springer serve through June 30, 2028, is subject to a vote by the 25-member Senate, though a favorable decision appears likely. No one opposed Springer's confirmation at the committee hearing where 308 people and organizations submitted supportive written testimony. Supporters included Dawn Chang, director of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, who chairs the water commission, and the commission's administrator, Ciara Kahahane. 'Miss Springer is highly qualified for this appointment, and she will bring to the commission an extraordinary record of public service, community advocacy and steadfast dedication to environmental and cultural stewardship, ' Kahahane told the committee. The seven-member commission attached to DLNR governs the state water code, which can include determining how the public-trust resource is divided by competing interests such as developers, industrial agriculture, small farmers and natural ecosystems. The seat on the commission being filled by Springer is referred to as the loea, or expert, seat and must be occupied by a person who has substantial experience or expertise in traditional Hawaiian water resource management techniques, including riparian use. Springer is a former Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee who also has served on numerous advisory councils, nonprofit boards and state commissions, including the Hawaii County Planning Commission, the Ka 'upulehu Marine Life Advisory Committee, the Akaka Foundation for Tropical Forests and the Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission. Harley Broyles, an Earthjustice attorney, called Springer a 'true loea ' who will ensure the protection of traditional and customary rights of water users, including taro farmers. 'She is precisely what our wai (water ) and our community needs on the water commission, ' Broyles told the committee. Earthjustice represented a group of Hawaii residents who filed a lawsuit against Green in January over his previous handling of the loea seat appointment. The seat was vacated June 30 when Neil Hannahs finished his second four-year term, but Green didn't appoint anyone from a list of four candidates produced by a nominating committee in February 2024. Green said he needed a new list because two candidates had withdrawn, though state law requires only that the nominating committee give the governor a list with at least three candidates. Springer was one of two remaining candidates from the list. After the commission solicited new applications in September for a new nominating committee to consider, about 70 Hawaii environmental and Hawaiian cultural organizations expressed concern in a letter to Green about his do-over. The new committee submitted a list of three candidates that again included Springer, and in October, Green appointed V.R. Hinano Rodrigues, a Native Hawaiian from Maui who grows his own taro and previously served as the History and Culture Branch chief at the State Historic Preservation Division of DLNR. Then in January the community group Hui Kanawai 'Oia 'i 'o filed a lawsuit contending that Green unlawfully circumvented state law because he didn't want to appoint Springer or the second person remaining on the original recommendation list, Lori Buchanan, a former chair of the Molokai Planning Commission. The lawsuit cited a Hawaii News Now interview in which Green referred to Springer and Buchanan as great people who would bring an 'ideological perspective that was going to cause chaos ' amid an effort to find compromises between competing interests that include restoring streams and building homes. Green requested Jan. 23 that the Senate consider confirming Rodrigues, but no hearing was scheduled. On March 12, Green withdrew his request a day after DLNR announced that Rodrigues had resigned. Instead of asking for another new candidate list, Green appointed Springer on March 27, and in a statement praised her for work championing the integration of traditional knowledge and community voices into decisions affecting land and water in Hawaii. 'Hannah Springer's lifelong commitment to aina (land ) stewardship, cultural wisdom and public service makes her an invaluable addition to the Commission on Water Resource Management, ' Green said in the statement. 'Her perspective will help ensure that our approach to managing water resources reflects the values and priorities of Hawaii's people and places. I am proud to appoint her to this important role.' At Friday's hearing, Springer told the committee, 'Too often in this time as a citizen observing the goings on in Hawaii nei, I see responsible water resources management and progressive housing development being cast as mutually exclusive to one another, when rightfully so, they're mutually dependent upon one another. … We need to be better at siting land use that is appropriate to the water resources that are readily available and learn better how to grow the water and manage it with pono (righteousness ).'
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New appointment defuses Hawaii water commission litigation
COURTESY PHOTO Hannah Springer COURTESY PHOTO Hannah Springer Gov. Josh Green has reversed course on a controversial path to fill a state water commission seat reserved for a traditional Native Hawaiian water management expert. Green on Thursday appointed Hannah Kihalani Springer to fill the special seat on the Commission on Water Resource Management after twice previously passing her over in moves that led to litigation. Springer's appointment was effective immediately, though she is subject to confirmation by the state Senate to serve a full term through June 30, 2028. Green informed the Senate of his appointment in a memo Thursday, and in a news release praised Springer for work championing the integration of traditional knowledge and community voices into decisions affecting land and water in Hawaii. 'Hannah Springer's lifelong commitment to aina (land ) stewardship, cultural wisdom and public service makes her an invaluable addition to the Commission on Water Resource Management, ' Green said in a statement. 'Her perspective will help ensure that our approach to managing water resources reflects the values and priorities of Hawaii's people and places. I am proud to appoint her to this important role.' Springer is a former Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee who also has served on numerous advisory councils, nonprofit boards and state commissions, including the Hawaii County Planning Commission, the Ka 'upulehu Marine Life Advisory Committee, the Akaka Foundation for Tropical Forests and the Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. In a statement, Springer, who is from Kaupulehu on Hawaii island, said she looks forward to 'bringing the sensibility of a kamaaina of a water-scarce and fire-prone region, to the work of the commission ' if confirmed. By picking Springer, Green appears to have defused litigation over how he handled the selection process for a unique position. The seven-member commission attached to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources governs the state water code, which can include determining how the public-trust resource is divided by competing interests such as developers, industrial agriculture, small farmers and natural ecosystems. One seat on the commission, sometimes referred to as the loea, or expert, seat, must be occupied by a person who has substantial experience or expertise in traditional Hawaiian water resource management techniques, including riparian use. In February 2024 a nominating committee sent Green a list of four candidates to succeed Neil Hannahs, who was leaving June 30 after completing two four-year terms. Green, however, declined to make an appointment after two candidates withdrew, leaving Springer and Lori Buchanan as his remaining choices. State law governing commission selections requires that the nominating committee give the governor a list with at least three candidates. The governor claimed that by law he needed at least three candidates from which to choose a new commission member, so he requested that a new selection committee be formed to recommend at least three more candidates. After the commission solicited new applications in September, about 70 Hawaii environmental and Hawaiian cultural organizations expressed concern in a letter to Green about his candidate list do-over. The new committee submitted a list of three candidates, one of whom was Springer. In October, Green appointed V.R. Hinano Rodrigues, a Native Hawaiian from Maui who grows his own taro and previously served as the History and Culture Branch chief at the State Historic Preservation Division of DLNR. A group of Hawaii residents responded in January by filing a lawsuit seeking to invalidate the appointment of Rodrigues and force Green to pick from the two leftover candidates from the original list. The lawsuit, filed by environmental law firm Earthjustice on behalf of community group Hui Kanawai 'Oia 'i 'o, in part contended that Green unlawfully circumvented state law because he didn't want to appoint Springer or Buchanan, a former chair of the Molokai Planning Commission. The lawsuit cited a Hawaii News Now interview in which Green referred to Springer and Buchanan as great people who would bring an 'ideological perspective that was going to cause chaos ' amid an effort to find compromises between competing interests that include restoring streams and building homes. On March 11, DLNR announced that Rodrigues had resigned and that new applications to be reviewed by a new nominating committee would be sought. On Thursday, Earthjustice attorney Harley Broyles thanked Green for selecting Springer instead of pursuing a second do-over list. 'We are happy that the governor has finally made a lawful appointment, ' she said. 14 Comments By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. 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Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hawaii water panel member at center of litigation resigns
COURTESY PHOTO V.R. Hinano Rodrigues COURTESY PHOTO V.R. Hinano Rodrigues A special member of the state Commission on Water Resource Management, whose appointment by Gov. Josh Green in October led to litigation, has resigned. V.R. Hinano Rodrigues stepped down from his position as the commission's traditional Native Hawaiian water management expert, according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. DLNR, which oversees the water commission, said Rodrigues notified the Office of the Governor that he decided to withdraw from what is known as the commission's loea, or expert, seat, for the reason of 'healing with this community and our people.' The seven-member commission governs the state water code, which can include determining how the public-trust resource is divided by competing interests such as developers, industrial agriculture, small farmers and natural ecosystems. Rodrigues is a Native Hawaiian who grows his own taro and previously served as the History and Culture Branch chief at the State Historic Preservation Division of DLNR. However, the way Rodrigues was selected for the water commission's loea position generated concern and conflict among some Hawaii environmental and Hawaiian cultural organizations. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. Green picked Rodrigues in October from a list of three candidates recommended by a nominating committee after a prior committee had recommended a different slate of four candidates in February 2024. The governor asked for the do-over after two candidates recommended by the first committee withdrew themselves from consideration. Green said he needed a new list of candidates because in his view the law required him to have at least three choices from the list. In September about 70 Hawaii environmental and Hawaiian cultural organizations expressed concern in a letter to Green about his water commission candidate list do-over. Then in January a group of Hawaii residents concerned about state water policy filed a lawsuit seeking to invalidate the appointment of Rodrigues and force Green to pick from the two remaining candidates on the original list. The lawsuit, filed by environmental law firm Earthjustice on behalf of community group Hui Kanawai 'Oia 'i 'o, in part contended that the governor unlawfully circumvented state law with his selection of Rodrigues because Green didn't like the two remaining candidates on the original list recommended by the first committee. State law governing commission selections requires that the nominating committee give the governor a list with at least three candidates. Rodrigues had been serving on the commission in an interim capacity subject to confirmation by the state Senate. This year's legislative session began Jan. 15, and Green submitted his nomination of Rodrigues to the Senate on Jan. 23 for a term through June 30, 2028. A confirmation hearing had yet to be scheduled. On Wednesday, Green withdrew the nomination. Green, in a statement, thanked Rodrigues for volunteering to serve his community. 'At the time of his nomination, his extensive experience and understanding of Hawaii's cultural and environmental landscape and his previous years of service that worked to preserve and protect our state's natural resources, equipped him with the insights and skills necessary to navigate the complex challenges facing CWRM commissioners, ' Green said. The commission's chief executive, Ciara Kahahane, in a statement also thanked Rodrigues. DLNR said a new nominating committee is expected to make new recommendations to fill the commission's loea seat, along with two other vacancies, from applicants interested in the volunteer roles. Applications for the other two seats are due by March 31. A deadline to apply for the loea seat will be stated as part of a planned public notice to be posted on the commission's website announcing that applications are being sought. Harley Broyles, an Earthjustice attorney, said in a statement that plaintiffs in the lawsuit are continuing with the litigation aimed at having the governor fill the commission's loea seat with a candidate from the nomination list he received a year ago. 'We agree with Governor Green that our resources are better protected when we all work together, ' she said. 'Following the law is how we do that.'
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Water panel member at center of litigation resigns
COURTESY PHOTO V.R. Hinano Rodrigues COURTESY PHOTO V.R. Hinano Rodrigues A special member of the state Commission on Water Resource Management, whose appointment by Gov. Josh Green in October led to litigation, has resigned. V.R. Hinano Rodrigues stepped down from his position as the commission's traditional Native Hawaiian water management expert, according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. DLNR, which oversees the water commission, said Rodrigues notified the Office of the Governor that he decided to withdraw from what is known as the commission's loea, or expert, seat, for the reason of 'healing with this community and our people.' The seven-member commission governs the state water code, which can include determining how the public-trust resource is divided by competing interests such as developers, industrial agriculture, small farmers and natural ecosystems. Rodrigues is a Native Hawaiian who grows his own taro and previously served as the History and Culture Branch chief at the State Historic Preservation Division of DLNR. However, the way Rodrigues was selected for the water commission's loea position generated concern and conflict among some Hawaii environmental and Hawaiian cultural organizations. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. Green picked Rodrigues in October from a list of three candidates recommended by a nominating committee after a prior committee had recommended a different slate of four candidates in February 2024. The governor asked for the do-over after two candidates recommended by the first committee withdrew themselves from consideration. Green said he needed a new list of candidates because in his view the law required him to have at least three choices from the list. In September about 70 Hawaii environmental and Hawaiian cultural organizations expressed concern in a letter to Green about his water commission candidate list do-over. Then in January a group of Hawaii residents concerned about state water policy filed a lawsuit seeking to invalidate the appointment of Rodrigues and force Green to pick from the two remaining candidates on the original list. The lawsuit, filed by environmental law firm Earthjustice on behalf of community group Hui Kanawai 'Oia 'i 'o, in part contended that the governor unlawfully circumvented state law with his selection of Rodrigues because Green didn't like the two remaining candidates on the original list recommended by the first committee. State law governing commission selections requires that the nominating committee give the governor a list with at least three candidates. Rodrigues had been serving on the commission in an interim capacity subject to confirmation by the state Senate. This year's legislative session began Jan. 15, and Green submitted his nomination of Rodrigues to the Senate on Jan. 23 for a term through June 30, 2028. A confirmation hearing had yet to be scheduled. On Wednesday, Green withdrew the nomination. Green, in a statement, thanked Rodrigues for volunteering to serve his community. 'At the time of his nomination, his extensive experience and understanding of Hawaii's cultural and environmental landscape and his previous years of service that worked to preserve and protect our state's natural resources, equipped him with the insights and skills necessary to navigate the complex challenges facing CWRM commissioners, ' Green said. The commission's chief executive, Ciara Kahahane, in a statement also thanked Rodrigues. DLNR said a new nominating committee is expected to make new recommendations to fill the commission's loea seat, along with two other vacancies, from applicants interested in the volunteer roles. Applications for the other two seats are due by March 31. A deadline to apply for the loea seat will be stated as part of a planned public notice to be posted on the commission's website announcing that applications are being sought. Harley Broyles, an Earthjustice attorney, said in a statement that plaintiffs in the lawsuit are continuing with the litigation aimed at having the governor fill the commission's loea seat with a candidate from the nomination list he received a year ago. 'We agree with Governor Green that our resources are better protected when we all work together, ' she said. 'Following the law is how we do that.'
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Group sues governor over water commission appointee
A group of Hawaii residents concerned about state water policy has sued Gov. Josh Green seeking to invalidate an unusual appointment to the Commission on Water Resource Management. Environmental law firm Earthjustice filed the lawsuit Monday in state court on behalf of community group Hui Kanawai 'Oia 'i 'o, contending that Green violated state law by appointing V.R. Hinano Rodrigues to fill a seat on the commission reserved for a traditional Native Hawaiian water management expert. Green picked Rodrigues in October from a list of three candidates recommended by a nominating committee after a prior committee had recommended a different slate of four candidates in February. The governor asked for the do-over after two candidates recommended by the first committee withdrew themselves from consideration. Green said he needed a new list of candidates because in his view the law required him to have at least three choices from the list. The law governing commission selections requires that the nominating committee give the governor a list with at least three candidates. Earthjustice claims that Green unlawfully circumvented state law with his selection of Rodrigues because he didn't like the two remaining candidates on the original list recommended by the first committee. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. The lawsuit also alleges that the Green administration 'asked, invited, or arranged for ' one of the recommended candidates on the first list, James 'Kimo ' Falconer, to withdraw from consideration. 'A nominee cannot nullify a nominating committee list by withdrawing from the list, and the governor cannot nullify a list by arranging for such a withdrawal, ' the lawsuit said. The state Department of the Attorney General, representing the Office of the Governor and other state agencies, declined to comment on pending litigation as a policy. Rodrigues has been serving on the commission since October in an interim basis pending a public hearing and confirmation vote in the state Senate. The seven-member commission governs the state water code, which can include determining how the public-trust resource is divided by competing interests such as developers, industrial agriculture, small farmers and natural ecosystems. One seat on the commission, sometimes referred to as the loea, or expert, seat, must be occupied by a person who has substantial experience or expertise in traditional Hawaiian water resource management techniques, including riparian use. Rodrigues is a Native Hawaiian who grows his own taro and previously served as the History and Culture Branch chief at the State Historic Preservation Division within the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, which also oversees the water commission. In September about 70 Hawaii environmental and Hawaiian cultural organizations expressed concern in a letter to Green about his water commission candidate list do-over. Earthjustice alleges in the lawsuit that Green sought new candidates from a new committee because he didn't like his options from the first committee. The lawsuit cites a Hawaii News Now interview in which Green referred to two candidates, Lori Buchanan and Hannah Springer, as great people that would bring an 'ideological perspective that was going to cause chaos ' amid an effort to find compromises between competing interests that include restoring streams and building homes. Buchanan is a former chair of the Molokai Planning Commission. Springer is a former Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee who once served on the Hawaii County Planning Commission. Both Buchanan and Springer were on the second list of recommended candidates, along with Rodrigues, according to the lawsuit. 'The governor's likes and dislikes do not justify him disregarding the legally mandated process and making up his own rules, ' Earthjustice attorney Harley Broyles said in a statement. 'The Legislature intentionally established this process for commission nominations as a check on partisanship by the governor. The law does not allow the governor to scrap the committee's recommendations because they do not suit his political agenda.' The lawsuit said the selection process for water commission appointments is different from other state commissions and boards, to which the governor directly names nominees, because the Legislature intended to 'interpose a layer of independence and impartiality ' between governors and water commission appointments. 'The Legislature established the nominating committee process in recognition of the importance of the commission's constitutionally mandated trustee kuleana (responsibility ) and the need for impartiality and independence in its nomination process, and as a distinct check on the governor's general authority to nominate appointees, ' the lawsuit said. 'The redo of the nominating committee process to produce a new list flouts the letter and purpose of these provisions and sets dangerous precedent for future abuse.' Some of the biggest clashes over water allocations in recent decades have been in West Maui, which is where Rodrigues is from. Marti Townsend, a local engagement specialist with Earthjustice, said Rodrigues has ties to large commercial water users in West Maui and isn't supported by many proponents of Native Hawaiian cultural practices that depend on water, including taro farming and fishing. Kekai Keahi, a Lahaina resident advocating for such uses, said in a statement, 'The governor's attempt to manipulate the nomination process for this key position is an insult to the law and to everyone who has worked with the commission for years to ensure it respects Hawaiian rights and values.' The lawsuit seeks to have the appointment of Rodrigues declared invalid. The complaint also said that if the Senate decides not to confirm Rodrigues, then the governor should not be allowed to form yet another committee to recommend more candidates for the water commission's loea seat. No Senate confirmation hearing for Rodrigues has been scheduled yet. His term runs to June 30, 2028.
