Senate Standing Committee on Water and Land

Good afternoon. The Committee on Water and Land is on its hearing notice of March 28, 2025 and we are in room 016. And today we'll be taking testimony and hearing from from the two governors nominees as well as taking up one set of resolutions. The live video of this hearing can be found on the Senate's YouTube channel.

Decision making will follow after hearing from all the testifiers and the governor's nominees. And for those of you, I am not the only one here because we do need to take action today on this agenda before for us. But we will be seeing we'll be having our committee members coming in shortly for decision making as well.

So first off on our notice of hearing is governor's message and we call them GM585 is the first one. And this is submitting for consideration and confirmation to the Game Management Advisory Commission. And the nominee is Stanley Ruidis for a term to expire June 30th, 2028. And I think we have Stanley on zoom. It's yes, Chair.

He just joined the Zoom.

Okay. In the meantime for GM 585 DLNR. Come on up please. Thank you.

Aloha Chair. Aloha to you. Thanks for having having me. Nick Vargas with the Department of Atlanta Natural Resources. The Department strongly supports the governor's message 585 nominating Mr. Ruidus to the Game Management Advisory Commission for a term to expire June 30th, 2028. Although I have, I haven't been able to work with Stanley directly.

I have attended multiple GMAC meetings in the past and I've admired his dedication and his thoughtfulness whenever we talk about game related topics, topics and issues. Mr. Rudis has served the GMAC before, including as its chair from July 2020 to June 2022. His leadership has resulted in open discussions and resolutions of various hunting issues.

The Department views his history with the GMAC as as a success and would recommend his return to a position representing the island of Lanai under the County of Maui. I'm here for any questions. Okay.

Thank you very much. Aloha. How are you Stanley? Okay. All right. Can you hear us, Stanley?

Yes, I can.

All right. Okay. Well, we thank you for your service. In the last couple of years you've been representing Lanai. I understand again. And also the opportunity and your availability to serve the rest of the second term. So I understand and thank you by the way for the questionnaire as well.

And you've been already on the job and so we'd like to at least hear from you what's the next plans that you see. And I understand you also were the Chair of the Committee. Did have you continued up until now or is there another chair?

I think no, there's no meetings yet so. Oh, okay. I haven't got on the GMAC yet so but yeah, I plan to ask them to let me continue as their Chair.

And my plans are to bring meetings to all the hunters of all the islands in, in what we, which we did in the past and you know, working on management plans, wildlife management plans for every island because you know we did ours on Lanai and that took five years to complete.

You know, just, just trying to make DOFA and their Administration, you know, complete that plan. So you know the last meeting that I was in we asked to do studies to see how much it would cost to complete plans and the Hilo plan, the big plan was in in place way before this GMEC was formed.

So you know that would be a priority in trying to get them completed. And as well as you know, my plans are to just bring the hunters concerns to the DLNR Administration and just try to work out problems and you know, just move forward to, to have a successful and sustainable program for both parties.

So are we saying that the Lanai wildlife management plan is not completed yet?

Oh yes we did.

Oh, okay. All right.

So that, that actually gave us a 15 year lease with Pulama Lanai. So I think there's about maybe 12 years left on that plan or something like that. But you know it's, it's a large plan where the, the Administration can. What. You call spend money and invest in a long term programs for Illinois.

Okay, so are we, and Nick, maybe you can respond as well. So are we looking at management plans similar to the Big Island and Lanai for Maui and Kauai?

As of right now I'm sure we can, I mean these are topics that we can bring up to the through the GMAC and we can look into them. Currently, I'm not too sure what, what exactly is that.

We're focusing on what comes out of DOFA's budget though, right?

What is that?

To create the plans and budgeting comes out of DOFA budget but not directly to game management. Right.

Right now the way we do offer game management is through our Pittman Robertson Act. That's how we manage all of our hunting areas specific game management plans. Those are things that we can look into look into developing with, with the islands.

Okay. All right, thank you so much and thank you Stanley. We will be making decisions after we complete our hearing notice today, so you can if you want to. Stanley, just stay on Zoom until we finalize. We only got one more item and a resolution to complete our day. Okay, thank you.

Thank you very much, Chair. Thank you.

Yes, you're welcome. Next up is GM 550 and this is submitting for consideration and confirmation to the the Legacy Land Conservation Commission and the nominees, Alexandra, or we know as Alex Kelepolo, for a term to expire June 30th, 2028. And Alex, come on up. Or are we going to have.

David, you're going to come up and introduce speak on behalf of DLNR and thank you for being available today.

My pleasure. Thank you, Chair and Senator McKelvey and the others who are coming in. I'm David Penn.

I'm the staff person for the Legacy Land Conservation Commission and a program specialist for Legacy Land Conservation in the Division of Forestry and Wildlife and very happy to be here this afternoon to ask for your blessing on the confirmation of Alex Kelepolo. I've been working with her ever since I came into DLNR in various roles.

And she's just another outstanding member of our commission who's been with us for the last year on an interim basis. And we're very happy that she can be returned for the rest of the the term up to 2028.

Great. And to know that she's from a Big island.

Yes. We're required to have a member from each county and right now we have three from County of Hawaii. And I have all the other slots are filled as well.

Great. Thank you so much. Okay, we do have is Legacy Land Commission here? Kim, who's speaking on behalf of Legacy Land.

Well, Kim is one of our commissioners.

Okay. She sends testimony, support.

Yes, thank you- thank you very much. County of Hawaii, Office of the Mayor sends communication. And this is on behalf of the managing Director, Bill Brill Hunty out of the office of Mayor in support, Malama Kohala Kahakai, Gail Byrne. Aloha. Is that you on Zoom?

It is, yeah. I just wanted to say a few words and support, but whenever that timing is right, I can do that.

Yes. Proceed.

Yeah. I've known Alex for over 20 years. She's an outstanding individual.

Obviously you folks already know her because she's been serving in an interim capacity on the Legacy Lands Commission, but she is a force to be reckoned with. She's got incredible experience when it comes to purchasing land and supporting communities to do so for protection and preservation.

She helps stand up the Hawaii counties, what we call our 2% land Fund where we set aside 2% of our property tax to purchase open space and easements. She has, in her work capacity, as I understand it, closed hundreds and hundreds of easements. She works with community.

She's an incredible collaborator, super knowledgeable about real estate and land processes and. And she volunteers extensively to protect our aina. I could just go on and on, but you've got piles of letters there. I imagine at least a few. She's. She'll be a phenomenal. Continue to be a phenomenal asset to the connection.

Thank you, Gail. Thank you so much. There's also support communications from Kohana Iki Ohana as well as the Hawaii Wildlife Fund and Kohala Lihikai in support, the Regenerative, Organic and probiotic practices Hawaii. Scott Fisher, William Fox, Angie Onaka, Janet Britt and Kawhi Lucas here in support. All right, let's have Alexandra Alex again.

Members we did interview actually came out before us last year and I think it was for another position. But we're happy that now and you've been on the board anyway, so welcome back.

And of course, you do have an outstanding backup and your contributions that you have been in the role that you have played in other areas as well. So welcome back.

Mahalo Chair Inouye, Vice Chair Elefante, committee members. Thank you for having me back.

Yes, yes.

So just very briefly, I've lived on Hawaii island my entire life, so I've seen from growing up development come before my eyes. We are the big island. We have the most land.

But when I was little, I remember going on the E drive and it was pretty undeveloped and development has grown substantially and so important to protect our aina and through the County of Hawaii program that I'm so fortunate to have been a part of and continue to, you know, as a Commissioner and still volunteer in the community.

But I just wanted to share a personal connection that I have with this Legacy Land conservation program is that I think I started the county in 2007 and this program, like I, I'm so grateful because they helped us fund how many projects on Hawaii Island.

I think in the next punk turns, which is the county program, we turn 20 next year and we've been able to fund, yeah, the county 2% funds. We've been able to protect almost 11,000 acres and we received about 15 million from the Legacy Land program.

So to be able to work with this program from when I first started this program, which was kind of in the infancy and to see it grow so large and it's so important, this Legacy Land program and these county programs we have for our state that helps to protect our aina. Our natural resources.

And it, you know, it just opened up my world to be able to work with community and all these groups and see the heart and passion that everybody does to save our lands.

Well, we're very fortunate to have you again on the Legacy Land Conservation Commission as well. Members, any comments or anything you have with regards to GM 550, mahalo. We'll be making decision. Mahalo. Mahalo. Thank you so much. Okay, members, we do have a joint just about in a couple of minutes.

Let's go ahead and complete the itinerary or the hearing notice, and with reference to SR 100, SCR 119, and this is requesting the Department of Land and Natural Resources to convene a Kailua Bay Advisory Working Group. DLNR, who's? Okay. Sorry, I didn't see you come in, Megan. Thanks for being available. Okay. All right.

Well, we're happy that the DLNR Board has completed its agenda. So, we have you today.

Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair, Committee Members. Appreciate your time. The Department—Megan Stats for the Department of Land and Natural Resources, and we stand on our written testimony offering comments. And I'm here if you have any questions.

Thank you very much. HTA, Caroline Anderson. Here, thank you. Thank you for making time today.

Aloha. Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair, Members of the Committee. My name is Caroline Anderson, Interim President and CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, and we stand on our written comments. Thank you.

Thank you so much. Okay, Mike Atwood, are you on Zoom?

Not present on Zoom, Chair.

Okay. Sense Communication in support as well. And I guess HTA similarly to the SCR 119. Yeah. Okay, great. Questions, Members, on SCR 119 and SR 100? This is a coming from the Big Island, and I think it's just about right time.

We've had many issues with regards to the area, and this working group should be able to at least address many of the issues that has been in the past. And we certainly endorse this measure. So, with that said, Members, no discussions on this issue. Let's proceed then with making decisions.

Thank you so much for making time, Vice Chair. I know you were busy as well.

Anything for you, Madam Chair.

Okay, thank you. So, oh, wow. We had a hearing. Okay. Committee on Water—the Committee on Water and Land is going into decision making on its hearing notice of Friday, March 28th, and Chair's recommendation on GM 584.

And this is submitting the confirmation to the Game Management Advisory Commission, the nominee of Stanley Ruida for term to expire June 30th, 2028, and Chair's recommendation is to advise and consent. Any discussions, Members? Hearing none. Vice Chair for the vote. Chair goes aye on GM 585.

I need the appropriate vote sheets.

I don't have the appropriate vote. Advisors—these are all.

Okay.

Here.

I don't think that's right. Oh, here. Yeah. Oh, okay.

Okay. Okay.

Oh, okay. All right. We'll just use one transfer. All right. Okay. Chair's recommendation then is to advise and consent on GM 585.

[Roll Call]

Thank you. For GM 550, submitting for consideration and confirmation to the Legacy Land Conservation Commission, the nominee, Alexandra Kelly Polo, for term to expire June 30th, 2028. Any discussions, Members? Hearing none. The Chair's recommendation to advise and consent to GM 550. Okay. Vice Chair for the vote. Chair goes aye.

[Roll Call]

Okay. Congratulations, Alexandra and Stanley. Okay, we'll move on then to our SCR 119 and SR 100, requesting the Department of Land and Natural Resources to convene a Kailua Bay Advisory Working Group. Chair's recommendation is to pass, let's see, sorry about that. Okay. The recommendation is to pass this measure only with technical and non-substantive amendments. Any discussions? Hearing None.

Vice Chair for the vote. Chair goes aye.

[Roll Call]

Okay. Thank you very much. This concludes the hearing notice of the Committee on Water and Land. Okay. And Members, we will be having a joint—oh, sorry. Oh, yes. We have a new agenda. Okay, the Committee on Water and Land now is adjourned.

Thank you for your patience.

We're convening the joint committees on the Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs. Oh, I'm looking at the wrong agenda. That was a three o'clock agenda. Okay, we're moving on to 15 here in room 016, on this Friday, March 28th, the joint committees on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs and our good friends from the Committee on Water and Land to take up two resolutions on this agenda.

But before we begin, just wanted to note that this hearing is being streamed live via YouTube and if there's any kind of technical difficulties, we will post a notice as to when we will reconvene. We are asking the testifiers limit their testimony to one minute.

The two items on the agenda are Senate Concurrent Resolution 75 and Senate Resolution 58, requesting the County of Maui to employ an archaeologist for the purpose of historic preservation to rebuild Lahaina. On our testifiers list, we have Dawn Chang or someone from DLNR.

Members who have submitted testimony in support: Janet Six--six as in the number--is testifying on Oiwi Resources, County of Maui has submitted commentary, and we have Trisha Watson with suggested amendments. And Sarah Khalili might be joining us via Zoom.

Not present on Zoom, chair.

Okay. So members, we don't have anyone in which to ask questions of, so if you don't mind, we're going to just move straight into--oh, actually, chair, can we move--

Yes, yes, please. Yes. Yes. This is a good resolution.

I know. You read my mind.

Good, good resolution. We're ready with you.

Okay. We'd like to pass both of these resolutions out with amendments. The amendments are one technical and non-substantive as well as one substantive amendment, because apparently there is an individual who has done architectural work on Maui.

We want to just make a clarification and add, 'whereas while numerous efforts have been made to address the rebuilding of Lahaina, no archaeologist has yet been fully engaged in preserving the history and culture of the community and the state during this critical process. Now, therefore,' and then it will go on to the rest of the words as is. So that's the only other amendments, the technical one, as well as what I just read. Any discussion for EIG? If not--

Oh, Water and Land on this week.

Any other question? Okay. Senator Chang, I vote yes.

Chair's recommendation for SCR 75 and SR 58 is pass with amendments. Chair votes aye. [Roll Call]. Recommendation's adopted.

For the Committee on Water and Land, chair's recommendation is to pass SCR 75 and SR 58 with amendments. Any discussions? Yes. Senator McKelvey.

I appreciate both committees advancing this reso, but just to make clear to the, for the testifiers--I know Ms. Six was going to try to be here--this reso is to support the work that she's doing. It's not to say that there isn't work being done, but to bring more resources to her and her office for longer. So thank you for that. I just wanted to put that in the record so people understand this is to support the work of Ms. Six and Maui County, not to fling shade at them, for lack of a better term. Okay? Thank you.

Thank you. Any further discussions? Okay. Hearing none, chair's recommendation then, vice chair, to pass SCR 75 and SR 58 with amendments. Vice chair for the vote. Chair goes aye.

Okay. Chair's recommendation's to pass SCR 75/SR 58 with amendments. Chair and vice chair vote aye. [Roll Call]. Madam Chair, your recommendations are adopted.

Okay. Thank you very much.

Okay, we are adjourned.

Thank you for your patience.

We're reconvening the Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs, as well as the Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs on this Friday, the 28th of March in room 016, at a little after 3:15. We're actually going to go to the—our—3 o'clock agenda where we had a hearing on setting Concurrent Resolution 24.

This is strongly urging the U.S. Department of Defense to maintain all references to the 442nd Regimental Combat Team on its website for the public. And there was a proposed SD 1 that was floated around.

There was an amendment that was proffered by our friends from the Committee on Public Safety Military Affairs and that was to include the Hundredth Infantry Battalion into this resolution, wherever the 442nd was mentioned. So, we'd like to pass this out with amendments—SCR 24 with amendments. Any discussion? If not, Senator Chang. I vote yes.

There's recommendation for...

Great. Thank you. Enjoy your weekend. We're adjourned.