Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 8, Number 2, 1 February 1991 — Feds propose development curbs near Pele's domain [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Feds propose development curbs near Pele's domain

by Moanikeala Akaka Trustee, Hawai'i

At the end of this past year, the federai government proposed a building ban that would block further developments on large portions of the eastern and southern sides of Hawai'i island. Recommendations bv the

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in its Hazard Mitigation Team Report eame in response to the recent devastation of Kalapana by Pele from Kilauea. These proposals would restrict land sales and building over a wide section of Puna and Ka'u and some areas of Hilo and Kona should the recommendations pass State and County legislative bodies.

These hazard zones are based on historic and prehistoric eruption activity and were developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and published early last year. Zone one includes the summit and rift zones of Kilauea and Mauna Loa. Zone two areas are adjacent to and downslope from active rift zones. Together, the two zones include most of Ka'u, west of Na'alehu, portions of South Kona, and most of Puna east and south of Pahoa. The Hawaii Tribune-Herald, on Jan. 3, stated that this federal report discourages development on one-third of the Big Island. There has been some eoneem about this federal proposal.

Hawai'i County Civil Defense Chief Harry Kim has pointed out that various people are using these zones as reasons for not providing insurance and federal programs. Christina Heliker, the geologist who wrote the book on volcanic hazards for the USGS, stated, "It was not our intent that the hazard zones be picked up and used this way by the insurance companies." Heliker's report deals with volcanic activity on the island, explaining the graditional hazard zones.

"The people deserve to know what the hazards are . . . It's a personal decision (to build on zones one and two) . . . I do believe there is a significant hazard in living down there. But it's not our decision to say people shouldn't build there . . . Our job is to let them know what the stakes are." One of the federal recommendations is that the state should examine the possibility and feasibility of reclassifying lands in Kilauea zone one as conservation.

Testifying at Hawai'i County Council Finance Committee meeting on Jan. 8, Harry Kim stated he disagees with the Federal recommendation to downzone all Big Island parcels considered at highest risk of volcanic damage. Because volcanic risk zones cited by the federal geologist are not what Kim calls "site specific," he feels further studies and analysis would be required. Kim also stated he ean fully endorse some recommendations from the federal report. One is a proposal to enact a state law to require all sellers of property in high hazard zones to inform would-be buyers of the potential volcanic risks.

Realtors have expressed alarm that the federal proposal might render parts of the island difficult to sell and nearly impossible to develop because of both financial and insurance problems. The Hawai'i County Finance Committee deferred action on this report in order to await recommendations from the state and county Kalapana Task Force, headed by Council Chair Russell Kokubun. The Kalapana Hawaiian lava refugees (whom 1 wrote about several months ago), according to their spokesperson Robert Keli'iho'omalu, still want to be relocated to Kikala-Keokea Homestead, a few miles above Kaimu. This area

happens to be ceded lands and as Native Hawaiians, they are exercising their right of self-deter-mination and sovereignty in wanting to be in this area, even though it is a part of zone 2. These Hawaiians feel that as Hawaiians, they should not be forced from their home 'aina because of a federal ban on development. These ceded lands are not under federal jurisdiction; they belong to

the residents of this state, and it is that Hawanan portion at Kikala-Keokea that they want to elaim for Kalapana Hawaiian lava victims. They also feel they should be able to receive federal assistance at Kikala-Keokea just as American Indians do on their reservations. Kim doubts the state or county should designate such major Puna subdivisions as Leilani

Etates, Hawaiian Beaches, or Nanawale Estates as conservation land. He argued that the discussion on the report and "how to eope with the hazards in the future is possibly (one of) the most important issues before the County Council or the Legislature."

The Hawaiian people should be exempt from federal restrictions concerning building on Pelethreatened land. After all, we know Pele ruled these islands over a thousand years ago when we first landed on these shores. Like Harry Kim stated, "It may sound trite, but let's face it — we have to find out how to co-exist with nature. We are forced to look at the issues." Aloha 'aina. Malama pono. Ua mau ke ea o ka 'aina i ka pono.