Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 9, Number 9, 1 September 1992 — KICC reschedules draft report release, hearings [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

KICC reschedules draft report release, hearings

by Jeff Clark The Kaho'olawe Island Conveyance Commission (KICC) has rescheduled release of its findings and recommendations to the public from September 13 to October 11. A series of statewide public hearings has also been rescheduled. The new hearings schedule is as follows: Oct. 19 - Hilo, Hawai'i (loea-

tion not confirmed at press time); Oct. 20 - Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i (King Kamehameha Hotel, 75-5660 Palani Rd.); Oct. 21 - Wailuku, Maui (County Council Chambers, 200 South High St.); Oct. 22 - Kaunakakai, Moloka'i (Mitchell Pauole Center, Ailoa Street); Oct. 26 - Lana'i City (public library conference room, Fraser Avenue); Oct. 27 -

Honolulu, O'ahu (Kaumakapili Church, 766 King St.); and Oct. 28 - Lihu'e, Kaua'i (location not eonfirmed at press time). The hearings will be held from 5 p.m. - 9 p.m., but will last until everyone is allowed to speak. KICC Deputy Director Velma Santos said the dates were pushed back because the Commission has only received five of the 17 reports it commissioned. A variety of delays, including family emergencies and medical problems, has beset the eonsultants, Santos said.

"The Commission will not finalize any decisions until it has had a ehanee to talk to eaeh of the consultants," added Santos. The Nature Conservancy's environmental assessment, Ballena Systems Corp.'s ordnance-removal plan, and three reports by Rowland Reeve — Na Wahi Pana O Kaho'olawe (significant historical and cultural places), Plaee Names of Kaho'olawe, and an archeological stabilization study — have been completed and submitted, Santos said. The archeological stabilization study, conducted for Reeve by Miehael Graves and Kehau Abad, describes Kaho'olawe's archeological

sites, their present condition and degree to whieh they have been affected by erosion and other factors, and what measures need to be undertaken for their restoration and preservation. Fishing study Santos said the Commission is pursuing a $25,000 grant from the National Oeeanie and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for a study of Kaho'olawe's fishing sites and how they relate to ko'a (fishing shrines) on the island. "They will be awarding the money to us and we will be contracting to have the study done," Santos reported. Marine sanctuary

Late last year NOAA submitīed to Congress a feasibility study on declaring the area around Kaho'olawe a marine sanctuary. The study paid speeial attention to the potential impact on humphaek whales, whieh are endangered. Meanwhile, legislation has been introduced in both the U.S. House and Senate whieh would declare Maui County a humpback whale sanctuary. The Senate version is still pending but the House passed its version Aug. 3. NOAA's Hawai'i liaison, Chris continued on page 8

"Sing Me A Song of the lslands" features Halau Hula O Maiki on Oct. 4 at the Neal Blaisdell Concert Hall with hula of all the islands the halau has featured in its prize-winning Kamehameha Day float for the past four years. Ni'ihau was the theme of last year's award-winning float.

Kaho'olawe from page 1

Evans, said there has been disagreement between his organization and the state because NOAA would prefer that the entire ecosystem be declared a sanctuary. "The state does not want to have a multiple-species sanctuary," he said.

Other species and resources besides the humpbacks also need protection, Evans said, citing turtles, monk seals, other whale species, dolphins, coral reefs and fisheries. NOAA is in a wait-and-see mode regarding the legislation, he added. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs told

NOAA that it supports the idea of a national marine sanctuary provided that Native Hawaiian fishing rights are recognized, said OHA environmental planner Lynn Lee. Placing kapu on the taking of endangered species is consistent with traditional

Hawaiian values, she added. "The proposed sanctuary is very similar to the traditional kapu system to eonserve and protect threatened resources, but the rights of the Hawaiian people must also be seen as endangered," OHA land officer Linda Delaney said.