Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 33, Number 5, 1 May 2016 — Water restored to seven East Maui streams [ARTICLE]

Water restored to seven East Maui streams

ByTreenaShapiro Water onee again flows through several East Maui streams after more than a century of diversion, but taro farmers and their attorneys aren't satisfied with what they eall a "pieeemeal return." When Alexander & Baldwin called an April 20 press conference announcing full and permanent restoration of priority taro streams that had been diverted for sugar operations at the soon-to-close HC&S plantation, several state lawmakers were present to applaud what they called a good first step. But East Maui farmers and the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation were conspicuously absent. "The streams are the same ones identified as priority streams in 200 1 by the Water Commission and the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation on behalf of its East Maui clients," said A&B President and CEO Chris Benjamin. The restoration applies to seven streams serving the largest taro growing area on the island. But NHLC points out that a court order by an 0'ahujudge declared it was illegal for A&B to divert any streams flowing across 33,000 acres of state ceded lands in East Maui for eommercial use. "In 2001, taro farmers, gatherers, and fishermen and women from East Maui

banded together with their allies to utilize the existing legal system to end A&B's wholesale theft of East Maui water aided and abetted by state agencies," the nonprofit law firm said in a release. "Unless and until all water illegally diverted by A&B is restored to their streams and communities of origin, our commitment to justice for the streams and justice for Hawaiian communities will never cease or falter." Māhealani Wendt, an East Maui resident and taro farmer, said her community has been fighting for streamrestoration for more than 140 years, both in court and out. "To suggest via this announcement that A&B is voluntarily and willingly restoring water is disingenuous. The water from these streams is not and never has been A&B's property. It is a critical component of this state's puhlie trust resources," she said. "Streamflow restoration will allow us to begin the great work of restoring our taro lands and many other important elements of our eommunity lost as a part of these diversions." Benjamin said that A&B will continue participating in a process to address appropriate restorations for the other streams. Sen. J. Kalani English, whose district includes Hāna and East and Upcountry Maui, said at A&B's press conference, "A&B's unilateral decision to restore 100 percent of the water in East Maui streams is an excellent beginning point for all of us to begin the healing process. Many Hawaiian families — my family — has had generations of suffering and pain over the loss of water. Today I hope we ean begin reconciliation as the waters llow again in East Maui." To learn more about this issue, watch the short film "Ola I Ka Wai: East Maui" at www. kamakakoi.com/eastmaui. ■

G0VERNANCE To restore pono and ea, Native Hawaiians will achieve self-gover-nanee, after whieh the assets of OHAwillhe transferred to the new governing entity.

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