Hawaii Congressional Delegation How They Voted April 11, 2025
Community input is sought to guide state wildlife action plan
Federal Judge Won't Make Bribery Investigations Public
CB: … At a hearing before Park in February, Assistant U.S. Attorney Dana Barbata stated the government’s case succinctly: The release of information from the Cullen and English files would harm a case the feds are purportedly working on.
“That is really the end of the story,” Barbata told the judge.
Park had surprisingly few questions for Barbata and took the government attorney’s word that there was even a case in the works, let alone what specific problems might come from releasing details of the investigation into the two lawmakers.
She did, however, repeatedly interrupt the attorney representing Civil Beat — Brian Black of the Public First Law Center — as he tried to explain why we believe previous federal court decisions require the government to prove how releasing information on closed investigations would impact an ongoing probe.
There’s an ongoing investigation, Park broke in as Black began to work through his argument. “How is that not enough?”
Black cited prior federal appellate court rulings that require the government to be very specific in separating details that could harm an investigation from information that would have no impact. He provided several examples of other courts rejecting blanket assertions that there is simply an ongoing investigation.
Black made clear to the judge that Civil Beat is happy to revise its request to include only records through the time of the arrests of Cullen and English. We realize that once the two knew they were busted and began cooperating with investigators, the government’s arguments about publicity interfering with an ongoing investigation may well have some legitimacy….
read … Federal Judge Won't Make Bribery Investigations Public — So We're Appealing - Honolulu Civil Beat
State Water Commission Announces plan to Block Lahaina rental housing construction ‘for years’
MN: … On the sloping hillside near the Kapalua Airport, the windswept land is ready for the first phase of a 1,000-unit housing project called Pulelehua, just six miles from Lahaina town where a wildfire decimated more than 1,500 homes and residential complexes in 2023.
The dirt is graded. Retaining walls are up. Two wells have been drilled. And, the project has the promise of $33 million in funding from Maui County. But Pulelehua developer Paul Cheng can’t move forward until he gets state approval to either use his wells or another water source.
(TRANSLATION: The State Water Commission is refusing to let him build. They want more fire victims to leave the island.)
“You’ve got the whole town of Lahaina that’s gone, and the people have no place to stay,” Cheng said. “And we’re sitting there … and can’t (the Water Commission won’t let us) get started.”
The need for more water (permits) comes at a time of record-low streamflows around the island that are straining water resources, especially in West Maui where (artificially-created) shortages and conservation requests are commonplace.
(IQ TEST: The Water Commission has presented its excuse to you. Are you fooled by it? If you answer ‘yes’ you must leave the island.)
Maui County is hoping to bring a new well online in Kahana this summer to fill the gap in demand that was a problem before the fire. But the service will be limited to temporary housing for displaced residents and rebuilt homes, which means future projects with much-needed permanent housing will have to wait.
“If a source becomes available, then we can look at providing it to new uses like Pulelehua,” said John Stufflebean, the county’s director of water supply. “But until there’s a source available, we can’t say yes.”
If the county allocated water to Pulelehua and didn’t get additional sources, there wouldn’t be enough water for those rebuilding in Lahaina….
Before the fire, Cheng got permits to drill his wells. Together, they could supply several hundred thousand gallons per day, more than enough to cover the 75,000 gallons he needs to build the first phase of 240 affordable rental units that could house 700 to 1,000 people. The 304-acre master-planned development would include affordable and market-rate rentals, single-family lots, parks, trails, businesses and a school.
But both Cheng and the county are stuck in a new process created the year before the fires to manage water in West Maui.
In 2022, the state water commission voted unanimously to designate aquifers in Lahaina as a Surface Water and Groundwater Management Area, requiring all existing and new users to acquire state permits.
(TRANSLATION: This is how the Water Commission is conspiring to drive you off the island. Do you understand? If you answer, ‘no’, you must leave the island.)
So far, the commission has received 148 applications — 95 for surface water uses and 53 for groundwater, staff said at a meeting in Lahaina on Monday.
The commission is focusing first on applications to use Honokōwai groundwater and Honokōhau surface water in areas north of Lahaina. It also is discussing tiers to prioritize and expedite public trust uses and affordable housing. Those are expected to be announced for public comment this summer.
However, there’s no timeline for completing review of all permits, and one staff member said it could take years. …
(TRANSLATION: It will be ‘years’ until the Water Commission allows anything to built for people like you.)
read … Decline in West Maui water supply means new housing projects will have to wait
Case Family Conspires with State to Ensure Housing not Built on Kauai Land
CB: … More than 1,000 acres of former Kauaʻi plantation land owned by a billionaire tech entrepreneur are in the sights of the state’s Agribusiness Development Corp. as part of the effort to help Hawaiʻi achieve its local food production goals.
The deal’s outcome depends on the Legislature, which will decide later this month whether to approve $39 million in the Senate’s draft of the state budget bill for a piece of a more-than 6,000-acre prime Grove Farm property, owned by America Online co-founder Steve Case.
Although some Kaua‘i residents and farmers have raised concerns about the price tag, they are approaching the deal with cautious optimism. Keeping the land in agricultural production would alleviate longstanding fears that it could end up being developed.
(TRANSLATION: It might change the supply-demand balance and make housing more affordable. Therefore, Case and the State are working to keep housing expensive.)
Some residents have been concerned about what might happen to the land if the tech entrepreneur further trims his land portfolio, worried it could end up in the wrong ownersʻ hands and become dilapidated or developed for housing.
(See? Told you. Land availability is being artificially constricted in an effort to keep prices high and drive people like you out. This article describes how it is being done. THEY ARE TELLING YOU EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE DOING TO YOU.)
read … Kaua’i Billionaire Wants To Sell Prime Ag Land. The State Might Buy It - Honolulu Civil Beat
Speedier Reviews, Quicker Honolulu Building Permits? Not So Fast
CB: … The bottom line: DPP may take an average of nine days to do one round of review, but five or more rounds can amount to weeks or months of wait time for the property owner ….
The department plans to launch two new technological programs this summer. CivCheck, an artificial intelligence software company, will start checking plans, she said, and will hopefully handle what would otherwise be the first two review cycles.
And a program called Clariti is set to replace DPP’s decades-old software, POSSE.
In the meantime, the city’s upgraded version of its permitting program ePlans allows applicants – including property owners – to see for themselves where an application is. Takeuchi Apuna encourages owners to check that and hold their design professionals accountable. …
read … Speedier Reviews, Quicker Honolulu Building Permits? Not So Fast - Honolulu Civil Beat
City fails to collect $100M in TVR fines
SA: … The city has issued over $100 million worth of fines for short-term rental violations over the past three fiscal years but has collected less than $2 million — or barely 2% — even after hiring a collection agency in 2023 that was tasked with bringing in every dollar owed to the city….
read … City fails to collect millions in fines from Oahu rentals | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Cruise Lines Threaten Lawsuit Over Hawaii’s 11% 'Cabin Tax' Proposal
CR: … One is a per-passenger cruise fee that many destinations have imposed, such as in Alaska. The other is an 11% tax per cabin fee, which lawmakers say would match the rate at which hotel and vacation rental guests are charged for stays in Hawaii….
Daniel Farkas, Norwegian Cruise Line EVP and general counsel, said: “It’s simply unconstitutional. It has to do with uniformity as to when a vessel pulls into port. It’s simply so that everyone is treated equally.”
Farkas said it could lead to ships being pulled out of Hawaii.
“What that means is for a family of five, that’s an extra $500 to the price of a ticket. It is going to make the cost of a cruise simply unaffordable. “
Cruise lines wrote to the Hawaii Attorney General with an ultimatum: If a bill becomes law, we will sue.
“We ask that you advise the Governor of these issues and take action to avoid costly and time-consuming litigation should either of these proposals become law,” the letter said.
Norwegian Cruise Line executives have reportedly been holding meetings with lawmakers….
read … Cruise Lines Threaten Lawsuit Over Hawaii’s 11% 'Cabin Tax' Proposal
Pay Raises: Honolulu Opened Floodgates, More to Follow
KITV: … While some believe the raises are too large, some experts say the move is not surprising and other counties are expected to follow.
“Once this happened in Honolulu County it kind of gave license to other salary commissions to give more aggressive raises,” said Hawaii political analyst Colin Moore said. “In part, they could justify it as matching the higher salaries for Honolulu County and state positions.”
The salaries are set to take effect on July 1st….
It comes as the county is facing around 600 vacancies and concerns that the Valley Isle could lose workers to other counties or states….
read … Dozens of Maui County officials to get hefty raises after vote by salary commission
Neighbor island businesses worry of shipping rate hike, tariffs
KHON: … The state Public Utility Commission has been holding public hearings on Young Brothers’ request for a 27% rate increase for interisland cargo.
“Young Brothers is here because it is facing financial distress, its current rates were first approved on an emergency basis in August 2020, almost five years ago,” Kris Nakagawa, vice president of external and legal affairs for Young Brothers, told the PUC during the Oahu hearing.
Those emergency rates were a 46% increase due to the pandemic ….
“Currently, the cost to ship a personal medium size car from Honolulu to Maui one way is approximately $334,” Nakagawa said. “If the commission were to approve YB rate increase, the cost to ship that same vehicle would be approximately $434.” ….
The next PUC public hearing will be on Kauai, on April 14, at 5:30 p.m., at the Lihue State Office Building Conference Room 209.
Maui’s will be on April 30, at 6:15 p.m. at Puu Kukui Elementary School Cafeteria in Wailuku.
And Lanai’s will be on May 1, at 5:30 p.m. at the Lanai Senior Center….
read … Neighbor island businesses worry of shipping rate hike, tariffs
Sports betting: All or Nothing in Conference Committee?
LSR: … Hawaii sports betting legislation is taking a detour on its surprise journey toward legalization, with a chance the progress could fall apart.
After the Senate passed HB 1308 last week with amendments, the House chose not to concur with the Hawaii sports betting legislation Thursday. The legislation now will head to a conference committee to iron out the disagreement.
Hawaii’s legislative session runs until May 1. If the conference committee does not reach an agreement, this year’s surprise sports betting legislative story will fall short…
read … Hawaii Sports Betting Bill In Conference In Attempt To Bridge Gaps
Hawaii Governor calls for increased NZ leadership amid US funding freeze
PMN: … As the United States reviews its long-term commitments, Josh Green says humanitarian assistance and regional collaboration are key to addressing climate and health issues ….
read … Hawaii Governor calls for increased NZ leadership amid US funding freeze
Lahaina Burning to the Ground Fooled 6% More into Believing Global Warming Hype
CB: … More than three-quarters of Maui residents said they were concerned about global warming in 2024, according to a national climate survey conducted annually by Yale University — a six percentage point increase from 2022.
(CLUE: The global warmers are polling this.)
Despite the heightened concern, data shows a disconnect statewide between awareness (our propaganda) of climate change and people’s perception (wisdom) that it will (won’t) touch their lives directly.
Many people in Hawaiʻi continue to think (know) climate change will not impact them directly. Despite the fires, more than 40% of Maui residents said in 2024 that they thought (knew) global warming would influence their lives a little or not at all.
Most people across the state – 78% – said they thought it would be a problem for future generations. Only 58% of people in Hawaii said (after smoking weed) they had personally felt the impacts of global warming. …
(TRANSLATION: 42% are not yet delusional. But the Legislature is working to legalize shrooms.)
read … Data Dive: Worries About Climate Change Spiked On Maui After 2023 Fires - Honolulu Civil Beat
Navy seeks to reactivate wells closed during Red Hill crisis
SA: … More than three years after the Navy shut down two of its Oahu water wells in response to the Red Hill water crisis, the service is now looking to reopen them.
The state Department of Health has given the Navy “conditional approval” to work toward reopening its Aiea-Halawa Shaft. The Navy also has released a draft environmental impact statement on the possibility of building water treatment facilities that eventually would allow it to reactivate its fuel-contaminated Red Hill Shaft, and is soliciting public feedback until Sunday ….
read … Navy seeks to reactivate wells closed during Red Hill crisis
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