Here’s another legislative alert, this time courtesy of Hawaii’s 1000 Friends.

BEWARE – your legislators have launched an aggressive attack on our islands environment. Tuesday 2/28 House Finance Committee will hear 4 of the bad bills.
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2012/hearingnotices/HEARING_FIN_02-28-12_2_.HTM

Testimony is needed to remind our elected officials that they work on our behalf and we do not want our environment destroyed in their pursuit of expediency and jobs. Send a copy of your testimony to Governor Abercrobie whose guiding principles in his NEW DAY PLAN are Consider the interests of people many generations into the future; Sustainable use and management of natural resources; Long?term planning; Taking responsibility for our own mess; Personal responsibility and leading by example.
http://www.neilabercrombie.com/index.php/issues/more/environment_and_natural_resources/

HB 1813 HD1 – (introduced by SAY) exempts any state or county Capital Improvement Project (CIP) from the counties Special Management Area permitting process. Under the SMA process counties assess and regulate development proposals in the SMA for compliance with Hawaii’s Coastal Zone Management program objectives and policies. Public participation in the SMA process is critical and would be eliminated should any of the anti-SMA bills pass. Click for text.

HB 2613 (governor package) exempts all work involving submerged lands used for state commercial harbor purposes from permitting and site plan approval established for lands in the conservation district. Click for text.

HB 1893 (introduced by SAY) exempts all state and county projects from Chapter 343 EIS review process regardless whether the state or county land is within (A) a historic site, (B) a shoreline area, or (C) Waikiki. Each project does not (A) require a land use map change of a county general plan, development plan or community plan, (B) reclassification of land by the LUC our county, (C) a zoning variance or (D) an amendment of any rule of the Hawaii Community Development Authority. Click for text.

HB 530 proposed HB 1 (Yamashita, Chang, Har) – creates a new SMA process for state projects for counties to grant or deny a SMA use permit. Under the new rules a county has (1) 10 days to determine if state use, activity or proposed by state agency is not a development, (2) development proposed by a state agency is exempt from SMA use or minor permit, (3) 45 days to grant or deny SMA use permit, and (4) 30 days to grant or deny a SMA use minor permit. If a county does not take any action then the state project shall be exempted from SMA use or minor permit and granted a SMA use or minor permit without conditions. Click for text.

Donna Wong
Executive Director
Hawaii’s Thousand Friends
Phone/fax: 808-262-0682
www.hawaiis1000friends.org