Maui mayor urges state land board to deny East Maui water lease
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The Hawaii Board of Land and Natural Resources heard hours of testimony Friday over a state proposal to issue 30-year water licenses rather than allow Maui County to take control of one of the island’s largest water systems.
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Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said the county has been seeking control of the East Maui Irrigation system for two years.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), however, recommended auctioning a long-term water license to Mahi Pono, which farms thousands of acres in central Maui, while setting aside a portion of the water for the county department.
The testimony ran for more than eight hours Friday.
Supporters and opponents weigh in
East Maui traditional farmers, cultural leaders, and environmental groups testified in support of county control and opposed the license for Mahi Pono, which allows the company to draw up to 88 million gallons of water per day.
Mary Ann Kamalani Pahukoa, an East Maui cultural practitioner, said the board has an opportunity to act.
“This generation has an opportunity to make history, move beyond corporate control,” Pahukoa said.
State land managers said the state Commission on Water Resource Management can protect traditional water users by setting minimum stream flows, and argued that mixed land ownership makes county ownership of the system impractical.
Lauren Yasaka of the Department of Land and Natural Resources said Mahi Pono’s ownership of specific parcels and infrastructure presents a barrier to the county’s direct transport of water, giving the company leverage to dismantle a key element of the system.
“We cannot force people to transport water on our behalf — I want to make that very clear that that is a problem,” Yasaka said.
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Yasaka also said all state licenses give officials the right to change terms to meet public trust obligations, such as raising stream levels if ordered by the water commission.
Mayor urges board against long-term lease decision
Bissen urged the board not to approve a lease arrangement that could limit the county’s options for decades.
“I am asking you not to make a 30-year decision that closes the door on the future of the people of Maui who have asked for us to pursue this,” Bissen said.
Bissen and the county water director said they are ready to staff and have the financial resources to take over within months, if allowed.
Mahi Pono, environmentalists also weigh in
Mahi Pono, which is owned by a Canadian pension fund, said it needs a long-term guarantee of water for its current crops and to increase production.
The company was supported by the state Department of Agriculture as key to meeting goals to increase local agricultural producing and reduce imported food.
Attorneys for the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation and Sierra Club environmentalists said the state proposal contains errors and legal policy flaws that could lead to contested hearings and lawsuits if approved.
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