HONOLULU-The Department of Land and Natural Resources will hold its first public informational meeting on sea level rise adaptation in Hawai‘i, on Wednesday, June 29, 2016. This meeting will be the first in a series of statewide public informational meetings to be held in an effort to educate people about sea level rise adaptation and gather comments regarding key issues and concerns regarding sea level rise.
OCCL
(HONOLULU) – The Board of Land and Natural Resources (the “Board”) today issued Minute Order No. 9 (the “Order”) in the Contested Case Hearing for the Conservation District Use Application (“CDUA”) for the Thirty Meter Telescope (“TMT”) at the Mauna Kea Science Reserve. In the Order the Board unanimously denied a motion to disqualify retired Hilo judge Riki May Amano as the hearing officer in the case.
(HONOLULU) – All seven members of the Hawai‘i Board of Land and Natural Resources (Board), in a decision released today, directed retired Hawai‘i island Judge Riki May Amano to proceed as the contested case hearing officer for the Conservation Use District Application (CDUA) for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) at the Mauna Kea Science Reserve.
(HONOLULU) – Recognizing that Hawaii is the only island state in the U.S. and that our islands will likely be the first and most dramatically impacted by rising ocean levels, the State Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Committee (ICAC), this week held it’s first-ever sea level rise vulnerability and adaptation workshop.
(HONOLULU) – The DLNR introduces the Hawai‘i Climate Adaptation Portal, a website which includes a vast wealth information on climate change and how it is impacting Hawaii and other coastal states and locations around the world as well as all things related to the Interagency Climate Adaptation Committee (ICAC). The Hawaiian name for the site is Pili Na Mea a Pau, which translated means, “all things are related.” Sam Lemmo, the administrator of the DLNR Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands and Co-chair of the ICAC said, “The impacts of climate change are far reaching and will have dramatic effects on Hawaii’s economy, health, environment and way of life. These impacts are all related and it’s important that we consider them all as we prepare adaptation strategies.”
(HONOLULU) - A beautiful stretch of beach at the base of iconic Diamond Head, in the area known as Cromwells, has reappeared from beneath a jungle of naupaka and beach heliotrop. Property owners, who have homes on the shoreline, received letters from the DLNR Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands (OCCL) asking them to cut back vegetation that encroached onto the public beach from their properties.
(HONOLULU) - Andy Bohlander, a Shoreline Specialist with the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program, working with the DLNR Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands (OCCL), is a man with a lot of miles on his shoes. He is part of the team at OCCL charged with making sure that Hawaii’s public beaches remain accessible to the public and free of encroachments that may inhibit access, like structures and vegetation.
Today Department of Land and Natural Resources, along with Hawaii County Police and assisted by Public Safety Department, took necessary action to preserve and protect public safety and public access on Mauna Kea.
HONOLULU – A relatively rare set of weather conditions led to erosion issues this winter in Waikiki, particularly in the area near the Royal Hawaiian Groin. Sam Lemmo, administrator of the DLNR Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands (OCCL) said, “Weather conditions influence sand deposition in Waikiki. Under normal trade wind conditions, sand generally moves along the shoreline in the Ewa direction. This winter sand has moved in the opposite direction, due to a weather anomaly, resulting in a serious erosion hotspot at the groin.” Kyoya, the owner of the Royal Hawaiian, responded to the “washout” surrounding the stairs, by installing sandbags. Exposed metal on the Royal Hawaiian groin was removed to prevent injuries to ocean users. Late last year, media reports focused on the loss of sand on the beach adjacent to the Kuhio Beach groin.
HONOLULU – Navigating a complicated and time-consuming regulatory path for restoration of traditional fishpond systems in Hawai‘i should soon become more efficient and manageable, thanks to a proposed statewide programmatic general permit process. Statewide public hearings on this proposed process are being held to gather input.