LEGISLATION
There are bills before the senate and the house that mirror each other that are very important to SUPPORT.

HB 2874 is the companion to SB 2528.
This bill directs that 100% of the proceeds collected from Koke`e and Waimea Canyon State parks will be used for repair and maintenance at Koke`e RATHER THAN BEING SENT INTO A STATEWIDE FUND for DLNR to use as it pleases. This removes the incentive for the state to use Koke`e as an important source of revenue and commercialize it.

HB 2873 is the companion to SB 2529. This bill clarifies that the overriding purpose of the state park system is
CONSERVATION. Unfortunately, the existing language, while clear, has been diluted to be meaningless. We need this additional language to clarify that our state parks must be preserved, not commercialized.

More on the legislation here: http://savekauai.org/community/forum

THE ISSUE
When a public hearing was held for DLNR's Koke'e Master Plan, the Convention Hall was packed. In a series of very moving testimonies, people shared stories of their love for Koke'e. After listening to the public's various concerns, the DLNR created a final Master Plan.

The final plan has not yet been released to the general public, but there has been correspondence between the DLNR and several concerned citizens who first brought the plan to the attention of the public. Unfortunately, Laura Thielen, head of the DLNR, has made it very clear that they wish to use Koke'e as a source of revenue for the DLNR's general budget. The DLNR has NOT released their final Master Plan, so there is no way to know what is included in the plan. When they decide to move forward, they simply have to give a notification (on their website) that the board will be voting on the plan at their next meeting (which will likely be held on Oahu).

Senator Hooser has introduced two pieces of legislation that may help to preserve Koke'e. Watch the SaveKaua'i homepage for updates on these bills (and to find out when to submit testimony).

Some of the most concerning aspects of the original Koke'e Master Plan were:

• development of additional overnight rental cabins between the Water Tank
Lots and the Discovery Center

• construction of new facilities where the lodge and museum buildings are
(this will require "changes to the existing landscape")

• "Mid-sized" (20-passenger) buses will be allowed all the way
up to Kalalau Lookout

• roads widened to 18-feet

• construction of new parking areas

• development of a park entry station that is staffed by uniformed (security?)
officers

• collection of an entry fee at the station (Hawai'i residents will not
have to pay, but will have to show ID upon entering)

• entry fee money will go into a general state park's fund, NOT be used
solely for Koke'e

• possibility of another "DOCARE/Ranger" station building across
from the entry building

• creation of a T-intersection at the lodge area

• additional parking stalls at Kalalau lookout

• construction of a new DLNR baseyard facility

• additional parking and bathrooms at Pu'u Hinahina lookout

• food and souvenir concession at Waimea Canyon lookout

• Restroom and parking lot at mile marker 4

• development of pull-off areas along Waimea Canyon Drive

• auctioning of cabins to the world

• auctioning of vacant parcels to the world to be developed

• creation of additional water wells to meet the needs of all the new proposed
development

• signage at "locations of interest"

To read the full document that this information was pulled from, see "DSP's
Response to Public Comments" below

Related Documents include:

• DSP's Response to Public Comments.
• Summary of the Plan (Word Document) - A summary of some of the main aspects of the Final Master Plan.
• Ho'opono Summary (Word Document) - Ho'opono's suggestions for an improved plan that would better take into consideration the concerns of Kaua'i people. In response to Ho'opono's proposals, Laura Thielen of the DLNR wrote, "The Ho'opono Plan is a good plan in concept but it is essentially a maintenance plan. We need to find ways to guide the management of the parks for the next 25 years and to accommodate the current and future number of park visitors by providing them with a park environment and recreational opportunities that are enanced, informative and safe."

Thus far, nothing has been mentioned about concerning references of "access
to commercial stands of timber and native hardwood, such as koa" (ch5, pg6)
in the original master plan. The following is taken directly from chapter 5, page
14, of the original plan:

"Issues, Opportunities, and Constraints:

• Use native hardwood trees in commercial forestry programs

• Promote commercial uses of native hardwood materials

• Develop woodworking demonstration programs at Koke'e Natural History Museum or CCC Camp

• Timber harvesting operations will create visual impacts in timber stands
between forest reserve areas and the state parks

• Timber operations might require on-site rough processing facilities that
could generate impacts to the surrounding natural areas including noise, dust
and run-off.

• Harvesting activities may begin by 2005, pending development of a timber
management plan. Plan development is dependent on DOFAW staff time and energy.

• Dispersed timber stands greatly increase the cost of commercial extraction,
thereby reducing the potential return on investment and making it more difficult
to attract potential private harvest operators."

Nothing has been mentioned of commercial timber harvesting since, and the public still does not know if the Final Master Plan opens Koke'e up to commercial logging. Please stay informed and continue to hold the DLNR accountable to Kaua'i people's desires to preserve Koke'e!