Mahalo to House Finance Chair Kyle Yamashita for holding a hearing on this important bill.
SB1136_SD1, the bill that requests a carrying capacity study for Mākena State Park (aka Oneloa Beach) will be heard by the Committee on Finance this Wednesday, April 5th at 2pm. Please note that the House Water and Land committee modified the previous version of the bill to have the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development conduct the study (instead of having State Parks do it). Maui Tomorrow supports this amendment (for more details, please see our previous post about HB702/SB1136).
This is our opportunity to let our legislators know that this bill is a priority for our community. For details about the hearing, you can read the hearing agenda at https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/…/HEARING_FIN_04-05-23_.HTM . You can see the language of the bill here: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/…/bills/SB1136_SD1_.HTM
How to show your support:
- IN WRITING: Written testimony is due 24 hours before the hearing, so the deadline to submit your support in writing is 1:59pm on Tuesday, April 4th. You can submit testimony online by creating an account or logging in at https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/account/submittestimony.aspx and searching for SB1136, selecting SB1136 from the options, and then selecting “Written Testimony” and sharing why you support the bill.
- VIA ZOOM/VIDEO CONFERENCE: The Finance Committee will meet at 2pm, and SB1136 is the second item on the agenda. If you will be testifying by video conference, follow the steps for the “In Writing” option above, and instead of selecting “Written Testimony,” selection the option that reads “Remotely via Zoom & Submitting Written Testimony.” You can find complete instructions on how to testify here: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/…/testimonyinstructions.pdf
- How to watch the hearing:
You can watch the hearing live on the Hawaiʻi House of Representatives YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvoLAX1ww3e63K8qQ5of0bw
Background information about the bill to help your testimony:
Mākena State Park was established as a result of dedicated community action to create a state park at Mākena instead of allowing development near the shoreline. Since then, Mākena State Park has been one of the most popular beach parks on Maui among both residents and visitors. Due to overtourism and the increasing tourism volume at Mākena State Park, residents are often unable to access the park due to lack of parking. Additionally, the park is at risk of irreparable harm due to overuse and lack of action to monitor the number of people who can access the park daily.
You can help protect this precious resource! SB1136 would require the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to conduct a carrying capacity study at Mākena State Park, in order to help determine the amount of use the park can handle long-term. This is a critical first step in ensuring that Mākena State Park is well-managed and sustained for future generations to enjoy. Please testify and let our elected representatives know how much you care about our park!
Mahalo for Protecting Mauiʻs Future!
