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Residents and advocates urge public stewardship, transparency and indigenous consultation in MLP acquisition
Summary
Multiple public testifiers, including a local journalist and Kanaka Maoli speakers, told the committee they support reclaiming water from private owners but insisted the county negotiate to protect community priorities, avoid giving away credits or entitlement concessions, and consult indigenous and local stakeholders.
A series of public testifiers urged the committee to treat the potential acquisition as an opportunity to restore public stewardship while protecting local community rights and transparency. Tyler Sonamaker, who identified himself as cofounder of a local journalism group, summarized community reporting that called for reprioritizing water for local communities, reclaiming systems from private owners, and insisting on strong county negotiation to avoid deals that favor prior owners: "...they want to see water reprioritized for and for local communities, not private interest," Tyler said.
Kanaka Maoli and other community speakers said public ownership must be paired with governance changes and consultation so decision‑making is not just a change in ownership. Kapali Keahi and other indigenous witnesses stressed that canal and watershed decisions have historically been made without giving priority to Kanaka Maoli and asked the county to ensure genuine involvement of affected landowners and descendant communities during negotiations and any land or credit transfers.
