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Witnesses urge formal inclusion of Hawaiian stakeholders in Kalaupapa transition plan
Summary
Testimony on HB 2799 highlighted years-long planning for Kalaupapa without formal community records or stakeholder inclusion; an individual witness urged adding OHA, Kaohana o Kalaupapa and Topside Molokai voices to any transition working group.
Chair Mark Castro opened the hearing on HB 2799, which the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and other agencies listed in support.
DeGrave Vanderbilt, testifying as an individual on Zoom, told the committee that an interagency working group formed in 2015 produced no minutes or recordings and failed to identify a schedule for including non-government stakeholders. "Lack of meaningful communication is part of the transition discussions needs to be addressed," Vanderbilt said, and he urged the Legislature to include the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Kaohana o Kalapapa and representatives from Topside Molokai in decision-making.
Vanderbilt also cited the federal public law that created Kalaupapa, noting a provision that directs the Secretary of the Interior to reevaluate management when "there's no longer a patient community," and he warned that the federal role could change policies in the future if local stakeholders are not involved now.
DLNR representatives told the committee that planning work on ownership and maintenance coordination is already underway with state and county partners and that the bill would help formalize a plan. Committee members asked DLNR to clarify which state lands and airstrip facilities fall under state ownership versus National Park Service agreements; DLNR replied that NPS acts as the "boots on the ground" manager under agreements with state agencies.
The committee did not take a final vote on HB 2799 during this session; the chair indicated related measures may be carried forward on a different vehicle for a later hearing. The committee record shows agencies standing on written testimony and individuals urging explicit statutory inclusion of Native Hawaiian stakeholders as the next step in transition planning.
