Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 7, Number 5, 1 May 1990 — Agreement reached on H-3 [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Agreement reached on H-3

By Ann L. Moorc Assistant Editor, Publications The OHA Board of Trustees has accepted and approved a plan for the H-3 construction on O'ahu whieh should save the most likely site (G5-106) of the heiau Kuku'iokane in Luluku, Kane'ohe and mueh of the adjacent agricultural terraces. The state has agreed to a re-alignment of the H3 route and modification of construction to assure the upper terraces of site G5-86 are preserved. Further, every reasonable effort will be made to preserve as mueh as possible of the lower terraces. This care includes burying the terraces with a thick layer of fill to preserve them. The ramp design near Site G5-106 will be modified to avoid the area. To insure public access to Site G5-106, trustees voted that the state shall acquire 10 acres of land from Minami Corporation in fee simple. The property extends between H-3 and Likelike Highway and encompasses all the known remains of G5106. Among the obstacles to a resolution was a laek of unanimity among archaeologists and surveyors on the exact location of Kuku'iokane and, indeed, whether the heiau existed in the area at all. Trustees were also concerned about how to save the ancient agricultural terraces whieh lay in H-3's path, part of whieh some people thought could be Kuku'iokane. There were many studies of the site over an extended time. Finally, the board of trustees requested that all parties wait for additional reports before a final decision was made. As now completed, a report by archaeologist Scott Williams has identified overt in-ground evidence of sacred functions at Site G5-106. He adviced the trustees that, in his considered opinion, the site is a major remnant of Kuku'iokane. Sites G5-86 and G5- 1 10, while they may be associated with the heiau, show no direct evidence of traditional sacred use in either recorded descriptions of historian McAllister's native informant in historical records, or in archaeological records. Further complicating the situation were the concerns of the Watson family members about possible damage the construction would cause. Trustees assisted the state Department of Transportation and the Watson family in working out an agreement to meet the family's concerns. Specifically, the Watsons were concerned that

| construction would increase the rain and water run-off problems whieh already exist in the area; that there would be damage to graves in a known historic cemetery in the area; that the construction would not allow the family access to their homes; that the quality and use of a fresh water spring would be affected and that there would be no buffer zone between the family homes, an ancient cemetery and the construction work. | Following a discussion with the trustees, the family, Linda Delaney of OHA's Division of Land and Natural Resources,and representativesof the state's Department of Transportation metoutside the boardroom, pored over maps of the area of H3, and discussed many options for ameliorating the problem. Over a period of fime, concensus was reached. The mutual concerns of all three parties were addressed in the trustees' adoption of a motion recommended by the board's committee on external affairs. (See mitigation agreements in Board Business on page 2 of this issue.) OHA's Linda Delaney said, in a written report to trustees that acceptance of the proposed route with some ramp modifications and additional protection of Site G5-106 offered the best protection and would do the least harm of the several options open. She wrote: "While we may never know with absolute certainty the full extent, function, or interrelationship of the three sites (...) our effort has been to assure the greatest protection possible for all sites, and to provide special care for that area whieh is demonstrably sacred." The trustees directed that OHA (through its Division of Land and Natural Resources) continue to monitor the construction and the agreements reached with the Watson family for the duration of the H-3 construction.

The state engineers, Watson family members and OHA's Land and Natural Resources officer consulted maps of the H-3 ramps near the Watson family property as part of the

■; mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. agreement process on how to minimize damage to the area from the highway construction. I i