Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 33, Number 4, 1 April 2016 — Legal petition calls for increased stream flow on Maui [ARTICLE]

Legal petition calls for increased stream flow on Maui

The announced closure of the Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar plantation this year has prompted Earthjustice to file a legal petition on behalf of community groups who want to see East Maui stream How increased. Earthjustice is calling on the state Commission on Water Resource Management to increase llows in Nā Wai 'Ehā — Maui's "Four Great Waters" of Waihe'e River, Waiehu Stream, Wailuku River, and Waikapū Stream - now that Alexander & Baldwin is shutting down HC&S, whieh has been the predominant user of up to 80 percent of Nā Wai 'Ehā diversions. In a press release, Earthjustice said

moving toward sustainable agriculture "will mean using less water and leaving more llows in the rivers and streams to restore native ecosystems, revitalize loeal communities and Native Hawaiian culture and recharge puhlie drinking aquifers." The petition was filed on behalf of two Maui conununity groups - Hui o Nā Wai 'Ehā and Maui Tomorrow Foundation. John Duey, president of Hui o Nā Wai 'Ehā, said it was time to right past wrongs and chart a new future. "Nā Wai 'Ehā stream llows are a puhlie trust for all the people and it's time to embrace this kuleana (responsibility) in the 21st century." Maui Tomorrow Executive Director Albert Perez said he grew up in a Hawai'i where "sugar was king" but that time has passed. Now, with the right crops and farming practices, there should be enough water for everyone who needs it, if it's distributed to rellect current conditions. "We desperately need increased stream llows to restore our declining fisheries, recharge the aquifers that supply most of Maui's residents with water, and support more food production from small farms in the fertile lands of Nā Wai 'Ehā." "HC&S's closure is a 'game changer' that compels a new, hard look at Nā Wai 'Ehā's and Maui's water future," said Earthjustice attorney Sununer Kupau-Odo. "We

support efforts to find a new, sustainable model for Maui agriculture that facilitates restoring llows to puhlie rivers and streams. The water was never A&B's and WWC's (Wailuku Water Distribution Company) property to take as they see fit, and they cannot eonhnue to 'hank' it." View the petition at http:// earthjustice.org/sites/default/files/ files/IIFS-Petition-exhibits.pdf.