Department of Hawaiian Home Lands

Hawaiian Homes Commission Rejects Anahola Green Energy Project

Overwhelming Opposition by the Anahola Community

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 28, 2013

ANAHOLA, KAUA‘I — The Hawaiian Homes Commission rejected a proposal today by Green Energy Team, LLC, to lease 2,134 acres of Hawaiian home lands in Anahola for its proposed Anahola Renewable Energy Project. The 3-5 vote comes after two days of public feedback on the project, with 80 percent of testimony in opposition.

“While there were merits to the project, there were also a number of concerns that remained unresolved. I am encouraged that several in the Anahola community wanted a chance to be a part of the ultimate goal of getting these lands ready for homesteading. They want a chance to have their voices heard,” said Jobie Masagatani, Chair of the Hawaiian Homes Commission, and Director of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL), “We look forward to working closely with the people of Anahola to explore ideas on the future use of these lands.”

As proposed, the 20-year lease would have allowed Green Energy to clear existing albizia trees from DHHL’s Anahola lands and establish a tree plantation to fuel Green Energy’s $90-million biomass-to-energy facility in Kōloa.

In return, DHHL would have received monetary and other benefits, including improvements to Anahola lands.

Voting for the majority were Commissioners Perry Artates, Leimana DaMate, Gene Ross Davis, Renwick “Uncle Joe” Tassill, and Chair Masagatani.Commissioners Jeremy “Kama” Hopkins, Ian Lee Loy, and Michael Kahikina voted in support of the project.

###

MEDIA CONTACT

Darrell T. Young
Deputy to the Chair
Department of Hawaiian Home Lands
(808) 620-9510
[email protected]