Department of Land and Natural Resources

Aquatic biologists and marine conservationists are bracing themselves for the possible introduction of a deadly coral pathogen to Hawaiʻi's waters. In the last decade, stony coral tissue loss disease has infected the entirety of Florida's reef system and spread to more than 20 countries and territories in the Caribbean. HPR's Savannah Harriman-Pote reports on Hawaiʻi's first line of defense and what it could learn from abroad.

Gov. Josh Green has nominated the eight members of the new Maunakea Stewardship and Oversight Authority. On July 1, a transition period begins to transfer control of Maunakea away from the University of Hawaiʻi. HPR's Kuʻuwehi Hiraishi reports on what the authority has done so far.

Hawaiʻi’s ranchers say they cannot continue to watch pasture land reduced year after year under state land leases that are not managed by the Department of Agriculture. A priority is to have some 100,000 acres of public pasture and farmland transferred from the DLNR. The Conversation's Catherine Cruz spoke with local ranchers about the state of the industry.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is working to track ʻio, the native hawk, in the Ka‘ū Forest Reserve on Hawaiʻi Island.

House Bill 1254 and Senate Bill 1144 would appropriate the proper funds needed to put a coordinator in charge of organizing and responding to houseless individuals on lands regulated by the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

The lawsuit alleges that the Department of Land and Natural Resources failed to require an environmental impact statement for the proposed pumped storage hydro project on Kauaʻi's west side. The facility would divert a rolling average of 11 million gallons a day from the Waimea River. HPR's Savannah Harriman-Pote has more.

Several bills have been introduced, with some proposing a $50 environmental license for purchase. Visitors who spend the money would have access to state parks, beaches and trails for up to one year.

A whale that washed ashore on Kauaʻi over the weekend likely died in part because it ate large volumes of fishing traps, fishing nets, plastic bags and other marine debris.

The proposal would prohibit vendors, who rent out items such as beach chairs and umbrellas, from setting up equipment on public beaches without customers present.

Hawaiʻi lawmakers are considering a bill that would strengthen protections of Hawaiian burials or iwi along the islands’ coastlines. However, the challenge is locating these sites before they are compromised by coastal erosion. HPR's Kuʻuwehi Hiraishi reports.