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A bill that would allow the state Commission on Water Resource Management to hire its own legal counsel is receiving pushback from the state’s largest law firm: the attorney general’s office. HPR's Kuʻuwehi Hiraishi explains.
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Following the August fires in West Maui, a key issue remains the ongoing struggle for water rights. A proposal currently advancing in the Legislature aims to strengthen the state Water Code and safeguard the Commission on Water Resource Management from outside influence. HPR’s Kuʻuwehi Hiraishi reports.
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Kaleo Manuel has been the Commission on Water Resource Management’s first deputy for four years. He was the first Native Hawaiian to hold the position. He was accused of restricting water access during the Maui fires and was subsequently reassigned. But after public backlash and a lawsuit, Manuel was reinstated to his position in October.
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Kaleo Manuel, Deputy of the state Commission on Water Resource Management, is back at work after a controversial redeployment following the Aug. 8 wildfires in West Maui.
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Taro patches once dominated the landscape in Lāhainā, with more than 1,700 recorded in the region in the mid-1800s. But once water started being diverted for sugar cane cultivation, taro farmers from Kauaʻula Valley fought back in one of the earliest recorded legal battles over water rights in West Maui. HPR's Kuʻuwehi Hiraishi has the story.
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AG will not reinstate water official anytime soon, despite calls from some in the Hawaiian communitySeveral dozen prominent Native Hawaiian leaders gathered at the Capitol last week to voice their concerns about the redeployment of Water Commission Deputy Kaleo Manuel. They are calling on an apology from the Green administration and Manuel's reinstatement.
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Water Commission Chairperson Dawn Chang’s unilateral decision to redeploy Deputy Director Kaleo Manuel immediately sparked serious concerns from Water Commissioner Neil Hannahs. The move also triggered a lawsuit by West Maui residents Kekai Keahi and Jen Kamahoʻi Mather.
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Lahaina was formerly the “Venice of the Pacific,” an area famed for its lush environment, natural and cultural resources, and its abundant water resources in particular. But recent fires have prompted a deeper dive into the history of West Maui's water management and the long-running dispute over water use in the area. HPR's Kuʻuwehi Hiraishi reports.
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A water shortage watch, like the one in the vicinity of Pearl Harbor on Oʻahu, involves zero cutbacks. But commissioners are considering what it may take to declare an emergency.
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The Navy received a potential notice of water use earlier this summer for overpumping the Waiawa Shaft on Oʻahu. It’s only recently come to light that the shaft is currently experiencing a leak via a meeting last week. HPR's Sabrina Bodon reports.