GOP lawmakers fail to see
environment-economy link

It's great to see House Republican Leader Galen Fox finally writing so passionately about Hawaii's environment (Star-Bulletin, July 22). After all, preserving Hawaii's environment helps to ensure a healthy economy. But the actions of many local Republicans -- as revealed in the Sierra Club's Legislative Scorecard -- suggest that they have yet to make this connection.

The Sierra Club goes through pains to produce a Scorecard that accurately reflects the environmental positions of lawmakers in a nonpartisan, equitable manner. We are loyal only to the environment. Or, to forward Fox's analogy, like a good umpire, we call pitches as we see them, regardless of who is at bat. Many House Republicans, unfortunately, have been striking out on environmental protection.

Not that the Sierra Club hasn't been critical of Democrats for their inaction on certain environmental initiatives during the past session, just as we have openly praised the Lingle administration when it has taken steps for our environment.

Fox complained that the Natural Area Reserve funding bill targeted anti-tax Republican lawmakers because it called for a slight tax increase for high-end property conveyances (currently among the nation's lowest). The strongly backed bill would have provided sorely needed funds for the Reserve system, home to some of the planet's rarest species. He claims that Republicans support full funding for the Natural Area Reserves, but fails to explain where the money would come from.

The bill to repeal automatic permit approval (HB 1029) was included on the scorecard because it is one of the Sierra Club's priorities. Automatic approval allows permits to be approved on the basis of a ticking clock, regardless of effects on land or water. We're not alone in that thinking. Gov. Lingle supports the repeal, and the governor's own senior policy adviser testified in its favor.

Fox asks why we didn't include a Sierra Club-backed bill to expand the environmental review process (HB 1294). It was a unanimous vote, so it would not have aided the public in distinguishing lawmakers' positions. We did not include any unanimous "group hug" votes on the House Scorecard.

Contrary to Fox's assertion, the farm bill (SB 255) was a landmark effort to ensure that farmland is used for farming, not inappropriate development. In fact, the bill cleared the Legislature in unanimous votes in April 2003, but after Lingle vetoed it, all the Republicans switched their positions to go against the veto override. How could this flip-flop be anything but politically motivated? Unfortunately, traditionally "green" GOP lawmakers like Rep. Cynthia Thielen got caught in the partisan wave, and her environmental score suffered.

Fox couldn't be more off base in his criticism of the shoreline protection bill, SB 1556 . This measure to clarify the process by which Hawaii's shorelines are certified for development passed with the support of more than 93 percent of representatives -- including a majority of the Republicans. The bill would require certifiers to use either the vegetation line or the highest wash of waves, whichever is further mauka. The Sierra Club has no quarrel with using the vegetation line as a marker as long as that vegetation is not artificially put there by the homeowner -- something SB 1556 would have prevented.

Oddly, Fox criticizes the bill to help stop "gentleman estates" on farmland (HB 2166) -- a measure he supported. Is party loyalty so strong that Republican lawmakers will abandon their own positions?

Fox also voted against bills to reward those who bust illegal dumpers (SB 3092, signed into law), prevent muddy runoff (HB 2924), create a land preservation fund (HB 1951), keep gated communities from blocking access to shorelines and mountain areas (HB 2167) and allow taxpayers to contribute to beach protection (HB 1946).

Fox is right about one thing: It is time for less partisanship on the environment. We look forward to the day when local Republicans get back to their "conservation" roots.