State seeks permit PORT ALLEN, Kauai >> In a move likely to set off another controversy, the state Airports Division has again filed for a permit from Kauai County to renovate Burns Field, a rarely used airstrip on Kauai's west side.
to revive Kauai field
The move is the latest in a
controversy over the
Burns Field airstripBy Anthony Sommer
tsommer@starbulletin.com
Built in 1928, Burns Field, also known as Port Allen Airport, was Kauai's original commercial airstrip. But today it is used regularly only by Inter-Island Helicopters -- both for tours and for operating Kauai's only rescue helicopter service under the name Air-1 -- and a few ultralight-aircraft hobbyists.
Although the controversy goes back at least a decade, the most recent fight over renovating Burns Field began in 1999 when the Airports Division asked the Kauai Planning Commission for a special management permit to put in hangars, aircraft tie-downs and runway lights at the airstrip.
The loudest opponents were West Side residents opposed to the noise from additional air traffic.
But the most effective was a soft-spoken librarian.
Wilma Holi, one of Kauai's best-known native Hawaiian activists and the chief librarian at Waimea High School, was granted intervenor status in the Planning Commission case as a representative of Hawaiian families who traditionally have gathered salt from the lava ponds adjoining the airport.
Holi said in her contested-case hearing that a fuel spill could destroy the ancient salt ponds. The state argued that in 70 years of operation at Burns Field, the ponds always have been protected from contamination.
Holi also claimed Burns Field lies in the path of the Night Marchers, the souls of the dead who walk to the sea to enter the netherworld. Under cross-examination, she conceded that if the Night Marchers can walk through houses and cars, they probably can walk through hangars and helicopters as well.
Before the Planning Commission could vote, Holi took the state to court, but not on the issues of fuel spills or Night Marchers. She argued the Airports Division had violated the law by failing to consider a "do nothing" option when it prepared its environmental assessment.
The court agreed and told the Airports Division to conduct a new study. The Planning Commission put the matter on hold until the study was completed.
Meanwhile, in 2000, Inter-Island Helicopters was evicted from the property it used to store its helicopters at night. It was using Burns Field only for daytime operations and keeping the aircraft in a rented building at night.
Ken D'Attilio, the company's owner and chief pilot, accused his landlord, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, of retaliating against him for supporting improvements to Burns Field and opposing the Hawaiians who use the salt ponds.
Noting Kauai would be without a helicopter rescue service if Inter-Island did not have a base, the Airports Division allowed D'Attilio to move a large truck trailer outfitted as an office onto Burns Field. He also was allowed to install an 8,000-gallon fuel tank.
Kauai County responded in January 2001 by citing the Airports Division for allowing D'Attilio to put up the structures without a permit.
In October the Airports Division finally responded to the county citation by issuing D'Attilio an eviction notice. But he has not moved, and the state has not tried to force him off the tarmac.
Then, two months ago, the Airports Division issued its new environmental assessment with a "finding of no significant impact." And it renewed its request for county permits.
Where the matter now stands is confused:
>> Kauai County Planning Director Dee Crowell said he has received the permit request from the state. But Crowell said he is waiting to see if Holi is going back to court to again challenge the state's environmental study.
>> Holi's attorney, Arnold Lum of the Native Hawaiian Legal Corp., said his client has not decided yet. But he noted the state has not included the 8,000-gallon fuel tank in its permit request, and he believes the Airports Division should either remove it or ask for a county permit to keep it there.
>> Acting State Aviation Administrator Roy Sakata said the state plans to go ahead with its permit request. But Sakata said that with funding cutbacks and high priority given to security facilities, there will be no money to build anything at Burns Field in the foreseeable future even if the state obtains the county permits.
>> All this came as news to Sen. Jonathan Chun (D, Kauai). "The last thing the Airports Division told me was, they were going to withdraw all their permit requests. I have no idea why they've taken a 180-degree turn," Chun said.
"And if there's no money for the project, why are they spending valuable time and effort trying to obtain permits for it?" he asked.
State of Hawaii
