The new guy at the helm of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources insists that Gov. Linda Lingle's mandate to do more with less money is not only reasonable, but doable. DLNR director says
state goals are doableThe land department's new chief
believes in resetting prioritiesBy Diana Leone
dleone@starbulletin.com
"I think the cutting concept, that evaluation process is very, very worthwhile," said Peter Young, who since Jan. 14 heads a department that manages 1.3 million acres of state land, 565 million acres of ocean and is responsible for supervising the people who hunt, fish, hike, boat and play there, plus protecting the plants and animals that live there.
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At full staff, the department has 800 employees and will have a budget of about $72 million next year, after Lingle's requested 5 percent cut.
"I look at it as an opportunity," Young said in a recent interview in his office. "We are looking at ourselves closer because of this than we would have if all the money was there. So, how can we do things faster, better, cheaper, more efficient, more user-friendly to the public?
"It's not hokey. This is what I really believe," said the 51-year-old Kaneohe native, who has lived much of his adult life on the Big Island, serving as the county's deputy managing director for the past two years after a career in real estate.
"Let's really think about it. What are our priorities? If we don't get the money, what does that mean? If (stopping a program) is an unacceptable consequence, then how can we fund that another way?"
Young told the House Finance Committee Jan. 28 that DLNR will meet Lingle's requirement to trim spending of state funds by $1.2 million by not filling vacant positions and by postponing equipment purchases. There are about 175 vacancies now and the department will prioritize filling those slots, Young said.
Young pointed out to the House Finance Committee that DLNR handles all its obligations with just 1 percent of the state budget.
One of the ways Young expects to make that challenge manageable is to call on everyone -- visitors and residents as well as other government agencies -- to view taking care of state lands and waters as a shared responsibility.
"The Legislature cannot look upon us (the DLNR) as the only solution. We need to look at everyone as part of the solution."
Big Isle Mayor Harry Kim said Young was tireless in his efforts to hear all perspectives on an issue when he was working for Hawaii County.
"I used to think I was a workaholic, but this guy puts me to shame," Kim said. "I told Gov. Lingle, 'I think you're going to find you got a tremendous person, your kind of person, a guy that doesn't know the meaning of too much work.'"
Dept. of Land & Natural Resources
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Several proposals
would affect DLNRThese bills, all part of the governor's package, would affect the Department of Land and Natural Resources:
>>SB 1288/HB 1135, Administrative restructuring: Would move the state Office of Planning and Land Use Commission to the DLNR from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Status: Senate bill hasn't been heard. House bill passed on Jan. 31 by the committees on Water, Land Use and Hawaiian Affairs, and Economic Development and Business Concerns.
>> SB 1417/HB 1213, Endangered species: Would allow county and state government entities and private lease lands to participate in "safe harbor" and "habitat conservation plans" with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as a way of protecting endangered species. Status: to be heard by the Senate Energy and Environment Committee at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in room 224; held in the House committees on Energy and Environmental Protection and Water, Land Use and Hawaiian Affairs.
>> SB 1418/HB 1214 Public Land liability: Provides for state and county governments to be shielded to some extent from liability if a person is injured or killed during recreational activity on public lands; requires that state or county governments assess risks and warn of them with uniform signage. Senate bill to be heard by Water, Land, Energy and Agriculture Committee at 1:15 p.m. Monday in room 224. House bill to be heard by the Water, Land Use and Hawaiian Affairs Committee at 9 a.m. Monday in room 312.
Dept. of Land & Natural Resources
