Groups demand
action from DLNR

Two Hawaii environmental groups and a law firm that advocates for native Hawaiians are calling for major changes at the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.

The Sierra Club, Hawaii's Thousand Friends and The Native Hawaiian Legal Corp. yesterday asked that DLNR Director Peter Young address their concerns within two months or resign.

"Peter Young is failing as the CEO of the state's natural and cultural treasures and trustee of the state's biggest trust, the ceded lands trust," said Jeff Mikulina, director of the Hawaii Chapter of the Sierra Club.

Change is needed at the department to "reverse its current downward spiral of mismanagement, funding and staff cuts, and placing private interests above the public trust," Mikulina said. The groups demand that Young:

Young responded that he is interviewing potential deputy directors and that he will cooperate with a legislative audit if one is ordered. But he stressed that any audit won't have results for a year or more, and he's ready to talk with anyone who has concerns about the department.

Young said he's had an "open-door" policy with department staff and members of the public and doesn't know why some are blaming him for problems that he says he "inherited" at the large department.

"My concern is the resources, not what people think," he said.

Young said that during his two years on the job:

OHA administrator Clyde Namuo said that he and OHA Chairwoman Haunani Apoliona had a "very positive conversation" Friday with Young and Lingle's chief of staff, Bob Awana.

In a statement yesterday, Lingle said, "I continue to have full confidence in Peter Young's ability to oversee the management and stewardship of Hawaii's natural and cultural resources."

"Two years ago, Peter inherited a department that had systemic problems as identified by the state auditor. Realizing that he could not allow this department to run in the same manner, Peter initiated realistic goals to protect our precious environment," Lingle said.