Enforcement tops environmentalists' agenda

Invasive species, the Superferry, carbon dioxide and depleted uranium are all items environmentalists plan to take up with the Hawaii Legislature in its 2007 session.

But one issue rises above all others: the need for more enforcement.

"We can have all the rules in the world. If they're never enforced, it's ... kind of pointless," said Cha Smith, executive director of KAHEA, an advocacy group for environmental and native Hawaiian causes.

ECOLOGY AND THE LEGISLATURE THE SESSION: In the final weeks before the 2007 legislative session begins Jan. 18, legislators, the administration and Hawaii's special interest groups are polishing their legislative plans for the year. THE ENVIRONMENT: Environmentalists will urge lawmakers to pass a variety of conservation-focused plans including requiring an environmental impact statement for the Superferry. But one of the biggest deals of the session appears to be Gov. Linda Lingle's plan to boost funding to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources up 72 percent compared to 2002. WHEN WILL WE KNOW: Many of the details of the state's two-year budget aren't worked out until the final days of the session, which this year ends May 4. And the fate of any law is uncertain until Lingle issues her vetos after the session and lawmakers later decide whether they will override them. On the Net: » KAHEA: www.kahea.org » The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii: www.nature.org » Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter: www.hi.sierraclub.org Associated Press

After suffering years of low funding, money to the Department of Land and Natural Resources has been increasing in recent years -- reflecting the state's changing fortunes and more support for the environment from both the Democrat-controlled Legislature and the Republican governor, some advocates say.

Included in this year's expanded budget from Gov. Linda Lingle is $5 million to boost the number of officers enforcing Hawaii environmental laws by 40 to 150 over two years.

Overall, Gov. Linda Lingle wants to expand funding for the state agency to $102 million in fiscal year 2008, which begins July 1, and $103 million in 2009. That's about a 72 percent increase over 2002's budget of $60 million.

KAHEA, The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii and the Sierra Club's Hawaii Chapter all said they plan to push for strong support of the administration's effort to increase law enforcement for Hawaii's land and nearshore waters.

Conservationists, fishermen and other competing interests may have disagreements, but, "I think we all agree that enforcement is an area that really has been lacking," said Mark Fox, director of external affairs of The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii.

Smith said her group is also looking to have a bill introduced to make sure ammunition coated with depleted uranium is not used by the military in its Hawaii training. The armor-piercing shells leave behind a fine radioactive dust with a half-life of 4.5 billion years. "Once the horse is out of the barn, it's kind of too late to even deal with it. So it's really important the we are assertive and say, 'We don't want it used here,' " Smith said.

The Army has said it found depleted uranium at a base in Central Oahu in the remains of training rounds used in the 1960s. It said the material had a low level of radioactivity and was not dangerous.

KAHEA also will support pushes for an environmental impact statement for the Superferry, tougher reviews for building permits and removing authority over Mauna Kea from the hands of the University of Hawaii.

The Nature Conservancy is looking into legislation that would make it easier for coastal towns to establish community-based management plans for their nearshore waters. For now, the process usually requires that each town petition the Legislature individually.

The group also plans to urge lawmakers to shore up funding for efforts to combat invasive species in the islands.

Hawaii passed a handful of energy bills last session but more needs to be done to lessen the state's contribution to global warming, said Jeff Mikulina, director of Sierra Club of Hawaii.

Like KAHEA and The Nature Conservancy, the Sierra Club is still ironing out its strategies for the 2007 session.

The Sierra Club will get behind the effort to require an environmental impact statement for the Superferry as well as some issues that have come up in years past, such as creating a program to allow people to redeem their bottle deposits at local stores rather than redemption centers.

Among the other possibilities that Sierra Club is looking into are bills to limit carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases produced in the state. It would be similar to California's landmark law signed last year.