Take Action Now to Restore the Water to East Maui Streams &
Support Traditional Taro Farmers of Hawaii!
CLICK HERE TO SEND A SUPPORT LETTER NOW!
salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2699/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=25933
Water Theft in East Maui Koolau
One look at East Maui and it is plain to see that the waterfalls along the road to Hana have been drained to a trickle, the stream beds run dry, the ponds are not much more than mud puddles, and the taro patches are scorched. Ever asked why?
The answer is: EMI.
EMI is "East Maui Irrigation Company." A corporation that has been diverting water from the streams of East Maui for centuries to irrigate the industrial agriculture of its fellow corporations and at the expense of taro farmers and subsistence practitioners that have constitutionally protected rights (first dibs) to the water.
The small taro farming communities of East Maui have been facing a HUGE injustice by these BIG corporations. The water that should be in the streams of East Maui has been illegally diverted by sugar cane industrialists. These corporations have been taking way more water than they need at the expense of an entire watershed ecosystem, aquifer and generations of traditional taro farming- all of which depend entirely upon in-stream water flow.
Finally, after 7 years in this current chapter of the legal battle, there is an opportunity for all of the public to speak up with the taro farmers of East Maui and demand that fundamental and constitutional water rights be upheld. This seemingly isolated community case actually has MAJOR statewide legal implications that can effect all taro farming, basic human water rights and natural ecosystem protections.
Send a letter of support to the State Commission on Water Resources Management, your letter will be submitted as testimony at the hearing even if you cannot go to the hearing. It does not matter, if you are not a Maui resident. You can still care and can definitely participate this historic event.
CLICK HERE TO easily SEND A SUPPORT LETTER NOW!
salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2699/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=25933
Deadline to submit testimony is Tuesday Sept. 23.
If you are on Maui, come to the hearing!
Show up to demonstrated strong support for the taro farmers and Hawaii's natural resources. Your solidarity is important to make it clear that ALL of the public cares about the health and traditions of the East Maui taro farming communities.
Water Commission Hearing on the Restoration of Water Flow to 8 East Maui Streams
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 24, 2008
Haiku Community Center
1 pm (to continue into the evening)
Please note: The commission intends to allow the opportunity for those who work during the day to appear and testify in the evening. The actual hearing start time is 11 AM, so that the commission can consider A&B/EMI's Motion to Consolidate Petitions, which should take up the first hour or two, after which it is anticipated that they will recess for lunch until they start with the hearing on the amendment of interim instream flow standards for the 8 streams.
Water is life.
East Maui farmers & families have been trying to get water flow restored to their streams for over a century. The state constitution is on the side of the farmers & native ecosystem, clearly stating that communities have a right to in-stream water flows necessary to maintain ecosystem health and traditional taro farming.
Unfortunately, the public officials whose should be upholding the constitution have frustrated the effort by refusing to act and stalling the legal process on behalf of large corporations. These companies hardly need more help in profiting off of the destruction of Hawaiiʻs natural resources & traditional communities.
The taro farmers and community members continue to ask that their rights be enforced and at least enough water be returned to support their traditional farming and restore health to an endangered ecosystem that is habitat to native & endemic Hawaiian plants and animals.
For complete background on this important issue, please see Native Hawaiian Legal Corporationʻs informational webpage: http://nhlchi.org/highlights2.htm
For information on recent self help measures to save parched taro loi by taro farmers in East Maui, see KAHEAʻs blog: http://kahea.wordpress.com/2008/07/29/self-help-restoring-stream-flow/
The Commission Meeting Agenda for September 2008 has been posted on the CWRM Website at: http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/cwrm/newsevents_commissionmtg.htm
Mahalo a nui!
Us Guys at KAHEA: The Hawaiian-Environmental Alliance
www.kahea.org
http://blog.kahea.org
toll-free phone/fax: 888-528-6288
E ho`omalu kakou i ka pono, ke `ano o ka nohona a me ka `aina mai na kupuna mai
Protecting Native Hawaiian Traditional and Customary Rights and Our Fragile Environment
Replies
MAUI WATER DECISION TO SET PRECEDENT FOR STREAM FLOW STANDARDS:CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO
A marathon meeting on the stream protection and management of East Maui waterways recessed after 10 o’clock last night as more than 75 people and a standing room only crowd of 250 packed the Haiku Community Center. The state Commission on Water Resource Management is reviewing a petition filed on behalf of East Maui taro farmers and the group Na Moku Aupuni o Koolau Hui who claim water has been diverted for more than 100 years to irrigate the 30,000 acres of sugar cane in Central Maui. Wailuanui Taro Farmer Ed Wendt called the depletion of water heartbreaking and compared the dry streams to a dried up heiau or temples. The petition seeks a return of more than 12 million gallons of water a day to hydrologic units that feed water to streams in Honopou, Hanehoi, Piinaau, Waiokamilo and Wailuanui. Dozens of workers from HC&S and East Maui Irrigation Company also attended the meeting in force. Officials from the companies claim the recommendations are based on insufficient information and argue the economic impact of denying off-stream use has not been considered. The East Maui Irrigation system consists of 388 separate intakes, 24 miles of ditches and 50 miles of tunnels. The companies are seeking a broader ruling on all 27 streams. The case has been called unprecedented in scope. Public testimony continues at 9 o’clock this morning with questions for staff to follow and the decision making process set to begin. (Posted: 7:30 a.m. 9/25/08) © Pacific Radio Group & Mauitoday.tv 2008.