Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture, to which was referred Governor's Message No. 12, submitting for study and consideration the nomination of:

begs leave to report as follows:

Upon review of the background information submitted by the nominee, your Committee finds that Peter T. Young was born and raised in Hawaii, with a long family history in the State. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, with a major in real estate, from the University of Hawaii. For twenty-five years he worked in the private sector, mainly operating a variety of small businesses relating to real estate sales, management, consulting, and appraisal. During the past two years, he served as the Deputy Managing Director of Hawaii County. Throughout his adult life, Mr. Young has been very active in community, business, and professional organizations, including the Kona Board of Realtors, Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce, Big Island Business Council, Waimea Community Association, Red Cross State Board, and West Hawaii Advisory Council of the Red Cross. He also was the West Hawaii Disaster Chair, Aid Stations Director for the Ironman Triathlon, and Vice Chair of the Board of the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority.

Testimony in support of the nominee was submitted to your Committee by: the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR); Kaho`olawe Island Reserve Commission; the County of Hawaii's Mayor, Managing Director, Executive Assistant to the Mayor, Department of Parks and Recreation, Planning Department, and Police Department; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; the Commission on Water Resource Management; American Red Cross; the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority; Kaupulehu Developments; Hawaii Leeward Planning Conference; Waimea Water Services, Inc.; Mac Farms of Hawaii; Parker Ranch; McCandless Ranch; the Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii; R.M. Towill Corporation; Akinaka & Associates, Ltd.; Big Island Film Office; Kamehameha Schools, Hawaii Island Region; Ka Pa Hula o Kauanoe O Wa`ahila, Hawaii Forest & Trail; Construction Technology Pacific, Inc.; a former Director of the Department of Land and Natural Resources; and fifteen private citizens. The Sierra Club submitted concerns about the appointment of Peter Young. Testimony in opposition was submitted to your Committee by ten private citizens. Oral testimony in opposition was submitted by the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation.

Your Committee members diligently questioned the nominee regarding his administrative qualifications, his vision and priorities for the DLNR, and related policy issues presently before the Legislature. In addition, your Committee questioned Mr. Young regarding concerns expressed by environmentalists about his apparent support for Hokuli`a, the controversial luxury residential development and golf course in Kailua-Kona. Your Committee believes that the nominee adequately responded to the Committee's inquiries by explaining that he did not support the development's original actions, which had resulted in heavy sediment runoff into pristine Kealakekua Bay, but did support the development's subsequent protective measures against future runoff.

Mr. Young also responded to concerns about the Hokuli`a's and the DLNR's treatment of native Hawaiian burial sites on the development's property. Since Mr. Young has been director of the DLNR, he has consulted with the Hokuli`a developers, the Big Island Burial Council, and two families who are lineal descendants of the remains at the site. DLNR's recent proposal for a wall to be built around the burial site was contested by environmentalists because the wall's location allowed for more building sites. Although the proposal has yet to be approved, environmentalists voiced concerns that this proposal showed that Mr. Young would favor developers during his tenure as head of the Land Board. Your Committee finds, however, that in his one month at the helm, he has been a consensus builder who is able to communicate well with all sides and look at all sides of the issues presented to him.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, character, experience, and qualifications of the nominee, has found the nominee to be qualified for the position to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nomination.