STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3742

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: GOV. MSG. NOS. 684, 685, 687

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 684, 685, and 687, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of:

Board of Land and Natural Resources

G.M. No. 684	DOREEN CANTO, for a term to expire 06-30-2025;
G.M. No. 685	RILEY SMITH, for a term to expire 06-30-2026; and
G.M. No. 687	KAREN ONO, for a term to expire 06-30-2024,

begs leave to report as follows:

Your Committee reviewed the personal histories, resumes, and statements submitted by Doreen Canto, Riley Smith, and Karen Ono for service on the Board of Land and Natural Resources.

DOREEN CANTO

Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination for the appointment of Doreen Canto from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Hawaii State Aha Moku; Ocean Tourism Coalition; Maui County Farm Bureau; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Aukai Pacific LLC; and nine individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to the nomination for the appointment of Doreen Canto from two individuals. Your Committee received comments on the nomination for the appointment of Doreen Canto from the Sierra Club of Hawai‘i.

Upon review of the testimony, your Committee finds that Ms. Canto's experience, knowledge, community service, and proven leadership to serve the communities of Maui County qualify her for appointment to the Board of Land and Natural Resources as the member representing Maui County. Ms. Canto currently serves Kula Community Association as President. Your Committee notes that Ms. Canto is an active member of the Maui community, and she has previously served as Past President of Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce, Maui Commissioner for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and President of Waiohuli Hawaiian Homesteaders Association. Your Committee further finds that Ms. Canto's experience and knowledge of natural and cultural resources of Hawaii, including Native Hawaiian traditional practices and natural resource policy provide crucial insight to the Board of Land and Natural Resources. Your Committee notes that Ms. Canto has been serving on the Board of Land and Natural Resources in an interim capacity since July 2021. Your Committee therefore recommends that Doreen Canto be appointed to the Board of Land and Natural Resources based on her experience, knowledge, and commitment to public service.

RILEY SMITH

Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination for the appointment of Riley Smith from one member of Hawaii's congressional delegation; Department of Land and Natural Resources; Department of Transportation; Hawaii State Aha Moku; Office of the Mayor of the County of Hawai‘i; one member of the Hawai‘i County Council; Department of Water Supply of the County of Hawai‘i; Ponoholo Ranch Limited; Kohala Coast Resort Association; Kia‘iwai Service, LLC; Lāna‘i Community Health Center; Akinaka & Associates, Ltd.; Hui ‘Oihana – Hawai‘i Island Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce; Hawaii Operating Engineers Industry Stabilization Fund; Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; KAI Hawaii, Inc.; Ku‘iwalu; KTA Super Stores; Ho‘okele Strategies LLC; Hawaii Island Economic Development Board; Hawaii Leeward Planning Conference; and sixty-four individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to the nomination for the appointment of Riley Smith from Kūpuna for the Mo‘opuna and thirteen individuals. Your Committee received comments on the nomination for the appointment of Riley Smith from the Sierra Club of Hawai‘i.

Upon review of the testimony, your Committee finds that Mr. Smith's experience, knowledge, and proven leadership to serve the communities of Hawaii County qualify him for appointment to the Board of Land and Natural Resources as the member representing Hawaii County. Mr. Smith currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Lanihau Properties, LLC, and has been a licensed professional engineer in Hawaii since 1980. Your Committee notes that Mr. Smith is an active member of the Hawaii Island community, where he currently serves as a member of the Commission on Water Resource Management Nominating Committee, Kailua Village Design Commission, Kona Water Roundtable, Executive Committee for the Hawaii Leeward Planning Conference, and as Chairperson of Na Ala Hele Advisory Council, Hawaii Island. Your Committee further finds that Mr. Smith's extensive community experience in water resources and land use, in addition to his professional experience in engineering and land management, will be an asset to the Board of Land and Natural Resources. Your Committee therefore recommends that Riley Smith be appointed to the Board of Land and Natural Resources based on his experience, knowledge, and commitment to public service.

KAREN ONO

Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination for the appointment of Karen Ono from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, one member of the House of Representatives, one member of the Kaua‘i County Council, Hawaii State Aha Moku, Hawai‘i Association of REALTORS, Contractors Association of Kaua‘i, PAL Kauai – Permanently Affordable Living, and twelve individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to the nomination for the appointment of Karen Ono from three individuals. Your Committee received comments on the nomination for the appointment of Karen Ono from the Sierra Club of Hawai‘i.

Upon review of the testimony, your Committee finds that Ms. Ono's experience, knowledge, and proven leadership to serve the communities of Kauai County qualifies her for appointment to the Board of Land and Natural Resources as the member representing Kauai County. Ms. Ono served as Association Executive for the Kauai Board of REALTORS for over forty years. Your Committee notes that Ms. Ono also served on the Government Affairs Committee for the Kauai Board of REALTORS as a member representative at various industry events and hosted the annual County Council Candidate Political Forums. In her capacity with the Kauai Board of REALTORS, Ms. Ono trained realtors, government officials, and community members in affordable housing, sea level rise impacts, hunting and fishing access, and Hawaiian land title pathways. Ms. Ono also has prior experience as a representative of the Kauai Board of REALTORS Association to the Kauai Business Council and the Rice Street Business Association, and service as a member of the Kauai County Tax Review Board and the Kauai Public Access, Open Space Commission. Accordingly, Ms. Ono has a thorough, extensive understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the Board and Land and Natural Resources' members. Your Committee therefore recommends that Karen Ono be appointed to the Board of Land and Natural Resources based on her experience, knowledge, and commitment to public service.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that are attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominees, has found the nominees to be qualified for the positions to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nominations.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water and Land,

____________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair