HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Gov. Josh Green is making a strident defense of his nominee to the state Commission on Water Resource Management, and is calling for compromise on water and development issues.
He is speaking out after a key state senator said the nominee was not qualified and critics suspect he would side with developers.
The governor has been under fire from environmentalists for his handling of water issues since soon after the Maui wildfires, when his administration reassigned the commission’s top administrator after a false claim he delayed release of water needed to fight fires.
His appointment of retired state historic preservation official V.R. Hinano Rodrigues is the latest move to be challenged, including by a key state senator.
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Related post: Governor under fire again over water commission appointment
In an exclusive interview with Hawaii News Now, he called on his critics to compromise.
“These kind of stories that get rolled out and start from a place of confrontation, what do they get us? Nothing. They get us no housing, no progress, no water changes, no nothing,” he said.
After a nearly 11-month process, which water rights advocates said was intentional stalling, the governor nominated Rodrigues to a position reserved by law for a person with “substantial experience or expertise in traditional Hawaiian water resource management techniques and in traditional Hawaiian riparian usage.”
That’s to ensure that traditional kalo farmers have access to adequate stream water, which has created conflicts with large landowners and developers, especially on perpetually water short Maui.
Rodrigues was a cultural expert and manager with the state historic preservation agency.
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“Let them see this person’s resume. It’s fantastic,” Green said. “This is someone who’s committed years and years of service in the field, and, by the way, grows his own taro, for gosh sakes.”
But Sen. Lorraine Inouye, who chairs the Water and Land Committee, said that doesn’t meet the qualifications in the law.
“One needs to have some water resource management background. And certainly, from my standpoint, it doesn’t seem like this gentleman is qualified,” she said.
Inouye, whose committee will review Rodrigues’ confirmation, said there were more qualified candidates the governor passed over and would have been acceptable to the water rights and environmental communities.
“I can’t understand why the governor is already upsetting the community and not fulfilling the requirements of that particular seat,” she said.
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The governor responded to Inouye’s comments:
“All due respect, the senators should talk to the individual, find out where they’re coming from long before lobbing a little hand grenade behind their back,” he said.
In his interview, the governor described his decision-making process, involving two rounds of interviews and two sets of nominees from the screening committees:
“First person felt not to be Hawaiian enough, though it was Hawaiian and a leader, but not the guy people wanted. So, I didn’t do it. Second person got scared out of their, you know, their dress clothes. They didn’t want to deal with a conflict. And the third and fourth person, great people, but they brought an ideological perspective that was going to cause chaos as I try to work through some of these problems,” Green said, using the fingers of one hand to count off the nominees.
Green said advocates of stream restoration are blocking needed housing, although they dispute that, and says people are too quick to attack nominees who are willing to compromise.
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“In our beautiful state, if people don’t line up perfectly, then we demonize them,” he said.
“This is no way to move forward as a state, and so I would ask those who bring an ideological position to instead, trust that people are going to actually try to work in good faith,” Green said.
Rodrigues could take his seat on the water commission as early as Thursday, when the commission meets in Honolulu.
The commission is also scheduled to confirm the new deputy for the commission, Ciara Kahahane, whom the governor appointed in August.
Watch the governor’s full interview:
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In an exclusive interview with Hawaii News Now, Gov. Josh Green called on his critics to compromise.
Copyright 2024 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
At UH Hilo, ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi is not simply a subject taught in classrooms, it is a living language that connects us to this place, to one another, and to the generations who came before us.
This column is by Pelehonuamea Harman, director of Native Hawaiian engagement at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. In her columns, Pele shares Native Hawaiian protocols on the use of ōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language), cultural traditions, traditional ways of Indigenous learning, and more. This column is on Mahina ʻOlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian Language Month), celebrated every February to honor the Hawaiian language.Pelehonuamea Harman
Each year, the month of Pepeluali marks Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, a time dedicated to celebrating and uplifting the Hawaiian language. At the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi is not simply a subject taught in classrooms, it is a living language that connects us to this place, to one another, and to the generations who came before us.
While Pepeluali gives us a focused moment of celebration, the Hawaiian language should not live only within a single month. ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi thrives when it is used every day.
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One of the simplest and most meaningful ways to begin is by pronouncing the words we already encounter daily with accuracy and care. Hawaiian is an oral language carried through voice and relationship. When we take the time to say words correctly, we demonstrate respect for the language and for the poʻe (people) who have worked tirelessly to ensure its survival.
Across our own campus, we have opportunities to do this every day.
Let us honor the names of our places by using them fully:
An attendee at celebrations on May 6, 2023, takes a photo of the new Edith Kanakaʻole mural by artist Kamea Hadar. The mural is located at Edith Kanakaʻole Hall, named after beloved educator Aunty Edith, on the campus of UH Hilo. (Photo: UH System News)
Kanakaʻole Hall, not “K-Hall.” (Formally Edith Kanakaʻole Hall, named after our beloved kumu.)
Waiʻōlino, not “CoBE,” for our College of Business and Economics. (Formally Hānau ʻO Waiʻōlino; waiʻōlino literally means sparkling waters, alluding here to bringing forth waters of wellbeing and prosperity.)
These names are not merely labels for buildings. They carry ʻike (knowledge), history, and meaning. Speaking them in their entirety acknowledges the stories and values embedded within them.
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Using ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi does not require fluency. It simply requires willingness. Each of us already knows words we can begin using more intentionally.
Greet one another with aloha.
Express gratitude with mahalo whenever possible.
Small choices like these help normalize Hawaiian language in our daily interactions and strengthen UH Hilo’s identity as a place grounded in Hawaiʻi.
One of the most common questions I am asked is: How do you respond in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi when someone says “mahalo” to you?
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Here are three simple and appropriate responses:
ʻAʻole pilikia — It’s no problem.
He mea iki — It is just a little thing.
Noʻu ka hauʻoli — The pleasure is mine.
There is no single correct answer. What matters most is participating in the exchange and allowing the language to live through conversation.
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Aerial view of the UH Hilo campus with Hilo Bay in the distance. UH Hilo’s commitment to Native Hawaiian success and place-based education calls on all of us to help create an environment where ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi is visible, audible, and welcomed. (Archive photo)
UH Hilo holds a unique and important role as Hawaiʻi Island’s university. Our commitment to Native Hawaiian success and place-based education calls on all of us to help create an environment where ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi is visible, audible, and welcomed.
You do not need to wait until you feel ready. You do not need to know many words. The language grows stronger each time it is spoken.
So during Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi and throughout the entire year I encourage the UH Hilo ʻohana to:
Use the Hawaiian words you already know.
Pronounce names and places with intention and care.
Greet others with aloha.
Share mahalo often.
Because when we use ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, we are doing more than speaking words, we are helping to perpetuate and uplift the native language of our home.
E ola ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. Let the Hawaiian language live.
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Tread Rosenthal, Trevell Jordan and Louis Sakanoko put up a triple block against BYU Cougars Trevor Herget during Wednesday’s NCAA men’s volleyball match at the Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
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Kainoa Wade came on strong to lead another balanced Hawaii attack with 16 kills and the third-ranked Rainbow Warriors responded to a rare set loss in a big way to defeat No. 6 Brigham Young 27-25, 23-25, 25-17, 25-18 tonight.
A Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center crowd of 4,800, who showed up for a match scheduled just three weeks ago as a late addition to the schedule, saw Hawaii (13-1) drop the second set despite hitting .538.
UH had full command of the rest of the match and finished the night hitting .460 as a team. Louis Sakanoko added 15 kills, six digs and three aces and Adrien Roure had 14 kills in 24 swings.
Middle Travell Jordan posted a season-high seven kills in 11 swings with four blocks and Ofeck Hazan, who came into the match to start the third set, had four kills and two blocks.
Trent Moser had 18 kills to lead the Cougars (13-3), whose previous two losses came in five sets against No. 4 UC Irvine.
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UH’s loss in the second set was just its sixth of the season and third in its 13 wins. Hawaii has won 10 matches in a row.
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The two teams will play again on Friday night at 7.
