Controversy Over Kaelepulu Wetlands
1977/1978 Lone Star Hawaii Inc.:
- illegally filled in Kaelepulu Pond with about 20,00 cubic yards of fill
- took nearly 15 years to settle this dispute with the Enchanted Lake
Community
1977 Clean Water Act
- the corps fines up to $25,000 a day for illegal fills
U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers:
- Clean Water Act turns over the property to the
corps
1988 LECI Properties
- James Lee, a local developer (78 years old)
- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineer plans to require LECI Properties to do
the following:
- Spend about $500,000 for a permanent habitat on the wetlands it owns to
lure the egrets back to Kaelepulu Pond.
- Perpetually maintain the habitat and remove overgrown mangrove plants
on its property.
- Install drains to eliminate "the stagnant and filthy water which always
sits on the property".
- Then to allow Lee to develop new homes.
Ducks Unlimited:
- LECI Properties wanted to turn over their portion of the land to Ducks
Unlimited
Bishop Estate :
- owns two acres of land
- LECI Properties says that Bishop Estate should also pay for the illegal
dumping and clean up.
Aloha Pacific Tours Inc.:
- bought one strip of property for $1 million from Bishop Estate
- possible for them to also pay for the clean up since they now own part of
the land
Department of Land Utilization:
- proposed down-zoning the property as preservation land with the approval
from the corps
National Audubon Society:
- disagrees with the corps plan to build homes
U.S. Fish and
Wildllife Service:
- also disagrees with the corps to approve more fills in the
pond
Coalition To save Kaelepulu Pond:
- against the corps decision agreement made with LECI
Properties
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