Honolulu Weekly

8/14/97

Environmentalists Should Not Give Their Vote So Easily

The `98 campaign for governor has begun in earnest. Incumbent Ben Cayetano has been hosting coffee hours for hundreds of loyal Democrats at Washington Place, to obtain early commitments to help him gain re-election for a second term. He's also courting the environmental vote again, which he received in 1994.

David Kimo Frankel, Director of the Sierra Club, Hawaii has helpfully issued his "Report Card" on Gov. Cayetano's environmental record in the Weekly. It's a thoughtful piece, listing a number of Cayetano's achievements and failures. Frankel's willingness to address issues that go beyond the usual "tree hugging" ones is noteworthy. He faults the Governor for vetoing solar tax credits, and his eager embrace of high growth "economic development" programs that will further destroy the islands' fragile environment and social culture.

But alas, after this scolding, Frankel sets only a few goals that Cayetano needs to meet before most likely earning the Sierra Club's endorsement — just appoint some people with "environmental expertise" to openings on land and water use commissions.

I think environmentalists are selling their vote too easily. Preserving Queen's Beach and establishing the Ki Iwi Park, adding some aquatic officers, and fixing up Kalalau's campsite, and a host of other little victories, certainly deserve praise. But let me suggest some bigger issues that deserve careful scrutiny.

Frankel speaks of any politicians needing to "balance" competing interests. Fair enough. But I think Cayetano's occasional pro-environment moves are tokenism. He listens mostly to the big economic players, such as the hotel and construction industries. Cayetano has already collected $2 million for his campaign, mostly in $1,000 and up contributions from the usual beneficiaries of big-ticket state spending — planners and construction-related businesses, bankers, engineers, architects, Campbell Estate Trustees, and the tourism industry.

Cayetano's appointees are busy "streamlining" government regulations so that they weaken environmental protection and reduce public input. Theme parks and more shopping malls and hotels are rapidly turning Hawaii into Los Angeles, West. Much of the money generated by these projects leaks out to off-island producers while less and less trickles down to the average worker and local small businesses.

Instead of supporting family farms and sustainable agriculture, Cayetano backs big land owners. The Wai`ahole water fight is really about allowing Campbell Estate, AmFac, Bishop Estate and other big developers, the right to "land bank" for future urban growth on the Leeward side — which he supports. He and Mike Wilson (head of Dept of Land & Natural Resources) are promoting industrial eucalyptus pulpwood plantations on the Big Island, and giving huge subsidies to giant Oji Paper Co. — rather than helping local farmers establish themselves on former Hamakua Sugar lands. Wouldn't it be nice to see DLNR, Dept of Agriculture, and Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism administrators promoting a local-first economy that favors the little guy, not big corporations?

Frankel properly criticizes Cayetano's veto of the solar water heating tax credits bill, but this act is only one instance of the Governor's lack of interest in breaking our dependence on imported oil. Hawaii could be energy self-sufficient with the State's strong promotion of conservation, efficiency, and alternative solar and biomass sources, and save taxpayers a $1 billion a year. Instead of shrinking the State's Energy Division, let's demand that it be expanded and better funded.

Why doesn't Gov. Cayetano take a pro-active stance towards steering the state towards sustainability? He could push for a Department of Ecology. Other governors around the country and Canada have initiated Roundtables and Commissions charged with creating comprehensive strategies to protect their environment and promote community development. These projects have directly involved citizens representing many points of view in jointly setting community development and environmental policies. Sadly the Cayetano administration has never shown the slightest interest in encouraging citizen participation. That they are now hosting a few "town meetings" and radio shows to elicit "citizen concerns" simple means it's election year.

I look forward to Frankel's careful scrutiny of the other likely candidates for governor, Jeremy Harris (D) and Linda Lingle (R). Probably they, like Cayetano, will fall far short. Their records will reveal that they are basically in bed with development interests and offer crumbs to environmental concerns only when the pressure is great. Once again voters will be forced to choose between the "lesser of two evils." Or is it time for a third option?