Maui company claims water request during wildfire delayed by water equity advocate-led state agency for consultation with farmers.

A Maui Land Company’s Request for ⁤Water to Fight​ Wildfire ​Delayed by ⁢State Agency

In a ⁢recent⁣ incident, a ‌Maui land company faced delays in obtaining water to combat a raging wildfire on the island. The West Maui Land Company, responsible for managing agricultural and residential subdivisions and water jurisdictions, ⁢claimed that their request for ⁤water was ‍held up by a state agency ⁢that needed to consult with local farmers first.

The company alleged that the delay in ⁢granting their request ⁤resulted ⁢in ⁢critical hours being lost, ⁤and by the time they received permission, it was too late to effectively fight the fire. The devastating wildfire claimed the lives of⁤ 111 people, including children, ​and many areas still need to be searched as hundreds remain missing.

Glenn‍ Tremble, a representative of the West Maui‍ Land ⁢Company, revealed that he had initially requested the ​state agency to divert water from streams on August 8 as the fire⁣ spread through the town of Lahaina. However, several hours passed before they received any response.

Tremble expressed his frustration in a‌ letter, stating, “We⁢ anxiously awaited ⁤the morning knowing that we could have⁢ made more water available to the fire department if our request had been immediately approved. We⁢ cannot know ⁢whether filling our reservoirs at 1:00 p.m. (as opposed to not at all) would have changed the headlines when dawn broke… We ⁣know that we need to act faster during an emergency.”

Water Equity Controversy Surrounding the Deputy Director

The deputy director of the Hawaii Commission on Water Resource Management (CWRM), Kaleo Manuel, faced criticism⁣ earlier this week due⁤ to past comments on “water equity.”‍ A ⁤resurfaced ⁢clip on social media showed Manuel discussing the ‌importance of ‍equitable ⁣water distribution.

Manuel’s statement in the ‌clip emphasized⁣ the need for true conversations about equity when it comes to sharing⁢ water‌ resources. However, this sparked‌ controversy⁢ and raised questions about his handling of the water request during the wildfire crisis.

M.⁢ Kaleo Manuel, the Hawaiian official in charge of water resources is​ under fire for refusing to divert water from streams and release it to quell the raging Maui​ fires explains that water must never be used, but revered. pic.twitter.com/fc5lqZGS0Z

— Catch Up (@CatchUpFeed) August 17, 2023

The state’s website ⁤describes Manuel as someone who brings planning and indigenous knowledge to water advocacy and​ management ‌in Hawaii.

The West ‌Maui​ Land Company strongly criticized the CWRM in their letter, expressing their devastation and ‍dissatisfaction ​with ‍the agency’s handling of the situation. ⁣They lamented the fact that water was ‌available in‍ the⁣ streams while ⁤their homes, businesses, lands, and lives were reduced to ash.

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Reassignment of Deputy Director and Investigation

Following the​ controversy, Kaleo Manuel has been ⁤reassigned to a different⁢ division within the⁢ Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. The department⁣ clarified that the reassignment was not a⁤ result of any wrongdoing on Manuel’s part, but rather to allow the ⁢Commission on Water Resource Management and the department to focus on assisting the people of Maui in their recovery from the devastating wildfires.

The ⁣department’s press release stated, “This deployment does not suggest that First Deputy Manuel did anything wrong. DLNR encourages the media ‍and the public to avoid making judgments until all the facts⁣ are known.”

Hawaiian Electric, the local utility company, is also​ facing scrutiny for allegedly prioritizing the development of its green energy network ⁤over necessary modernization and repairs of its electrical grid. The state attorney general has announced the ‍involvement of a third party to investigate the response ‌of ‌state and local government agencies to ‍the destructive fires.

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