The Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawai’i Autority (NELHA) is a State of Hawai’i agency under the Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism. It is based at a site on the Kona shoreline, near the Kona airport. The public has had access to prime shoreline recreation and cultural areas via a jeep road that runs near the NELHA site. Recently, NELHA has locked the gates to the beach. Kona residents have mobized to demand access.
What’s not been discussed much is the role of NELHA in supporting military research via the National Defense Center of Excellence for Research in Ocean Sciences (CEROS), a state-run, federally funded program housed at NELHA. CEROS is a program of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) which conducts many secret research programs in Hawai’i.
Is the beach access closure related to any security measures required by CEROS/DARPA?
Here’s a report on the recent meeting by Kona activist Shannon Rudolph:
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Hundreds Turn Out For NELHA Gate Closure Meeting
August 22, 2009
By Shannon Rudolph
A polite but agitated crowd, an estimated 500 to 600 people, filled the Kealakehe High School Cafeteria Friday night and spoke unanimously; open the gate at Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority (NELHA) to O’oma / Kohanaiki – now.
Many members of the Kohanaiki ‘Ohana community public access group and other residents gave testimony to open the gate immediately, including former council member Angel Pilago, along with representatives of the Kapena, Ka’aaina, and Freitas families. Kaimanu Freitas told the audience he had the original deed to the NELHA property proving his family ownership.
The community talk story sponsored by Sen. Josh Green and Rep. Denny Coffman included representatives from the state Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT). (Click here and here to see previous references to the community meeting.)
Many testifying called for NELHA chief executive officer (CEO) Ron Baird to be fired immediately, not only for locking the shoreline gate, but also for putting the community in danger with the unfinished and unacceptable access further south on the highway. Rep. Coffman and the DOT representative also called the secondary highway access unsafe.
Hawaii County Councilman Kelly Greenwell told the crowd that he held the “key” to to the NELHA gate and that community members held that key also – namely, civil disobedience – and invited everyone to come down on Saturday morning to help remove the gate.
Puna’s Kale Gumapac and other community activists from around the island also attended and spoke of the need to stand up and protect public access in all areas of the island for future generations.
Sen. Green urged the audience to call NELHA’s CEO Ron Baird at (808) 329-7341, along with his boss, Ted Liu, director of DBEDT at 808-586-2355, email tliu@dbedt.hawaii.gov and urge them to open the gate. On Hawai’i island, call 808-947-4000 ext. 52423. Ron Baird was invited, but did not attend the meeting or send a NELHA representative.
(Shannon Rudolph is a Kona resident concerned about shoreline access amongst other community issues.)
Source: http://www.bigislandchronicle.com/?p=8208
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