Dredging work began today to restore access to the lava-barricaded Pohoiki Boat Ramp, eight years after an eruption of Kilauea volcano rendered the structure unusable.

Hundreds of people gathered Monday for a community celebration and blessing at the top of the ramp, which by November is expected to be clear of an estimated 42,000 cubic yards of black sand and boulders. That’s about 22,000 full-sized pickup truck beds.

“This is a day of celebration to recognize the collaboration of the community, elected officials and (the Department of Land and Natural Resources) working together to support this project,” DLNR Chair Dawn Chang said Monday. “The Pohoiki Boat Ramp is a piko, or focal point for this community. Fishing is a huge part of the greater Puna community and commercial, recreational and subsistence fishers have been waiting patiently for this work to begin.”

Even before the 2018 eruption, Finn McCall, the head engineer with the DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation, made multiple visits to Pohoiki. Immediately after the eruption stopped, McCall continued making further visits to Pohoiki to shift the strategy in addressing ramp needs, according to the DLNR.

“Boy, this has been a long journey,” McCall said. “We tried looking at sites from Kapoho all the way to Kalapana. Sand and boulders continued to fill the entire bay, but once that stopped, we began focusing on restoring the Pohoiki ramp.”

The state had hoped for more federal support to approve removal of most of the volcanic debris in Pohoiki Bay, but FEMA was only able to approve restoration of the boat ramp entrance channel.

Then it took dogged efforts by state lawmakers from the district to convince the rest of the Legislature that opening the Pohoiki Boat Ramp was the top priority for people in the district, according to the DLNR.

Chang on Monday singled out the efforts of state Sen. Joy San Buenaventura and state Rep. Greggor Ilagan in getting $5.4 million of state funding for the dredging.

The total project cost came in at $9.28 million, which means the $2.9 million shortfall is being covered by the DLNR’s Boating Special Fund, which derives its revenues almost entirely from boating user fees.

“We needed people to understand how much it cost in fuel just to bring all our boats from the Wailoa Small Boat Harbor in Hilo, the nearest boating facility, out to Puna to they could fish to feed and support their families,” San Buenaventura said during the blessing ceremony.

San Buenaventura and Ilagan often pointed out it was akin to only having one small boat ramp for all of Oahu.

According to the DLNR, Chang fielded letter after letter, comment after comment from upset and frustrated fishers, some of whom had to give up their generational livelihoods of fishing because it became too expensive. 

Family members with lineal connections to the coastline were not able to fish, either. She and every single speaker singled out the community for not giving up and pushing to have Pohoiki restored.

As did the consulting company and contractor hired to do the work.

“This has been one of the most eye-opening, humbling projects I’ve ever worked on,” said Kyle Kaneshiro of Limtiaco Consulting. “The community made everything so easy. This is not an easy project, but the community got everyone together.”

Guy DiBartolo from Goodfellows Bros. Inc., added, “I’ve been to many ground blessings and ceremonies. This one for me, stands out as something unique and special, seeing the community’s involvement over many months and years.”

For many people, like DLNR First Deputy Ryan Kanaka‘ole, Pohoiki stirs up fond childhood memories.

“Summertime for me was coming down here, making the two-hour drive each way from Kaʻu with my father to dive, surf or just relax. This day makes me remember my dad. He didn’t have a house, but he had a car, and I’ll never forget those days spent at Pohoiki.”

The contractor has nine months to complete the project but expects to be finished in November, according to the DLNR.

The 19 bills on Gov. Josh Green's intent-to-veto list impact many different issues, from criminal justice to housing to taxes.

Just because a bill is on this list, though, doesn’t guarantee that the governor will veto it — he just had to notify the Legislature by June 24 of bills that could be vetoed. Green has until July 9 to make his final decision.

In the meantime, the state Legislature can decide if it wants to come back into session to override any vetoes with a two-thirds majority.

Here are the five bills on the list that HPR is paying close attention to.

1. Asset Forfeiture: HB126

This measure would change the state’s criminal asset forfeiture program. What does that mean? It’s when law enforcement can seize property to investigate crimes — even if no one has actually been charged.

Lawmakers passed a bill that would require law enforcement to return the seized property to someone who has not been charged with a crime after one year. Currently, the seized property could be forfeited even if no charges were brought against the owner. It would also establish better reporting requirements for the state Attorney General’s Office.

Green wrote that the one-year restriction is not enough time for law enforcement to file charges and that forfeited property is important in investigations.

House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee Chair David Tarnas explained that if the measure is vetoed by the governor, he will continue to work on it next year.

“We did suggest in our bill that the assets would only be able to be forfeited once an individual is charged. And so hopefully we'll be able to stay with that as the trigger, but we would extend the time. So rather than just being one year, maybe two years will be sufficient,” he said.

“We'll have to work on this and see if that's going to be the right combination of things so we can have reform.”

While Green was a lawmaker, he introduced a bill in 2016 that would have required a conviction for property to be permanently seized.

2. Tax Credits: HB796

This measure would have significantly reduced most tax credits offered in the state by either putting a five-year sunset on them or, in the sixth year, 2031, beginning to reduce them by one-third over three years. The tax credits ranged from those for renewable energy projects to the film industry.

Green wrote that “removing the specific tax exemptions afforded to these entities would provide little financial benefit to the state while harming, in particular, sugarcane producers.”

3. Solitary Confinement Regulation: SB104

Another measure being considered by Green for a veto would set stronger regulations on the use of solitary confinement on inmates.

Kat Brady, the coordinator of the Community Alliance on Prisons, has been fighting for reform of the state’s use of solitary confinement for the last decade.

“Isolation with absolutely no programs, no books, nothing – you're thrown in a cell with a little thin mattress on the floor and you have nothing, and maybe you get out for one hour a day,” she said. “Humans are social creatures and to isolate people – it's so inhumane.”

A 2021 report showed that 245 inmates in Hawaiʻi were put in solitary confinement – 97 were kept there for over a year.

Green wrote that the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation already has policies in place and follows national standards. He added that the department is working with the Correctional Systems Oversight Commission to amend its policies and procedures.

However, in written testimony for the measure, the Correctional Systems Oversight Commission supported the bill and wrote that it was concerned about the current operations at DCR regarding solitary confinement.

“The Commission is extremely concerned about the long-term physical and psychological effects of 12-plus months in a segregated housing setting, which are now well-documented and studied. The trend nationally is to decrease the amount of time in segregated housing settings,” it wrote.

“With the state of Hawaii's transition to a therapeutic model of corrections, SHIP should be reevaluated and potentially eliminated in totality as it does not align with a rehabilitative framework.”

4. Permits for single- and multi-family housing: SB66

The measure would require counties to grant building permits to single and multi-family homes within 60 days if the application is certified by a licensed engineer and an architect.

Senate Housing Committee Chair Stanley Chang explained that it’s a way to speed up the ability for people to improve their homes.

“Building departments are extremely overburdened that permit times can take up to a year or longer, even for simple single-family homes or two-story residential as this bill addresses,” he said.

“This enables homeowners across the state to improve their properties without being dragged on for years at a time by the building departments.”

The Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting was one of the entities that opposed the measure. DPP Director Dawn Takeuchi Apuna wrote in her testimony on the measure that the bill could jeopardize the safety of the homes.

“Everyone, including DPP, wants building permits issued quickly, but it should not be at the cost of life and safety,” she wrote.

“The review that determines compliance with codes is essential to the approval of the building permit. By simply allowing the “approval” of a building permit without the proper review for compliance with the codes defeats the purpose of the building permit review and places the public at great risk.”

Green wrote that he is considering a veto on the measure because it would undermine regulatory agencies and create a conflict of interest for professionals.

5. State Budget: HB300

Green is considering vetoing line items from the state’s about $20 billion operating and capital improvement budget. The governor’s office did not provide a detailed list of what particular items were being considered. However, he wrote that federal funding and lower revenue projections for the state were the main reasons driving his decision.

State Sen. Joy San Buenaventura of the Big Island, who represents Puna at the state Capitol in Honolulu, is lauding passage during the 2025 session of the Hawaiʻi Legislature of three bills aimed at strengthening protections and expanding support for some of the most vulnerable youth throughout the state.

Senate Bills 292 and 951 along with House Bill 613 focus on accountability, safety and access to essential services.

“These bills reflect our unwavering commitment to protecting Hawaiʻi’s most vulnerable keiki,” San Buenaventura, chairwoman of the state Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, said in a press release outlining the measures. “This session, we made it a priority to make sure that young people in crisis are met with compassion, support and real opportunities to heal and thrive.”

SENATE BILL 292: Relating to Sexual Exploitation

SB 292 establishes safe harbor protections for survivors of sexual exploitation, shielding them from prosecution for related offenses when seeking medical or law enforcement help.

Office of Hawaiian Affairs, which supports the bill, called this initiative crucial in its written testimony to the state Senate Judiciary Committee and wrote it represents a significant step toward combating sex trafficking and providing justice for victims, particularly Native Hawaiians — who are disproportionately impacted by this form of exploitation.

“Establishing safe harbor protections for survivors of sexual exploitation sends a clear message that our state is committed to protecting the rights and well-being of all individuals, especially our most vulnerable populations,” the agency’s testimony says.

SENATE BILL 951: Relating to Child Protection

SB 951 strengthens child abuse reporting protocols by requiring the disclosure of military affiliation and coordination with appropriate military authorities.

Hawaiʻi Military Affairs Council wrote in testimony to a joint hearing of the state Senate Health and Human Services and Public Safety and Military Affairs committees that there is a critical gap in child protection for military families.

While federal law requires Department of Defense personnel to report suspected child abuse or neglect to military and local authorities, there is no reciprocal requirement for state and local child welfare.

That gap can result in vulnerable military families missing out on crucial services.

“This measure would establish a reciprocal state requirement, enhancing coordination between state child welfare services and military support systems, ultimately improving access to prevention and rehabilitation services for military children and families,” the agency wrote in its testimony.

The approach is already being used in 35 other states.

HOUSE BILL 613: Relating to Homeless Youth

HB 613 creates a Safe Spaces for Youth Program under the Office of Youth Services, providing shelters and support for unaccompanied homeless youth across all counties.

“Hawaiʻi is facing a crisis in homelessness, with our youngest community members bearing hardship,” the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi wrote in testimony to the state House Committee on Human Services and Homeleessness.

The party said 1 in 10 young adults age 18 to 25 years old and 1 in 30 youths age 13 to 17 years old in the islands experience some form of homelessness without the support of a parent or guardian.

They are among the most vulnerable members of the community — facing heightened risks of mental health issues, substance abuse, sexual exploitation, physical violence and disruptions in education.

“By passing this bill, the Legislature will take a crucial step in breaking the cycle of youth homelessness and protecting Hawaiʻi’s future generations,” wrote the state’s Democratic Party. “Providing stable shelter, food security, mental health support and pathways to education and employment will empower these youth to build self-sufficient and productive lives.”