INDEX - ENVIRONMENT
www.islandbreath.org ID#0603-09

SUBJECT: KAUAI RESERVOIR FAILURE

SOURCE: GARY HENDERSON gary@aloha.net

POSTED: 9 APRIL 2006 - 9:30am HST

DAM MAD Press Release

detail of DAM MAD poster fro press release. Click on it to download a PDF


When: Monday, 10 April 10:00 am
Where: Rock Quary Access Road (Wailapa Road)

DAM MAD

At 10:00am, Monday, 10 April 2006, citizens of Kauai will launch DAM MAD, a petition drive for an independent investigation of the Kaloko Dam Breach, March 14, 2006. The location is where Rock Quarry Access Road turns off Wailapa Road. At this site the destruction caused by the dam failure is overwhelming. Governor Lingle and Representative Ambercrombie (both will be on island that day) have been invited.

• We are DAM MAD
that the Kaloko Dam burst.

• We are DAM MAD
that families, property, and an ecosystem were destroyed.

• We are DAM MAD
that NO independent investigation of the Kaloko Dam Breach has begun.

• We are DAM MAD
that the Attorney General Bennett considers us
“far down on the scale in terms of relavance.”
(Honolulu Star Bulletin, Friday, April 7, 2006, page 3)

Are you DAM MAD? Come join us.

contact:
Gary Henderson
gary @aloha.net
(808) 346-1398

for a PDF copy of our poster click here


SUBJECT: KAUAI RESERVOIR FAILURE

SOURCE: MARTH HARKEY martha@aloha.net

POSTED: 8 APRIL 2006 - 10:00pm HST

Wahine Festival and demonstration on Monday

view of Wailapa Stream bed after deluge by Dennis Fujimoto published by The Garden Island

by Martha Harkey on 8 April 2006

Members of the Ko Loko Dam Breach Action Alliance will be at the Wahine Fest tomorrow with petitions for signatures to "Demand an independent investigation of the Ko Loko Dam Breach" and to support Senator Hooser's amendment to HR970 and Representative Morita's House Concurrent Resolution 192 calling for an independent investigation. Although the Hawaii State Attorney General’s office has begun an investigation into what caused this disaster, it is absolutely necessary to have an independent investigation because of an apparent conflict of interest: Mark Bennett (our attorney general) is the former law partner of William McCorrriston, the lead attorney representing Mr. Pflueger, the person on whose land the Ko Loko reservoir resides and who has been convicted of 10 felonies related to unpermitted grading which led to destruction of reefs and alterations of the watershed.

In yesterday's (Friday, April 7, 2006) Honolulu Star Bulletin (page 3), when asked about the need for an independent investigation, Attorney General Bennett said “By far, the most important thing that dwarfs whether certain people on Kauai have confidence or not, is that the job is done right. Whether or not people subjectively have confidence in it or not – a limited group of people – is in my view far down on the chart in terms of relevance”. We want to demonstrate to Mr. Bennett that 1) we are NOT a small group of people and 2) we are NOT irrelevent.

We are also having a press conference on Monday, April 10, to gain support for our call for an independent investigation and for Senator Hooser's amendment and Representative Morita's resolution. This event will also kick-off our petition drive to gain support for the independent investigation.

We may be rural, but we are not irrelevant and we are DAM MAD!


SUBJECT: KAUAI RESERVOIR FAILURE

SOURCE: MARTH HARKEY martha@aloha.net

POSTED 7 APRIL 2006 - 5:00am HST

Amendment fails for independent investigation

aerial view of Wailapa Stream at Kuhio Highway after Ka Loko Dam failure by Jack Harter Helicopter

Continued effort to get investigation
by Martha Harkey on 7 April 2006

There was a hearing of HB970 today (April 6, 2006). Senator Hooser's amendment calling for an independent investigation on the dam failure was apparently not passed.

Yyou may still get involved by sending responses to Senator Taniguchi and Senator Hooser's offices (note: you may also call or email, but faxes are usually preferred since it's so easy to generate multiple emails and there's no paper to carry into the hearings).

Click here to send email to sentaniguchi@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Senator Brian Taniguchi

Hawaii State Capitol Room 210
415 South Beretania Street
Honolulu HI 96813
O‘ahu (Mo’iliili-Mänoa)
Tel: 808-586-6460
Fax: 808-586-6461

Click here to send email to senhooser@capitol.hawaii.gov
State Senator Gary L. Hooser
Hawaii State Capitol Room 208
415 South Beretania Street
Honolulu HI 96813
Tel: 808-586-6030
Fax: 808-586-6031


Also, Rep. Abercrombie in U.S. House is supporting an indepentent investigation and his contact information is

In Honolulu:
Representative Neil Abercrombie
Att: Amy Asselbaye
Click here to send email to Amy.Asselbaye@mail.house.gov
PJKK Federal Building - Room 4-104
Honolulu, HI 96850
Fax: 808-533-0133
Tel: 808-541-2570

In Washington:
Representative Neil Abercrombie
1502 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Fax: 202-225-4580
Tel: 202-225-2726


SUBJECT: KAUAI RESERVOIR FAILURE

SOURCE: MARTH HARKEY martha@aloha.net


POSTED 5 APRIL 2006 - 10:00pm HST

Amendment for independent dam failure investigation

Deadline 6 April 2006 - 10:00am
by Martha Harkey on 5 April 2006

We've been busy with the newly formed "Ka Loko Dam Breach Action Alliance", as our property where we're now building our home is on Wailapa Stream and the Ka Loko dam breach took most of our lower lot......beautiful waterfall, stream, plantings, etc.....now scrubbed it down to bedrock, It looks more like the Grand Canyon rather than Wailapa Stream.

But our loss is nothing compared with that of our neighbors', It has been very sad for all concerned, but we're hoping that at least one positive thing may come of this disaster: that we find out the truth about what caused this destruction and that it not happen again. Although there is an ongoing state investigation into what caused this dam breach, we are supporting an independent investigation because of the potential conflict of interest.

We just heard that the Hawaii Senate Ways and Means Committee will discuss HB970 tomorrow at 10 am....here's the scoop:

House Bill 970, scheduled for a public hearing before the Ways and
Means Committee, 10am, April 6th. This Bill provides emergency relief
for flood victims on Kauai. In addition, Senator Hooser will be proposing an amendment to HB970 to request an independent investigation into the circumstances that led to the breach of the Ka Loko Dam.

Testimony may be faxed to the Commttee and can include both words and
pictures. Click here to send email to sentaniguchi@Capitol.hawaii.gov


Senator Brian Taniguchi
Chair Ways and Means Committee
Fax: 808-586-6461
RE: HB970 and Hooser Amendment

Dear Senator Taniguchi,
I want to express my support for House Bill 970 (emergency relief for flood victims on Kauai) and, more specifically, my support for Senator Gary Hooser's amendment to HB970 (a request for an independent investigation into the circumstances that led to the breach of Ka Loko Dam.

Your Name Here

 

 


see also:
Island Breath: Reservoir Failure 1

for legislation material on HB 970:
www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessioncurrent/bills/HB970_.htm


for more images of disaster:
www.kauaiworld.com/dambreak/

for a Flash File simulation of dam break:
http://gram.eng.uci.edu/~bfs/kaloko_flash.swf


for a WMV File simulation of dam break:
http://gram.eng.uci.edu/~bfs/kaloko_large.wmv


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