Honouliuli Ewa Plain Akoko - An Endangered Native Hawaiian Plant Species
by John Bond, Kanehili Cultural Hui
Native Hawaiian Akoko Hinders HCDA Development Plans
In Kalaeloa, West Oahu
The population of Chamaesyce skottsbergii var. kalaeloana, otherwise known as the Ewa Plains akoko, dwindled from about 5,000 plants in 1979 to just over 630 last year, according to the service.
"If something isn't done to conserve this plant, then it's going to go extinct," said Aaron Nadig, a Fish and Wildlife biologist.
Ching said Fish and Wildlife is "trying to establish an unfunded mandate (for HCDA) for a situation for which they themselves chose not to take responsibility."
He noted that an earlier proposal had HCDA setting aside 50 acres for akoko on the northern site. The Fish and Wildlife recommendation now is for 99 acres.
"That wasn't the situation," said Nadig, the Fish and Wildlife biologist. "The situation was that the Fish and Wildlife Service did want it, and they've actively pursued trying to include that as part of their conservation lands out there at Barbers Point."
But Fish and Wildlife didn't have the ability to take the land because of lead contaminants at the old skeet ranges and military dumping in and around Ordy Pond, Nadig maintained.
"Without the Navy maintaining liability for those contaminants, then Fish and Wildlife does not have the ability to acquire those lands," he said.
The Navy "essentially refused to maintain that (responsibility) and said, ‘You need to take it as is,'" Nadig said.
As for the "unfunded mandate" claim that Ching makes against Fish and Wildlife, Nadig said, "We did not impose anything on HCDA, or we're not telling HCDA they have to do anything."
Fish and Wildlife has been in contact from the beginning with HCDA and the solar companies that wanted to operate on the land.
"We're at a point where we need to protect a large chunk of this land for the species, because it only exists there," Nadig said. "We were very upfront from the beginning — if they can't do that, then maybe they shouldn't look to doing it, and look elsewhere."
"If something isn't done to conserve this plant, then it's going to go extinct," said Aaron Nadig, a Fish and Wildlife biologist.
Ching said Fish and Wildlife is "trying to establish an unfunded mandate (for HCDA) for a situation for which they themselves chose not to take responsibility."
He noted that an earlier proposal had HCDA setting aside 50 acres for akoko on the northern site. The Fish and Wildlife recommendation now is for 99 acres.
"That wasn't the situation," said Nadig, the Fish and Wildlife biologist. "The situation was that the Fish and Wildlife Service did want it, and they've actively pursued trying to include that as part of their conservation lands out there at Barbers Point."
But Fish and Wildlife didn't have the ability to take the land because of lead contaminants at the old skeet ranges and military dumping in and around Ordy Pond, Nadig maintained.
"Without the Navy maintaining liability for those contaminants, then Fish and Wildlife does not have the ability to acquire those lands," he said.
The Navy "essentially refused to maintain that (responsibility) and said, ‘You need to take it as is,'" Nadig said.
As for the "unfunded mandate" claim that Ching makes against Fish and Wildlife, Nadig said, "We did not impose anything on HCDA, or we're not telling HCDA they have to do anything."
Fish and Wildlife has been in contact from the beginning with HCDA and the solar companies that wanted to operate on the land.
"We're at a point where we need to protect a large chunk of this land for the species, because it only exists there," Nadig said. "We were very upfront from the beginning — if they can't do that, then maybe they shouldn't look to doing it, and look elsewhere."
