FTA and HART Agree To A BIG LIE To Push Rail Construction Forward
By Ewa Historian John Bond
The HART Rail Process of Lies,
Omissions and Erroneous TCP Boundaries
Toru
Hamayasu of HART is constantly pushing for a “no effect”
determination on March
20, 27 and 30 from SHPD. Clearly the
interest here is in rushing rail construction
forward, likely from a high
political level (Inouye). There is no interest in having this
important review done well- just rushed through to a “no effect” determination.
William Aila
states that SHPD is unclear why Po’ohilo is considered a TCP because it is a
battlesite and does not meet the definition of a TCP. There is no analysis of
native Hawaiian relationship to Po’ohilo other than as passing significance to
the Battle of Kipapa Gulch. But HART calls it a TCP that they are “avoiding…”
(See, our HART rail is avoiding all
the Important stuff that we have
identified!)
So there is
then a declaration of “no effect” on the Po’ohilo “TCP”. In fact this is NOT
TRUE as I have personally been to the area shown as Po’ohilo in the HART map
and you can plainly see HART rail pylons near the properties of the homes in
what is actually Honouliuli Village. They will have to suffer trains running by
every few minutes from 4 AM to 12 Midnight right near their homes. This was
previously an completely quiet and peaceful rural community. How can there
possibly be “no effect” when you can see it and will hear it?
This letter
also mentions Mike Lee’s concerns about the rail pillars penetrating the karst
and affecting the limu. It says the East Kapolei station may “approach or
penetrate into the coralline deposits.” This means in fact that the rail IS
impacting the karst. It is also erroneous to believe the UH West Oahu station
also does NOT penetrate the karst since the borings go down 150-200 feet. The
Ewa Plantation sugar cane fields were created by moving alluvial soils down to
cover over the karst. They only needed depths of 3-5 feet which was more than
enough dirt. Even assuming 20-50 feet overlays of alluvial soils the rail
borings are obviously penetrating the karst below it.
Letter April 12, 2012 Daniel Grabauskas HART and copies Ted Matley, FTA
Letter April 20, 2012 William Aila SHPD
Aila accepts
HART’s assurance that “underground water systems, if any, will not be impacted
by the rail project.”
Aila also
accepts HART’s assurance that the Leina a ka ‘uhane is 1-3 miles from the
project area and “does not impact the Leina district.” Aila has nothing to base
this on other than what HART tells him.
“Based upon
the information provided for our review, we concur that no traditional cultural
properties identified in the Honouliuli ahupua’a will be affected by the
project.”- Aila
“Based upon the information provided for our review, we concur that no traditional
cultural properties identified in the Honouliuli ahupua’a will be affected by
the project.” (How convenient
to just parrot what HART wants to report to FTA ?)
So this is
how honest due diligence works- only what is provided? How can anyone trust this
as a legitimate process when HART is clearly under great pressure and orders to
begin construction as soon as possible?
Clearly a
great deal of falsification is going on here, especially
because they have seen
and heard previous community comments
and large amounts of submitted public documentation
that is simply
being completely ignored.
John
Bond Kanehili Cultural Hui
