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Record of Proceedings

Agriculture, Environmental, and Transportation Committee Reviews FY26 Budgets — March 12, 2026

County Council & Committees — Thursday, March 12, 2026
BodyMaui County, Hawaii
SessionCounty Council & Committees
DateThursday, March 12, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:16:15

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
4:31

Aloha.

4:32

Well, the agriculture diversification, environmental, and public transportation committee meeting of March twelfth, twenty twenty six.

4:39

Please come to order.

4:40

The time is now nine.

4:41

Oh four AM.

4:42

Good morning, members.

4:44

Members in accordance with the Sunshine Law.

4:46

If you're not in the council chamber, please identify by name.

4:49

Who, if anyone is in the room?

4:52

Miners do not need to be identified.

4:55

Also, please see the last page on the agenda information on meeting connectivity.

5:01

Good afternoon.

5:02

Good morning, everyone, and uh aloha.

5:04

I look forward to chairing a productive meeting.

5:06

I'm Gabe Johnson, your committee chair.

5:08

Also joining us today is a vice chair Shane Sinansi.

5:11

Aloha, Council members.

5:15

Um happy to be here.

5:17

Um just a quick report on the east side.

5:20

No big rain or wind events just yet.

5:24

Uh, but uh very overcast.

5:27

Um no testifiers in Hana and Chair.

5:30

I do have a schedule conflict at 11 that I'll just have to step out for a little bit.

5:36

Thank you.

5:36

Thank you.

5:37

All right, let's move on to committee minute uh committee member Kaonoe Batangan.

5:42

Aloha council member.

5:43

Aloha kakahyakako.

5:45

Aloha, and followed by that, uh uh Chair Lee.

5:48

I see her on the cable.

5:49

Aloha council member.

5:52

Aloha, and all the way from Africa, Angola, we say hola.

5:57

Hola to all of you, and I'm home alone in my workspace.

6:00

Looking forward to your meeting.

6:02

Thank you.

6:02

Thank you, Chair Lee, hola.

6:04

And with from the Kihay District Office, we have Councilmember Tom Cook.

6:09

Hola.

6:10

Aloha.

6:11

Aloha, hola, and uh happy rainy day.

6:14

It's gonna get really green.

6:15

I'm looking forward to your meeting, Chair.

6:18

Okay, thank you for that.

6:19

Moving on to committee member, council member uh Tamara Poulton.

6:23

Aloha, councilmember.

6:26

Alohayakakakos, you mean Lamin Direct from the council chambers.

6:31

Thank you.

6:31

And finally, we have Councilmember Noilani Uuu Hodgins, Aloha Councilmember.

6:38

Aloha and hola, Chair and members.

6:41

I'm at my private residence.

6:43

I do have two adults in the house with me.

6:47

The first is my son, Koa U.

6:50

And the other is my husband, William Koa Hodgins, uh, to report to on the weather.

6:55

Behind me, you can see it.

6:56

It's dark enough, but not too much rain.

7:00

Thanks, Chair.

7:00

Thank you for the update.

7:01

And of course, our non-voting members are always welcome.

7:04

That would be Councilman Rawls Fernandez and Councilmember Sugi Mura.

7:08

From the administration, we have uh first up the Department of Agriculture.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Agriculture██████████████████████████26%
Grants████████████12%
Public Transit███████████11%
Budget███████7%
Environmental Protection███████7%
Water And Wastewater Management██████6%
Procedural█████5%
Public Engagement████4%
Food Security████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Agriculture, Environmental, and Transportation Committee Reviews FY26 Budgets — March 12, 2026

The Agriculture Diversification, Environmental, and Public Transportation Committee met on March 12, 2026, to conduct operational and budgetary reviews of four departments under its jurisdiction: the Department of Agriculture, the watershed protection grants administered by the Department of Water Supply, the Environmental Protection and Sustainability Division of the Department of Environmental Management, and the Department of Transportation. The meeting was informational only, with no legislative action taken. A small number of public testifiers spoke, and committee members discussed departmental priorities, staffing needs, grant management, and challenges including feral chickens, watershed protection, recycling, and the planned Maui County ferry.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • JC Law of Kulaoka testified in support of the Department of Agriculture and expressed a desire to find agricultural work, noting transportation difficulties and frustration with inconsistent government responses. He also thanked the Department of Water Supply for its work.
  • Johan Lal (via Teams) testified on watershed conservation, emphasizing the need for more funding to create jobs for local youth and reduce turnover, calling it a "win-win-win-win" because water supports housing and agriculture.
  • Royal House of Hawaii (via Teams) asked whether original title holders from the Mahele have been contacted regarding lands used for county projects, stating they have not.
  • M (via Teams) asked for clarification on whether funding for open space reserves would fall under EPNS.
  • JC Law testified on the Department of Transportation, thanking the Maui Bus operators and noting the service's importance for workers.

Discussion Items

Department of Agriculture

  • Director Kelli‘i‘e and her team presented a $16.4 million budget (a 99.5% increase from FY25). The department manages 136 active grants but has only three grants staff. A feral chicken pilot program trapped 451 birds at $30.55 each; a second round is planned. Committee members discussed:
    • Feral chickens: No state funding materialized due to a veto; the county is funding the pilot. Cost per chicken is high ($30.55).
    • Grants: 91 applications received for FY26 competitive grants, but only 61 were awarded. The department seeks an accountant and more grant managers.
    • Ag parks: The booster pump station ($3.96M construction) will break ground in March 2026; a $17.375M contract for a 2.4-million-gallon reservoir was awarded to Goodfellows.
    • Food security: The Lāna‘i Farmers Market launched October 2025; a food stimulus program for 350 low-income households began January 2026. A Food as Medicine RFP will be released in April 2026.
    • Code changes: Bill 160 and revisions to Chapter 22 are in progress to update agriculture codes from the plantation era.

Watershed Protection Grants (Dept. of Water Supply)

  • Robert D. Wopeless presented the program: 10 current grantees covering hundreds of thousands of acres. FY26 awards total ~$3.51M; FY27 proposals total ~$4.64M, but requested funding is ~$3.86M. A new applicant (Kula Community Watershed Alliance) is pending 501(c)(3) status. Committee members discussed:
    • Staff turnover and wages: Hard work and low pay in watershed conservation make hiring difficult; grantees are exploring internships and endowments (Pū‘ala‘u Kui established the first private endowment).
    • Wildland-urban interface (WUI): Work is focused in West and East Maui; South Maui not yet included due to less direct connection to water supply sources.
    • Efficacy study: A consultant may be hired to evaluate grant effectiveness.

Environmental Protection and Sustainability Division (DEM)

  • Deputy Director Mike Peterson and Manager Cecil Powell presented a $9M grant program. FY26 competitive grants received $1.8M in applications for only $460K in environmental/green grants; similar high demand for wetland restoration, renewable energy, and recycling grants. Committee members discussed:
    • Recycling: Commodities go off-island; the division is exploring on-island remanufacturing (e.g., glass crushing for fill, pulp for insulation).
    • EV battery disposal: Safety concerns with lithium-ion batteries; a solution is expected within a few months. No producer-responsibility bill has been introduced this session.
    • Composting: Permit application for co-composting at Central Maui Landfill (including sewage sludge) will be submitted soon. Partners include Hawaiian Compost and West Maui Green Cycle.
    • Grant streamlining: EPNS plans clearer guidance and standard procedures for FY27 to reduce procurement delays.

Department of Transportation

  • Deputy Director Diane Yogi presented the department's FY26 operations, covering Park Maui, the ferry program, the Maui Bus, and human services transportation. Key points:
    • Ferry Program: Environmental assessment (HEPA/NEPA) is expected to take 1–2 years. An RFP for the environmental study closes April 9, 2026. The county joined the Public Ferry Coalition.
    • Park Maui: Paid parking launched in Wailuku (August 2025) and Lahaina Harbor. South Maui implementation is projected for April–May 2026.
    • Maui Bus: Driver shortages persist. New hybrid buses are arriving, but expanding frequency is challenged by a lack of CDL drivers and a west-side hub.
    • Air Ambulance: County share remains $672,215; DOH has not requested additional funds.

Key Outcomes

  • All four agenda items were deferred without objection, meaning no immediate legislative action was taken; the reviews are informational in preparation for FY27 budget deliberations.
  • Multiple departments identified critical staffing needs: DoA requires more grant managers and an accountant; EPNS needs continued support for expansion positions; DOT has three vacancies and is recruiting for a planner, contract assistant, and grants coordinator.
  • The ferry program timeline is uncertain; a committee briefing may be scheduled later in 2026 to update the council on progress.
  • The Department of Agriculture will present testimony on state bill SB 2798 to expand agricultural crime enforcement to Maui County.
  • The Council Chair expressed intent to advocate for increased funding for the Nāulu Cloud Bridge (Cohoa Lave wetland restoration) and for ferry-related federal appropriations, noting alignment with Congresswoman Jill Tokuda's interest.

Meeting Transcript

Aloha. Well, the agriculture diversification, environmental, and public transportation committee meeting of March twelfth, twenty twenty six. Please come to order. The time is now nine. Oh four AM. Good morning, members. Members in accordance with the Sunshine Law. If you're not in the council chamber, please identify by name. Who, if anyone is in the room? Miners do not need to be identified. Also, please see the last page on the agenda information on meeting connectivity. Good afternoon. Good morning, everyone, and uh aloha. I look forward to chairing a productive meeting. I'm Gabe Johnson, your committee chair. Also joining us today is a vice chair Shane Sinansi. Aloha, Council members. Um happy to be here. Um just a quick report on the east side. No big rain or wind events just yet. Uh, but uh very overcast. Um no testifiers in Hana and Chair. I do have a schedule conflict at 11 that I'll just have to step out for a little bit. Thank you. Thank you. All right, let's move on to committee minute uh committee member Kaonoe Batangan. Aloha council member. Aloha kakahyakako. Aloha, and followed by that, uh uh Chair Lee. I see her on the cable. Aloha council member. Aloha, and all the way from Africa, Angola, we say hola. Hola to all of you, and I'm home alone in my workspace. Looking forward to your meeting. Thank you. Thank you, Chair Lee, hola. And with from the Kihay District Office, we have Councilmember Tom Cook. Hola. Aloha. Aloha, hola, and uh happy rainy day. It's gonna get really green. I'm looking forward to your meeting, Chair. Okay, thank you for that. Moving on to committee member, council member uh Tamara Poulton. Aloha, councilmember. Alohayakakakos, you mean Lamin Direct from the council chambers. Thank you. And finally, we have Councilmember Noilani Uuu Hodgins, Aloha Councilmember. Aloha and hola, Chair and members. I'm at my private residence.

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