U.S. State Attorneys General

I really wanted to bring focus on the importance of our forested watersheds and that it is a part of the Energy Committee's jurisdiction.

I very much welcome the opportunity for Members of the Administration to come to Hawaii and to see that Hawaii is much more than a tourism and military place, important as those activities are to the State of Hawaii.

I think that's a very important opportunity to re-envision how we can be a green community and a model moving forward.

Yes, thank you for pointing that out.

The cultural aspects of how the people of Hawaii feel about our environment are very unique.

I think there is more we can do along those lines.

Therefore, the recent droughts on Maui and Hawaii, in particular, are beginning to draw attention to the fact that one size does not fit all across the archipelago.

I am just not sure whether there is that connection from a consumer standpoint, because don't we consume more water in the state per capita than any other state?

I think that there are huge opportunities in Hawaii for the application of those funds.

I have a question for you, Dr. Gon.

How do we incentivize them to work with all of you to protect our watersheds?

I think that the reason I believe it's achievable is, like I said, we've achieved that in the last five years we've got that five percent.

Do you think that the state's goal of protecting 30 percent of Hawaii's priority watersheds by 2030 is adequate and achievable?

Do you think that it would be helpful that federal agencies...formed a watershed protection council at the federal level?

In line with that comment we have huge infrastructure needs throughout our country to the tune of trillions. We need to address those.

Thank you for maximizing what you did with that money.

It was a one shot deal.

Are you talking about the ARRA?

I will get back to you after the other two witnesses have made a comment.

Thank you very much.

Twenty million, I think it is.

I would like to work with you on a number of those issues including enabling the State of Hawaii to access all of these programs that other Western states have access to.

Unfortunately, Hawaii is not eligible for many of these programs because Hawaii is not a traditional Reclamation state.

Do you think this partnership should be made permanent because right now it is a pilot program?