House OKs $40M Deal with Turtle Bay Resort for Conservation Easement

By /

It was messy, but it worked. 

The House approved a plan Thursday morning, the last day of the legislative session, to fund the state’s $40 million share of a $48.5 million deal to buy a 665-acre conservation easement on the north shore of Oahu.

The House voted to pass the bill despite concerns over the process by which it came to be. Reps. Sharon Har and James Tokioka cast the lone “no” votes.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie had announced the agreement with Turtle Bay Resort, a private land trust and the city last month, but the funding almost didn’t happen because state reps didn’t get the level of detail they’d wanted to see before signing off on the money.

The governor had sought the $40 million in general obligation bonds, but the House cut his request form the budget. It wasn’t until the final minutes before the deadline for fiscal bills Friday that Sen. David Ige and Rep. Sylvia Luke brokered a deal to secure the funding.

Ige came up with the debt-restructuring plan that lets the state make the purchase through revenue bonds.

The Senate on Tuesday unanimously approved the legislation to put it in action.

— Nathan Eagle

image

Photo: View of the bay at Turtle Bay Resort. (Gene Park/Civil Beat)

Do you feel more informed?

Every election has the potential to shape the future of Hawaiʻi.

Civil Beat provides the independent, in-depth reporting voters need to make informed decisions — not just campaign headlines, but rigorous reporting on candidates, policies and the issues that matter most.

Your support ensures this essential public service remains free and accessible to every voter, helping strengthen our democracy and hold those seeking power accountable.

Donate

About the Author