Hawaii Gov. David Ige has appointed seven people to serve on important commissions handling water and land. Several of the names may raise red flags in some sectors and praise in others.

William Balfour and Denise Antolini have been named to the Commission on Water Resource Management, whose mission is “to protect and enhance the water resources” of the state “through wise and responsible management.”

Antolini is a law professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa known for her pro-environmental work. She was appointed to the commission by Gov. Neil Abercrombie to serve out the remainder of a former member’s term, but her appointment by Ige is only until June 30 of this year.

Precious resource: a Koolau rainforest waterfall.

Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources

By contrast, Balfour, who spent four decades working for the sugar industry as well as eight years leading Honolulu’s Parks and Recreation department, has been named to a full four-year term.

Both appointments require Senate confirmation.

Ige also selected five people to serve on the Land Use Commission, a high-profile panel tasked with management and regulation of all state lands.

Arnold Wong, currently serving on the LUC on an interim basis, has been picked to serve for three more years. Wong is currently government affairs director for the Ironworkers Union Stabilization Fund, Local 625.

Current Commissioner Kent Hiranaga, also serving in the interim, is being asked to stay until 2016. He is president of Maui Kai Realty and previously worked for A&B Properties.

The other appointments to the LUC are Hilo attorney Diana Van De Carr; former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration superintendent for the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, Aulani Wilhelm; and Linda Estes, a former Democratic Party leader on Kauai.

All five LUC appointments require Senate confirmation.

Ige still has one more LUC appointment to make, to fill the seat of Jonathan Likeke Scheuer, who is recognized for his work on land conservation, real estate and water management for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Kamehameha Schools, the National Park Service and others.

Sen. Laura Thielen, who chairs the Water and Land committee, has set a hearing for 2:45 p.m., Wednesday, in conference room 224 at the Capitol to consider all seven nominations.

Her office provided the chart below to help explain the vacancies.