STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1660

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    GOV. MSG. NO. 868

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred Governor's Message No. 868, submitting for study and consideration the nomination of: 

Land Use Commission

G.M. No. 868

JONATHAN SCHEUER, for a term to expire 6-30-2016,

begs leave to report as follows:

     Your Committee has reviewed the personal history, resume, and statement submitted by the nominee and finds Jonathan Scheuer to possess the requisite qualifications to be nominated to the Land Use Commission.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of Jonathan Scheuer from the State Land Use Commission; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Koolaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club; Ironworkers Stabilization Fund; Hawaiian Islands Land Trust; Hawaii Thousand Friends; University of Hawaii Biology Alumni Association; West Maui Preservation Association; The Trust For Public Land; Conservation Council Hawaii; Malama O Puna; Windward Ahupuaa Alliance; Surfrider Foundation; Outdoor Circle; Sierra Club, O‘ahu Island Burial Council; and numerous individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to Jonathan Scheuer from Lanihau Properties LLC, and one individual.

     Jonathan Scheuer received a Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from the University of California at Santa Cruz; and a Master's degree in Environmental Studies from Yale University, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.

     Jonathan Scheuer is a sole proprietor of a consulting business helping clients to manage conflicts over natural resources and environmental issues.  He works with environmental, Native Hawaiian, scientific, and other communities to address their concerns.  He assists stakeholders in identifying and implementing tasks and tactics that can identify key areas of dispute.  He is currently an interim appointment to the Land Use Commission.

     The nominee's experience includes employment as Director of Land Management and as a Policy Analyst for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Lecturer in the Urban and Regional Planning Department and in the Law School at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa; and Land Evaluation Coordinator at the Kamehameha Schools.  His community activities include serving currently on the Board of Directors of the Hawaiian Islands Land Trust.  He previously served as Vice Chair of the O‘ahu Island Burial Council.

     Your Committee believes that Jonathan Scheuer will contribute to well-reasoned decision making.  He is a recognized expert in land management, planning, and natural resource and environmental policy, and as a keiki o ka ‘āina has dedicated his life to understanding and serving the interests of our island communities.  Notably, Mr. Scheuer has substantial professional experience working with the Native Hawaiian community.  His personal and professional experiences, his expertise in land management, land acquisition, planning, and natural resource management, and his understanding of Native Hawaiians' relationship with ‘āina will enhance the Commission's decision-making process.

     In his current business of consultancy, the nominee lists several accomplishments, including:

     (1)  Leading the development of the first water policy plan in the history of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and leading strategies to secure water for developments statewide while respecting the needs of other stakeholders and users;

     (2)  Outreach and strategy efforts to protect the water resources of Kaloko Honokōhau National Historical Park from the impact of surrounding future planned development;

     (3)  Strategic planning for various non-profit organizations;

     (4)  Facilitating consensus among experts of thirty-, sixty-, and one-hundred-year projections on climate change- driven water and ecosystem trends in Hawaii and the United States affiliated Pacific Islands for the 2012 National Climate Assessment;

     (5)  Assisting in outreach and strategy development in the environmental assessments for high profile controversial proposals including the Conservation Use of Rodenticides, the Hawai‘i Interisland Renewable Energy Program, and the Turtle Bay Resort redevelopment;

     (6)  Developing a team to assess the scientific bases for evaluating fishing regulations for the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve; and

     (7)  Assisting in the development of the first plan for restoration of the Waipā Ahupua‘a on Kaua‘i.

     Jonathan Scheuer brings a wealth of experience to the Commission and a solid foundation in a number of key issue areas important to the community.

     The nominee addressed the issue of potential conflicts of interest by stating that he will follow the Land Use Commission's administrative rules regarding the procedure for declaring a conflict and will seek the advice of the Attorney General.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominee, has found the nominee to be qualified for the position to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nomination.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water and Land,

____________________________

LAURA H. THIELEN, Chair