Green Taps New Hawaii Water Resources Board Head After Kaleo Manuel’s Departure
Ciara Kahahane is poised to leave the state Attorney General’s office to serve as the board’s new first deputy.
Hawaii’s consequential Commission on Water Resource Management has a new, permanent head.
Gov. Josh Green announced Monday that he’s appointed Ciara Kahahane to serve as the commission’s first deputy, subject to the group’s approval.
Kahahane currently works for the state Attorney General’s office, serving in its Complex Litigation Division. If approved, Kahahane will start in her new role Oct. 10.
She discussed in a recent her efforts to uphold the state’s authority to impose affordable housing requirements as part of a years-long legal battle with developers of the Villages at Aina Lea on the Big Island.
Kahahane will replace the commission’s acting deputy director, Dean Uyeno. Uyeno replaced Kaleo Manuel, who resigned in January after a swirl of controversy related to a request to divert stream waters the day of the Aug. 8 wildfires in Lahaina.
Many Native Hawaiians and advocates for more public water access — a highly charged and politicized issue across the state — protested state leaders’ investigation into Manuel and how they had handled the situation before he eventually resigned.
In a news release Monday, Department of Land and Natural Resources Director Dawn Chang touted Kahahane’s legal expertise in the state’s public trust duties and its challenging water issues. Kahahane also has lineal and cultural connections to West Maui, Chang said.
Prior to her work most recent stint with the AG, Kahahane worked in the Public Safety, Hawaiian Homelands and Housing Division of the Department of the Attorney General, where she advised the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, according to a release from Green’s office.
“I’m grateful and excited to be selected as the CWRM First Deputy,” Kahahane said in the release. “I look forward to learning from the commission’s experienced and dedicated staff as we navigate the complex and sometimes challenging issues related to water in Hawaii. I am committed to supporting CWRM’s mission of protecting and enhancing the benefits of Hawaii’s water resources for present and future generations through thoughtful and responsible management.”
