William Aila

Hawaii's DLNR director still is passionate about the aina, but now with a bigger-picture view

By Vicki Viotti

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Sep 23, 2011

~~<p>William Aila was a longtime harbor master at Waianae Small Boat Harbor and activist on Hawaiian cultural and environmental issues, best known for the conflict over military training in Makua Valley.</p>
<p>He knew taking the top job at the state Department of Land and Natural Resources would mean spending days in the hot seat. But when things got really hot in recent weeks over the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' ordnance removal, he stood up to mount a full-throated defense.</p>
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William Aila was a longtime harbor master at Waianae Small Boat Harbor and activist on Hawaiian cultural and environmental issues, best known for the conflict over military training in Makua Valley.

He knew taking the top job at the state Department of Land and Natural Resources would mean spending days in the hot seat. But when things got really hot in recent weeks over the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' ordnance removal, he stood up to mount a full-throated defense. Login for more...