Give more funds to improve parks

Do we actually need $82 million this year for the Hawaii Tourism Authority to promote our lovely islands?

Would it be better to give a good share of that money to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources to improve our parks and trails safety, security and maintenance (“Fatal fall highlights local trails’ jeopardies,” Star-Advertiser, June 3)?

Could some of our unemployed youth and homeless gain pride and employment by assisting in this effort?

A strong case for more funding for state parks was made by administrator Curt Cottrell (“Na Pali Coast state park demands, and deserves, support,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, May 26), and echoed in an editorial (“Improve security at Napali park,” Star-Advertiser, Our View, June 2).

This followed a report of deplorable squatter conditions in beautiful Kalalau Valley and no funds for staff presence. Hawaii is the only state that includes conservation of its natural beauty and resources in its Constitution. But we are, shamefully, near the bottom in per capita spending on these resources.

Janet Gillmar

Palolo Valley

—

Safety threatened by aquarium bill

I am a commercial aquarium fisherman here on Oahu. My livelihood depends on healthy coral reefs, thriving fish stocks, and maintaining good relations with others in our community. Reasonable conservation measures ultimately benefit everyone in Hawaii.

However, Senate Bill 1240 is not a good piece of legislation. As written, it will not allow us to get permits for crew members for our boats, which will force us to dive alone. Scuba diving is a dangerous activity, and this puts our lives at risk. All of us want to be able to return to our families after a long day of work. We should be able to address conservation issues without compromising our personal safety.

Hopefully, Gov. David Ige will recognize these concerns and veto SB 1240.

Matthew Ross

Pearl City

—

Help scientists study king tides

The University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program asked community members to help document the impacts of unusually high sea levels (“‘King tides,’ summer swells and high sea levels could imperil coastal areas,” Star-Advertiser, May 22).

In response, more than 200 people signed up to participate in the Hawaii and Pacific Islands King Tides Project as citizen scientists, contributing more than 800 photographs documenting the May 2017 king tides.

Thank you to all of the citizen scientists who submitted photographs and obser- vations. Your contributions provide critical information that allows researchers and decision makers to better understand and prepare for the local impacts of sea-level rise. You can access the project’s photo dataset at www.PacificIslandsKingTides.org.

There are two more king tides still to come this summer, on June 23-24 and July 21-22. We need your help to continue documenting these important high sea level events. You can find the latest updates at www.HawaiiSeaLevel.org.

Katy Hintzen

Hawaii and Pacific Islands King Tides Project Team

—

Trump a threat to environment

During the presidential campaign, Donald Trump repeatedly promised to make America great again, but as president he is doing just the opposite.

Among other initiatives, he is rejecting hard-won, crucial and effective environmental regulations and guidelines developed during decades of previous administrations to protect the environment and public health. Now Trump rejects the Paris climate agreement.

His retrogressive actions will only generate increased health problems, deaths and expense for American society. Trump is the greatest threat to the environment and in turn national security, and now planet security.

Any economy, population and society can only be as healthy as its environment. Framing the economy versus environment as a political issue is delusional and dangerous.

The energy future is in solar, wind and other clean and sustainable sources, not the poisons and carcinogens of fossil fuels and their contribution to global climate change.

Leslie E. Sponsel

Hawaii Kai

—

SNAP built on income inequality

Your article on the SNAP food debate was very informative, but both critic Gene Ward and defender Pankaj Bhanot perpetuated the almost universally accepted myth that a strong economy eliminates or at least diminishes the need for “welfare”- type programs (“SNAP food aid stirs debate,” Star-Advertiser, Insight, June 4).

False. Our economy is robust, the stock market is strong, unemployment is minimal. What is needed is not economic growth, but a fairer distribution of resources, as each year the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. As long as a substantial portion of the population gets paid starvation wages they will continue to unnecessarily suffer while making the rich richer.

Bob Karman

Portlock