Bill 1 (2026) — water availability policy

Opposed the bill, urging deferral until the water director's deep-aquifer survey is complete, and asked the county to require all private wells to report pumping statistics, warning of an Arizona-style aquifer race.

Supported the bill, saying it lets construction-plan review happen at the same time as water verification instead of making developers wait an extra three to six months.

Opposed, citing a multi-year drought and declining aquifers; said the language that the county 'must' approve plans is written weakly and worried about homebuyers turning on a tap with no water. Also called for a centralized water authority.

Supported the bill; her subdivision firm estimates concurrent review would save four to ten months, and said no developer would spend millions on engineering if unsure of water. Served as a resource person.

A Lahaina wildfire survivor still waiting on permits, he was neither for nor against, urging the committee to ask every question — including what happens to county staff work if the water never materializes.

Opposed as president of the Tomorrow Foundation; said neither the water nor planning department has a system or expertise to review private engineering reports, and noted the county — not just developers — bears the risk of wasted work.

Opposed, invoking community distrust that safeguards added to get a bill passed will later be stripped away, warning of irreversible salinity in aquifers, and asking the committee to enforce — not weaken — show me the water.

Opposed and asked for deferral, saying even the experts seemed confused; she questioned whether staff capacity exists and warned of political pressure on directors if big investments are made before water is verified.

Argued the real fix isn't loosening the process but reusing the roughly 10 million gallons a day going into injection wells; urged compliance with Bill 52/Ordinance 5592 and touted the new statewide reuse bill, while flagging the Kihei plant budget amendment.

Asked the committee to defer or strike the bill, citing the UN's January 20 global 'water bankruptcy' report; after learning the bill mainly benefits speculative land subdividers, she opposed it even more strongly.

An impassioned Lahaina-area resident who said the bill only helps developers, warned the county still won't have water, and urged officials to hold community meetings before pushing bills rather than limiting residents to three minutes.

The final testifier, connecting with audio trouble, supported the bill, saying concurrent review would help speed a lengthy, onerous permitting process for housing providers and that no one invests millions without being 75 to 95 percent sure of water.