United States Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D - Hawaii) announced today that the United States Senate unanimously approved legislation he introduced earlier this year to designate the Ala Kahakai ("Trail by the Sea") on the island of Hawaii a National Historic Trail, incorporating it into the U.S. National Trails System.
"I"m very pleased that the Senate has taken this action," Akaka said. "I hope that the House will take up the bill at the earliest opportunity, and that we can enact the measure during this session of Congress.
"My bill will pave the way for the National Park Service to develop and administer the Ala Kahakai, conferring federal protection on and support for a unique indigenous resource. No other trail in the National Trails System comes close to featuring as many historic and cultural sites as the Ala Kahakai."
The Akaka measure implements the recommendations contained in a Park Service trail study, which had originally been authorized by legislation Akaka proposed in 1992. The "Ala Kahakai National Trail Study and Final Environmental Impact Statement," completed in January, 1998, recommended the trail's designation as a National Historic Trail since it meets all of the criteria required for such designation. Only Congress can designate a national trail.
The Park Service study considered four management alternatives: (a) no action, (b) a continuous national historic trail, (c) a state historic trail, (d) and a discontinuous national historic trail. The agency ultimately recommended a continuous national historic trail as the environmentally preferred alternative that would facilitate the best use and protection of trail resources.
The Ala Kahakai is the modern term for a 175-mile portion of ancient shoreline footpath, or Ala Loa ("Long Trail), that once circled the island of Hawaii and connected more than 600 communities of the island kingdom of Hawaii between the 15th and 18th centuries. Various sections of the trail are associated with prehistoric and historic dwellings, royal and sacred sites, and major battles. A key section of the trail is associated with such important historical events as Captain Cook's landing and subsequent demise; Kamehameha's rise to power, consolidation of rule, and death; the overthrow of the ancient kapu religious system; and, the arrival of the first western missionaries.
The designation of the Ala Kahakai as a national trail is supported by the State, environmental groups, hiking organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations, and others. A few landowners whose lands are crossed by the proposed trail have expressed concern about the impact of federal designation on their properties, but Akaka expressed confidence that these concerns could be addressed.
"My bill provides for full consultation with landowners, Native Hawaiian groups, and local communities in the administration, planning, development, and maintenance of the trail," noted Akaka.
About half (93 miles, or 53 percent) of the proposed trail is in local, state, or federal government ownership, and 82 miles cross private lands. Of the latter, 16 miles have been dedicated, through planning requirements, as public land. Of the remaining 66 miles of trail on private lands, as much as 35 miles are classified as "ancient trail" and thus claimable as state-owned under Hawaiian law. Akaka stressed that "for the remaining sections of trail that are not ancient trail, or for which the state's claim has been forfeited in some way, landowner participation would be entirely voluntary."
