GOVERNOR, COMMUNITY LEADERS URGE SENATORS TO RECONFIRM PETER YOUNG

April 18 - Governor Lingle and a wide range of environmental, business and native Hawaiian groups rallied at the State Capitol Wednesday to support reconfirmation of Peter Young as Director of the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

"If Peter Young is judged by the Senators on a mission of protecting and enhancing our cultural and natural resources, he should be confirmed unanimously," Governor Lingle said Wednesday. "It is rare that you see standing together representatives from Earthjustice and Stanford Carr Development, Castle and Cooke and KAHEA, Gentry Homes and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs," Governor Lingle said. "It truly is representative of our community."

OHA Trustee Collette Machado called on the Senate to quickly confirm Young so he can return his focus to protecting Hawai`i's natural resources. "The Board of Trustees and the entire staff at OHA is 110 percent behind the reconfirmation of Peter Young," Machado said.

Isaac Moriwake, attorney for the environmental advocacy group Earthjustice, agreed. "The issue is very straightforward – who is going to best serve the people of Hawai`i in protecting our precious natural and cultural resources?  From what we've seen over the past several years, there is no question that person is Peter Young," said Moriwake.

Watch this news conference and read the transcript.