A Nov. 30 letter writer warns that if cane burning is stopped we'll see Maui paved over. I find this ironic, since the letter writer is on the planning commission, which has been busy voting in favor every single development that comes before it.
He knows that land can't be subdivided or have its zoning changed without the complicity of the county Planning Department, the Land Use Commission and his planning commission.
It is quite simple to prevent paving over Maui - if only people would support intelligent planning instead of bowing to the construction unions/developers to indiscriminately approve every development they set eyes on.
This is especially ironic because Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co.'s parent company, Alexander & Baldwin, is busy converting cane fields to development as fast as the economy will absorb it. Burn cane, don't burn cane. Doesn't make any difference to A&B's development plans.
The letter writer doesn't want farmland paved over? Then he and his planning commission buddies should stop approving developments on farmland. It is they who are paving over Maui. It is they who can stop it.
Bottom line is that peer-reviewed, verified, scientific research shows soot (in agricultural smoke) damages health. It is simply not OK for a Wall Street corporation like HC&S to make a profit by making people sick. Please go to StopCaneBurning.org and see what you can do to get this health hazard stopped.
Karen Chun
Paia
