M. Kaleo Manuel, the former deputy director of the Hawaii Commission on Water Resources Management, is facing scrutiny since Hawaiian media alleged that he delayed releasing water to firefighters who were battling last week’s wildfires in Maui, which killed at least 111 people.
The West Maui Land Company, which operated three water providers on the island, claimed that Manuel would not approve its request to divert streams to fill reservoirs until they consulted with a local farmer about the impacts of diverting. By that time, according to the company, the wildfires had worsened and caused significant “devastation.”
Critics of Manuel’s handling of the emergency have drawn attention to a November 2022 live-stream in which he described water as a sacred tool for social justice. Referring to water distribution on the island, he said: “Let water connect us and not divide us. We can share it, but it requires true conversations about equity. How do we coexist with the resources we have?” Manuel was transferred to another position within the Department of Land and Natural Resources, according to the Honolulu Civil Beat, which first reported the story of the delay.
It is also worth noting that the Wall Street Journal reported that Hawaiian Electric, Hawaii’s electric provider, has been sued over allegations that its power lines sparked the wildfire. The company allegedly committed years ago to invest in reducing the fire risk posed by its power lines but made little progress. Instead, the WSJ reported, Hawaiian Electric was focused on its goal of “procuring renewable energy.”
When and where will the madness end?
