Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources

The Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) is a part of the Hawaii state government dedicated to managing state parks and other natural resources of the state of Hawaii.

Organization

Board of Land and Natural Resources

The DLNR is headed by an executive board, the Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR). It is composed of seven members, one from land district and two at large, and the Chairperson, who is the executive head of the Department. The Board convenes twice monthly.

Commission on Water Resource Management

The Commission on Water Resource Management (CWRM) administers the 1987 State Water Code, Chapter 174C of the Hawaii Revised Statutes. "It has jurisdiction over land-based surface water and groundwater resources, but not coastal waters and generally, it is responsible for addressing water quantity issues, while water quality issues are under the purview of the Hawaii Department of Health. Of the seven commission members, two are members by virtue of office and five, who must have "substantial experience in water resource management", are appointed by the Governor. One term lasts four years. The Chairperson of the Commission is the Chair of the BLNR. The chairperson appoints the CWRM Deputy Director,

Kure Atoll

Kure Atoll (/ˈkʊəriː/; Hawaiian: Mokupāpapa) or Ocean Island is an atoll in the Pacific Ocean 48 nautical miles (89 km; 55 mi) beyond Midway Atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands at 28°25′N 178°20′W / 28.417°N 178.333°W / 28.417; -178.333Coordinates: 28°25′N 178°20′W / 28.417°N 178.333°W / 28.417; -178.333. The only land of significant size is called Green Island and is habitat for hundreds of thousands of seabirds. A short, unused and unmaintained runway and a portion of one building, both from a former United States Coast Guard LORAN station, are located on the island. Politically it is part of Hawaii, although separated from the rest of the state by Midway, which is a separate unorganized territory.

Geography

The International Date Line lies approximately 100 miles (87 nmi/160 km) to the west. Surprisingly, although located to the west of Midway Atoll, Kure Atoll has a timezone +1 hour ahead at UTC-10:00 (the same as the rest of Hawaii). Kure is the northern-most coral atoll in the world. It consists of a 6-mile (10 km) wide nearly circular barrier reef surrounding a shallow lagoon and several sand islets. There is a total land area of 213.097 acres (86.237 ha), with Green Island on the southeast side having 191.964 acres (77.685 ha) of this total. A growing number of Hawaiian monk seals (Monachus schauinslandi) haul out on its beaches.

Hawaii

Coordinates: 21°18′41″N 157°47′47″W / 21.31139°N 157.79639°W / 21.31139; -157.79639

Hawaii (English pronunciation: ⁱ/həˈwaɪʲi/ hə-WY-(y)ee; locally, [həˈwɐ(ɪ)ʔi]; Hawaiian: Hawaiʻi [həˈvɐjʔi]) is the 50th and most recent state of the United States of America, receiving statehood on August 21, 1959. Hawaii is the only U.S. state located in Oceania and the only one composed entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean. Hawaii is the only U.S. state not located in the Americas. The state does not observe daylight saving time.

The state encompasses nearly the entire volcanic Hawaiian archipelago, which comprises hundreds of islands spread over 1,500 miles (2,400 km). At the southeastern end of the archipelago, the eight main islands are—in order from northwest to southeast: Niʻihau, Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, Kahoʻolawe, Maui and the Island of Hawaiʻi. The last is the largest island in the group; it is often called the "Big Island" or "Hawaiʻi Island" to avoid confusion with the state or archipelago. The archipelago is physiographically and ethnologically part of the Polynesian subregion of Oceania.