Mr. BELL. I would like now to turn the testimony over for Kona Coast Co. to Francis Ching, Jr., who I indicated to you earlier is director of the State-I'm sorry-director of the Archeological Research Center, a private research company. Now, Mr. Ching is currently a State of Hawaii archeologist.

STATEMENT OF FRANCIS CHING, JR., DIRECTOR, ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH CENTER

Mr. CHING. Mr. Chairman, members of the committee, I want to summarize my statement that you have before you.

It seems to me that we are really here to discuss two things today: Whether or not Kaloko, Honokohau, Kealakehe, should be a historical national park; and two, the significance of Kaolko, Honokohau, and Kealakehe as compared with the sites of real historical and archeological value, such as the complex made up of Puukohola Heiau, Mailekini Heiau, and the John Young House, Kealakekua Bay Complex, Mahinaakaka, all located here on Hawaii, to name just a few. In light of the above-named sites, Kaloko, Honokohau, and Kealakehe must take a secondary position and therefore, should only be considcred for national park status after the above and other sites of great historical significance elsewhere in the State have been granted such status. At Kaloko, should national park status not be granted, private moneys will be made available to develop a historical park for public use. Here, the most significant site will be saved, interpreted, preserved, and maintained.

This does not only mean that public money will be saved but that that public money being considered for the purpose of development and maintenance for a national historic park here in Kaloko can be diverted while still in the talking stage to any one of numerous sites of great significance throughout the State of Hawaii, a few of which have been mentioned above. By so doing, you show by your actions today and in the future insurance that a greater number of historical sites representing this rich cultural heritage will be passed on to our children.

Thank you.

Mr. BELL. The next testimony is to be presented by Dr. Douglas Inman, who is a professor of oceanography at the University of California in La Jolla. Dr. Inman is experienced particularly in beach and shore processes and particularly interested in beach conservation and preservation. He has made a number of studies for the Kona Coast Co. with reference to Kaloko Pond. Dr. Inman.

STATEMENT OF DR. DOUGLAS INMAN, PROFESSOR OF OCEANOGRAPHY, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LA JOLLA

Dr. INMAN. Our study was concerned basically with the oceanographic factors here; accordingly, we undertook coastal planning which we hope would provide for the progress in terms of man's present needs, as well as preserving in an esthetic way the historical, sociological background of the environment.

Our first procedure was to make a very detailed study of the coastline, bathymetric from ships as well as by swimming and diving to

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determine the possibility of beaches in this area. A detailed study of the area showed in fact that while there is sand brought up above the rocks in many places as a storm beach, there are very few good beaches in this area. I might add there are almost no beaches that are safe to the layman to swim from these areas under general conditions. It is true that the experienced divers and swimmers can enter the water in almost any place, but in the sense of public usage, there are very few good beaches.

Our survey showed that in fact, Kaloko Pond was rather unique. It turns out that there is a series of lava seals that limit the depth of breaking in the Kaloko Pond area. This means that even under the worst storm conditions, no waves higher than the seal will break and enter the area. Accordingly then, we prepared a plan.

I'm sorry; I had some illustrations here. That's all right, if you wish to use them. Could I refer to them before

The lava seal in question is one that comes out underwater now, submerged in this area [indicating] that only permits waves of-any wave over 4 feet then dissipates its energy. Now, we found by drawing the refraction diagram and making extensive studies of this area that in fact there could always be a good beach in the interior portion of this area.

We presented then a historical background circa 1600 looking at the situation as it probably existed at this time. I realize this is an extrapolation; however, we do know that at the present rate of sea level versus land changes in this area, the sea level rises approximately 20 centimeters per century. About circa 1600, the sea level was some 2 feet lower than it is now, and at that time, there was undoubtedly a sandy beach area within the Kaloko Pond area. The seal where the present wall rests was promising for a fishpond; therefore, it was so constructed.

The changes in sea level was one of the reasons why the wave action has been affecting and breaking down in this area; and the owners have had to repair it from time to time. Actually, in this section here is shown in another diagram, the seawall has been destroyed-was destroyed in 1968 and had to be repaired.

So as a result of this then, we suggested a natural breakthrough at this point which would then produce a beach somewhat similar to the old situation, yet preserve some of the historical ecological background in terms of an active fishpond in the southern portion of the

area.

There are several reasons for doing so. In the first place, this is the area subject to the better and safer waves; the fishpond area is also subject to artesian upwelling which would bring in cold water and would be inappropriate for swimming.

I have been very enthusiastic about this program because it seems to me it's one of the first times, at least in my experience, where the conservationists-where the landowners have done a very extensive study. We've been engaged 4 years in this study, and it seems to me that they have done all of the things here that are necessary. They have gone into all the archeological aspects of the situation, and in my opinion, their proposed plan would be of better use to the State

and the Nation than a park in this area; and for this reason, I oppose the bill.

Mr. TAYLOR. I believe we could save time if we didn't have the applause. I know everyone here agrees with some of the witnesses and disagrees with others, so I would like to request that we, maybe, refrain from that. And our rules prohibit hissing sounds or anything of that kind, but I don't think you look like a hissing audience. [Laughter.] In fact, I have never seen a more friendly crowd than here in Hawaii.

Mr. BELL. Mr. Chairman, I would like now to bring to the chair Mr. Karl Rodi of the Kona Coast Co. Mr. Rodi.

STATEMENT OF MR. KARL RODI, KONA COAST CO.

Mr. RODI. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I am a principal of the Kona Coast Co., and this company is the owner of the area of the settlement which is known as Kaloko. This comprises the northerly part of the settlement, and it's shown on the first photograph in our yellow presentation.

We are, in effect, proposing an alternative to the proposal for a national park. This is a plan which we have worked on with the State and with others for about 5 years. The details of the matters which concern the preservation of the historic aspect of this appear in a sketch which is pinned to the front portfolio of our yellow folder here, and you'll see that we are committed to creating and preserving a historic park; this involves roughly 10 acres to the southeast of the fishpond. We are committed to reconstructing a portion of the fishpond, and that is shown on this map. We are also committed to operating this fishpond in the ancient Hawaiian manner. We are committed also to create a beach and also to public pedestrian use of the shoreline.

These commitments are contained in part in the permit which we obtained from the Department of Land and Natural Resources. They result in part from the arrangements and the presentations we made at the time the remainder of our land was zoned "urban", and this was left in "conservation". As you know, the State retains rather complete control with respect to the conservation lands or the lands which are zoned for conservation. We have indicated to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation which we came before in Washington in November; we have also discussed the matter with Mayor Kimura of the county of Hawaii, and with others.

We are willing and glad to enter into legally binding commitments to make sure that these commitments will be fulfilled. It has recently come to our attention that one of the reasons why a national park has been proposed for this area is that the people-some of them lack confidence in our good faith in making and in keeping these commitments. I want to assure that we are sincerely desirous of fulfilling these commitments completely, and we are willing to work with local groups, State groups, and to do anything that we can to create this in perpetuity.

We think that this is a plan which preserves in this area the evidence of early Hawaiian civilization which exists here as it exists in many