The Commission
The Commission consists of seven members, five of whom are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the State Senate. The remaining two are the Chairperson of the State Board of Land and Natural Resources, who serves as Chairperson of the Water Commission, and the Director of the State Department of Health. The members are unpaid and serve a limited term.
Laura H. Thielen, Chairperson
Laura H. Thielen is the Director of the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Ms. Thielen graduated from Punahou
High School and attended the University of Colorado, attaining a bachelor of arts in Political science.
She furthered her education with a law degree from Case Western Reserve School of Law and a master's degree in
public policy from Georgetown University. Ms Thielen began her professional career as an attorney with the law
firm Squire Sanders and Dempsey in Cleveland, Ohio, focusing on litigation and environmental law. Her interest in
environmental law brought her back to Hawaii where she practiced at the firm of Gerson Grekin Wynhoff and Thielen,
then went on to join the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii. Prior to serving in state government, Ms. Thielen was the sole
proprietor of LHT Services, which provided business consulting to non-profit organizations and state agencies.
In April 2005, Ms Thielen was appointed Director of the Office of Planning, where she was, among other things,
instrumental in updating the Ocean Resource Management Plan and in formulating legislation related to important agricultural lands.
Chiyome L. Fukino, M.D.
Dr. Chiyome L. Fukino is the Director of the Hawaii State Department of Health. Dr. Fukino previously worked in private
practice in internal medicine since 1985, served part-time on the medical staff of Leahi Hospital and has broad experience
in working with Hawaii's healthcare community. She served as medical director of the Queen's Physician Group, a contract
consultant with Kahi Mohala and a physician with Fronk Clinic. Much of Dr. Fukino's professional work and research has
focused on the health of Native Hawaiians. Her research projects for Native Hawaiians included AIDS Education Curriculum
and a Native Hawaiian Health Curriculum for children and parents.
SUMNER ERDMAN
Born in Hawaii and raised in Ulupalakua, Sumner is the second generation of the Erdman Family to lead Ulupalakua Ranch. His parents, C. Pardee and Betsy, moved to Maui and purchased Ulupalakua Ranch in 1963. Sumner graduated from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. He has also completed a two year Agriculture Leadership Program at the University of Hawaii and the Stanford Executive Management Program.
Before he came back to join his family in managing Ulupalakua Ranch in 1989, Sumner spent some time working on a cattle, deer and sheep operation in New Zealand. He became President of Ulupalakua Ranch in 1995. Sumner is the past President of the Maui Cattlemen’s Association; past Vice-President and President of the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council; a Founding Director of North American Elk Breeders Association; and is a past Director of the Central Maui Soil and Water Conservation District. He has also served on the Boards of the Hawaii State Department of Agriculture and Maui Country Club. He is currently on the Board of Directors for Seabury Hall. In his spare time, he coaches a high school and youth soccer team and spends time with is wife, Angie, and two daughters, Danielle and Camille. This is his first term (July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2013) with the Commission.
Neal S. Fujiwara
Neal S. Fujiwara recently retired as the Maui District Conservationist from the United States Department of
Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) after thirty-two years. He holds a Bachelor's Degree from
Utah State University and also worked at Pioneer Mill Sugar Co. as an assistant irrigation specialist before joining
the NRCS. As Maui District Conservationist, Mr. Fujiwara administered a multitude of natural resources conservation
programs to help people reduce soil erosion, enhance water supplies, improve water quality, increase wildlife habitat,
and reduce damages caused by floods and other natural disasters. Mr. Fujiwara also served as District Conservationist
for Kauai and Soil Conservationist for Kauai County. This is his second term (July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2013)
with the Commission.
Donna Fay K. Kiyosaki, P.E.
Donna Fay K. Kiyosaki is Senior Vice President of Development for Waimana Enterprises, Inc. Prior to joining
Waimana, she served for 8 years as the Deputy Manager & Chief Engineer of the Honolulu Board of Water Supply. Ms.
Kiyosaki has over 25 years of experience in both the public and private sector in water, wastewater, energy, and
public works. She was previously the Director & Chief Engineer for the County of Hawaii, the civil engineering
section head and the integrated resource planning coordinator for Hawaii Electric Light Company, planning engineer
for the Big Island Department of Water Supply, and a design engineer in private practice. She is a graduate of
Stanford University and a registered Civil Engineer in the State of Hawaii. Ms. Kiyosaki served on the National
Board of Directors for the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies and is a committee chair for the American
Water Works Association, Hawaii Section. This is her first term (July 1, 2007 - June 30, 2011)
with the Commission.
Lawrence H. Miike, M.D., J.D.
Lawrence H. Miike is a graduate of the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, and the
University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law. Following his education, he served as a Senior Associate
with the congressional Office of Technology Assessment conducting national health policy studies in Washington,
D.C. Upon returning to Hawaii in 1989, Dr. Miike was the founding Executive Director of Papa Ola Lokahi, the
umbrella organization for the Native Hawaiian health systems. In 1992, he served as Medical Director for the
Hawaii Medicaid Program, then went on to serve as the State Director of Health from 1994 to 1998. For 10 years,
Dr. Miike was also Professor of Family Practice and Community Health at the John A. Burns School of Medicine,
University of Hawaii at Manoa. In his capacity as Director of Health, Dr. Miike was a member of the Commission
on Water Resource Management, but continues to serve occasionally as a hearing officer for both the Water
Commission and the Board of Land and Natural Resources since his retirement in December 1998.
This is his second term (July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2012) with the Commission.
TopSelection and Terms
The State Water Code declares that the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources shall serve as the Chairperson of the Commission, while the Director of Health shall serve as an ex-officio voting member. The other five members of the Commission are to be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate. Each member must have substantial experience in the area of water resource management.
In appointing a member to the Commission, the Governor selects from a list submitted by a nominating committee. The nominating committee is composed of four individuals chosen as follows:
- Two (2) persons appointed by the Governor.
- One (1) person appointed by the President of the Senate.
- One (1) person appointed by the Speaker of the House.
Following a solicitation of applications, a list of at least three individuals is sent to the Governor for each open position. Once appointed, the members of the Commission serve without compensation, but are reimbursed for expenses, including travel expenses, necessary for the performance of their duties. The tenure of each Commission member is subject to the provisions of §26-34, Hawaii Revised Statutes, which are summarized as follows:
- The members of each board and commission established by law shall be nominated and, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, appointed by the Governor.
- The terms of the members shall be for four years; provided that the Governor may reduce the terms of those initially appointed so as to provide, as nearly as can be, for the expiration of an equal number of terms at intervals of one year for each board and commission.
- Unless otherwise provided by law, each term shall commence on July 1 and expire on June 30
- No person shall be appointed consecutively to more than two terms as a member of the same board or commission; provided that membership on any board or commission shall not exceed eight consecutive years.
- Any member of a board or commission whose term has expired and who is not disqualified for membership under subsection (a) may continue in office as a holdover member until a successor is nominated and appointed; provided that a holdover member shall not hold office beyond the end of the second regular legislative session following the expiration of the member's term of office.
- A vacancy occurring in the membership of any board or commission during a term shall be filled for the unexpired term thereof, subject to Article V, section 6 of the Constitution of the State.
- The governor may remove or suspend for cause any member of any board or commission after due notice and public hearing.
Commission's Role
The State, as trustee of water resources, has the constitutionally-mandated responsibility to set policies,
protect resources, defines uses, establish priorities while assuring rights and uses, and establish regulatory procedures.
The Commission on Water Resource Management (Commission) is the entity fulfilling this responsibility through administration
of the State Water Code, Chapter 174C, Hawaii Revised Statutes, which was adopted by the legislature in 1987. Operating procedures
are governed by administrative rules, which are Chapters 167 to 171, Hawaii Administrative Rules.
The Commission has jurisdiction over land-based surface water and ground water resources, but not coastal waters. The protection and management of these water resources is carried out through resource assessments, planning, and regulation. Generally, the Commission is responsible for addressing water quantity issues, while water quality issues are under the purview of the State Department of Health.
The Commission has regularly scheduled meetings, but on its own motion or on petition or application of any interested person or persons or an agency of the state or county government hold proceedings as necessary from time to time for the purpose of:
- Obtaining information necessary or helpful in the determination of its policies or actions;
- Formulating its own rules;
- Carrying out its duties and responsibilities including the designation of water management areas, the permitting of water uses, and the enforcement of rules, orders and legal standards and obligations.
For specific reference to the role of the Commission, please see the Hawaii Administrative Rules, §13-167-22, Proceedings before the Commission.
