Hawaii names new natural resources chief

Hawaii names new natural resources chief

	Published : Thu, 26 Jul 2007 17:48 By : Agencies Print this Story

HONOLULU (AP) - A top state economic planner was picked to take over Hawaii's troubled natural resources department with a mandate to develop new energy sources.

Laura H. Thielen, an environmental attorney who has headed the governor's Office of Planning for two years, was appointed Wednesday to lead Hawaii's troubled Department of Land and Natural Resources, which has been described as the state's hardest job.

Thielen will face the task of reforming the 800-employee department, which has been plagued by investigations and allegations of mismanagement.

State senators ousted her predecessor, Peter Young, from the job in April despite Gov. Linda Lingle's strong support and protests from environmental groups who over his tenure came to back him.

Thielen, also a former Board of Education member, said she will concentrate on cleaning up ineffective divisions within the department and promoting renewable energy.

'We need to find ways to make renewable energy happen,' Thielen said. 'We cannot sit back and say we want renewable energy to happen and to criticize businesses for the fact that they haven't put it in place. Government has a very large role.'

Lingle announced her appointment of Thielen, who was recommended by a 30-person search committee, at the 2007 Hawaii Conservation Conference.

The governor said she will work closely with Thielen to decide whether state lands should be used for renewable energy production, electricity transmission or preservation.

'Conservation means how we produce our energy in this state. We need to focus on renewable energy,' Lingle said. 'Preserving our environment and conserving our resources is critical to our survival as a state and as a people.'

Thielen starts the job as interim director on Monday. She will need to be confirmed by the state Senate next spring before the job becomes permanent.

Thielen must learn to balance the desires of environmentalists and businesses while managing a department known for internal infighting between longtime employees and short-term directors, said Marti Townsend, interim director of KAHEA, an advocacy group for environmental and native Hawaiian causes.

'There's no doubt director of DLNR is the toughest job in state government. ... Nobody loves you in this job,' said Townsend, who praised Thielen's appointment. 'She has been very open and honest.'

The state Senate shot down Young's confirmation due to concerns over a criminal investigation he started, high employee turnover and failure to prevent the Kaloko dam break on Kauai, which killed seven people as they slept.

A Senate committee is investigating the department's Bureau of Conveyances, which has been accused of failing to protect property records, showing favoritism and being poorly run. Additional problems in the department's boating and preservation divisions also contributed to Young's downfall.

Young served on the selection committee and helped run the department until his successor could be found. He left that job last week and is now the president of a new environmental consulting company, Hookuleana LLC.

'Even though I left DLNR, I'm not going away,' Young said. 'I'll help whenever I'm asked.'

Thielen replaces interim director Allan Smith, who led the department since May 1. He will now serve as interim deputy director of land. Lingle said he wasn't interested in the department's top job.

Thielen headed the Office of Planning since 2005, which assists and advises the governor in guiding development in the state.

Before that, she was elected to the Board of Education in 2002, and since 1997 she was the sole proprietor of LHT Services, which provided business consulting to nonprofit organizations and state agencies.

She is the daughter of Rep. Cynthia Thielen, R-Kaneohe-Kailua, who was the unsuccessful late-entry GOP candidate for the U.S. Senate last year against Sen. Daniel Akaka.