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The Whitmore Project

A regional plan to revitalize our local agriculture industry by bringing farmers together to increase local food production, create jobs, engage in partnerships, and to provide workforce housing.

Donovan Secured for You:

 

Agriculture

  • $98.842M to protect nearly 4,000 acres of land in Central O`ahu to ensure it remains in farmer’s hands.

  • $13M for upgrades and improvements to the Galbraith Irrigation System as referenced in the Wahiawā Town Master Plan

  • $4.7M to acquire agricultural lands in Central O`ahu and add water access for irrigation as referenced in the Wahiawā Town Master Plan

  • $800K to address invasive and hazardous plant mitigation on Galbraith Lands 

  • $3.6M - State Packing and Processing Facility - revitalize packing, processing, and value-added facilities located on 24 acres of land in Whitmore Village. 

  • $750K for Galbraith Lands Irrigation System - for an irrigation system to pump water from the North Fork of Kaukonahua Stream to the Galbraith lands to provide a sustainable water source for arid former pineapple land. 

 

Wahiawā Reclaimed Wastewater Irrigation System

  • $3M to plan and design for a new irrigation system and remove the recycled water from Lake Wilson. This is the first recycled water irrigation system of its kind in this State! 

  • $9M for storage tanks at the Wahiawā Wastewater Treatment Plant

Donovan in the News

Click on Image to Read Article

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Donovan is Committed to Growing the Economy and Creating Jobs

The State's economy needs a plan. Families and businesses continue to struggle. Businesses are still fearful to hire due to economic uncertainty. There needs to be a shift. Senator Dela Cruz maintains that the state needs to move away from the practice of government borrowing and spending its way out of problems. The State cannot keep going to the taxpayer to pay for all of these multimillions in improvements and maintenance. The debt cannot keep increasing to be passed on to future generations when the State has underutilized assets that can generate revenue.

 

Over the past two legislative sessions, Senator Dela Cruz worked with various agencies such as the Agribusiness Development Corporation in revitalizing the agricultural industry; the Hawai'i Housing Finance and Development Corporation to increase the inventory of affordable and workforce housing; and the Public Land Development corporation to seek and engage public-private partnerships. He also met with groups such as the Entrepreneurs Organization and Young Leaders to discuss diversifying our economy by creating the opportunities for businesses to startup or relocate here. In addition, Senator Dela Cruz continues to meet with community residents in creating a regional economic revitalization plan.

 

Working with his colleagues, Senator Dela Cruz introduced and supported legislation that would:

 

  • Spur public-private partnerships in public housing facilities;

  • Remove some of the red-tape which burdened the process and limited opportunities for economic development on the state’s underutilized assets; and

  • Increase the bond ceiling for affordable housing projects which will not only increase the inventory of housing but get Hawai'i's unemployed back to work.

 

Senator Dela Cruz stated that the state is in an era where concerns of the economy should be less about new development, but more about the performance, improvement, and opportunity of the existing developed environment.

 

A notable land acquisition Senator Dela Cruz helped secure is the purchase of 1,723 acres of the Galbraith Estate, which will be under the management of the Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC) that plans to place local farmers on the land. Senator Dela Cruz was instrumental in having $3.6 million allocated to ADC for FY12-13 to acquire and retrofit the Dole facilities located in Whitmore Village to become a modern agriculture processing and distribution hub for the region.

 

Further, Senator Dela Cruz had the sum of $750,000 for the plan and design phase included in the budget to set up the necessary infrastructure for a cost efficient water delivery system utilizing Lake Wilson as the primary irrigation source for agriculture on the Galbraith land. Senator's proposed project aims to provide an additional water source to the property thus, giving farmers greater access to water thereby increasing their production, reducing the cost of water and preserving drinking water, which at times reaches critical levels due to drought conditions which prevail occasionally.

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AGSALDA OHANA 

Wahiawā residents

"We appreciate Senator Dela Cruz's leadership in supporting local businesses. Our 'Ohana supports Donovan!" 

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YUKI KITAGAWA

Wahiawā resident 

"I appreciate Donovan's continued efforts to revitalize agriculture in Hawai'i. Without ag we have nothing, that's why I'm voting for Donovan!" 

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MEGAN MAURICIO 

Whitmore Village resident 

"Senator Dela Cruz has the drive to deliver solutions for Hawai'i's younger generation. He's providing opportunities for students like me to access scholarship programs that make college more affordable.

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MOANA OLASO

Wahiawā resident

"Donovan works hard to help small businesses and create more jobs in our community. He truly wants to make Wahiawā somewhere we can live, learn, work, and play."

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