Protecting Hawaii's natural & cultural resources since 1981
In Memorium: Chuck Prentiss
We are sad to announce that Chuck Prentiss, president of Hawaii’s Thousand Friends for more than 20 years, passed away at home on April 13, 2025.
Chuck spent a lifetime devoted to public service. He served as a planner in the Honolulu Planning Department and eventually became the Executive Secretary of the Honolulu Planning Commission.
Chuck was a staunch advocate for the quality-of-life value of long-range community planning and the importance of upholding planning and zoning laws to achieve that goal and to protect the environment.
Chuck cared deeply about community. During his career and after retirement he continued his quest to educate the public about the importance of good land-use planning as chair of Oahu’s first Neighborhood Board in Mililani, which he helped found, and then as chair of the Kailua Neighborhood Board for many years.
As President of the Board of Directors he led HTF several important lawsuits in protection of Hawaii’s environment. The Waiahole Ditch case resulted in a successful conclusion with the Hawaii Supreme Court’s decision articulating the Public Trust Doctrine as the standard by which the State must manage the distribution and allocation of all surface and ground waters as the people’s right to have the water protected for their use.
The 2004 HTF lawsuit against the City and County of Honolulu for violations to the Clean Water Act resulted in a 25-year Consent Decree to secure timely and effective environmental benefits to protect public health.
HTF’s lawsuit against the City and County of Honolulu for granting Waikiki Kyo-ya Hotel a variance to exceed height and density resulted in a Hawaii Supreme Court ruling that reversed the City and County’s approved variance.
We will miss Chuck as the Board’s leader, the depth of his knowledge of land-use laws and Oahu General and Development/Sustainable Plans and his tenacity in standing up for land and water rights.
Chuck’s impact on Hawaii’s Thousand Friends and the environment and communities of Oahu cannot be overstated. We grieve his loss, and honor him by continuing his legacy.
Chuck spent a lifetime devoted to public service. He served as a planner in the Honolulu Planning Department and eventually became the Executive Secretary of the Honolulu Planning Commission.
Chuck was a staunch advocate for the quality-of-life value of long-range community planning and the importance of upholding planning and zoning laws to achieve that goal and to protect the environment.
Chuck cared deeply about community. During his career and after retirement he continued his quest to educate the public about the importance of good land-use planning as chair of Oahu’s first Neighborhood Board in Mililani, which he helped found, and then as chair of the Kailua Neighborhood Board for many years.
As President of the Board of Directors he led HTF several important lawsuits in protection of Hawaii’s environment. The Waiahole Ditch case resulted in a successful conclusion with the Hawaii Supreme Court’s decision articulating the Public Trust Doctrine as the standard by which the State must manage the distribution and allocation of all surface and ground waters as the people’s right to have the water protected for their use.
The 2004 HTF lawsuit against the City and County of Honolulu for violations to the Clean Water Act resulted in a 25-year Consent Decree to secure timely and effective environmental benefits to protect public health.
HTF’s lawsuit against the City and County of Honolulu for granting Waikiki Kyo-ya Hotel a variance to exceed height and density resulted in a Hawaii Supreme Court ruling that reversed the City and County’s approved variance.
We will miss Chuck as the Board’s leader, the depth of his knowledge of land-use laws and Oahu General and Development/Sustainable Plans and his tenacity in standing up for land and water rights.
Chuck’s impact on Hawaii’s Thousand Friends and the environment and communities of Oahu cannot be overstated. We grieve his loss, and honor him by continuing his legacy.
Know Your Rights
The goal of this website is to inform and empower citizens with information so that you can fight for free-flowing clean stream water, clean oceans, comprehensive land use planning, and insist that all Hawai'i's laws and rules are followed that conserve and protect Hawai’i’s natural and cultural resources and historic sites.
All of us who call Hawai`i home have a role to play to protect Hawaii’s natural beauty and natural & cultural resources.
Read more about everyone’s duty to protect the environment in the Hawaii State Constitution, especially Article XI on Conservation, Control and Development of Resources.
All of us who call Hawai`i home have a role to play to protect Hawaii’s natural beauty and natural & cultural resources.
Read more about everyone’s duty to protect the environment in the Hawaii State Constitution, especially Article XI on Conservation, Control and Development of Resources.
Annual Report 2024
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Click below to download HTF's 2024 Annual Report.
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In Recognition of Muriel Seto
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Muriel Seto, born in Colorado, met a young Hawaiian Chinese man while skiing in Colorado. They fell in love and moved to Hawaii where Muriel immersed herself in Hawaiian history and culture.
As a board member of the Lani-Kailua Branch of the Outdoor Circle she became Committee Chair for Kawainui and her decades long effort to protect the archaeological, historical and natural resources of Kawainui Marsh began. As a past executive director of Hawaii’s Thousand Friends and member she worked with the National Audubon society to have Kawainui and Hamakua Marsh Complex recognized as a Ramsar Wetland of Internation Importance, the only one in the state. Muriel has written several books and essays: 1) the brochure Mahama Aina O Mokapu about the 482-acre Nu`upia Ponds Wildlife Management Area on Marine Corp Base Hawaii, 2) Mokapu: An Anchored Island, 3) Recovering an Ancient Hawaiian Cultural Landscape for Purposes of Modern Land Use Planning and was author/publisher of the Hawaiian Sites Cultural Database. Muriel now lives in Washington State near her children. |
Video: Representative Lisa Marten honoring Muriel Seto
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The Real Purpose of Rail
Real estate consultant Stephany Sofos said . . . “it goes back to the whole thing that rail was never about transporting bodies - it was to try and create housing” with the ability of residents to then use rail as transportation. (4/2/20 StarAdvertiser)
For information about rail see the rail issues page.
For information about rail see the rail issues page.
The Environmental Notice
To receive periodic notices of Environmental Impact Statements (EIS), Conservation District Use Applications (CDUA), Coastal Zone Management Notices, Special Management Area (SMA), Shoreline Certification Applications and Federal Notices go to the Environmental Review Program and sign up for the The Environmental Notice.
Water Quality Alerts
The Hawaii Department of Health’s Clean Water Branch has an ocean water quality advisory system to let the community know about impacts to the water quality of our beaches throughout our islands. To subscribe to the notification system click here and click "subscribe" on the Clean Water Branch site. For information on the Department of Health Clean Water Branch go to https://health.hawaii.gov/cwb/clean-water-branch-home-page/about-cwb/
New Address: 335 Hahani Street #342132, Kailua, HI 96734
Hawaii’s Thousand Friends is a non-profit organization 501(c)(3) organization. Your donations are tax deductible. Mahalo!