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Concise Summary of Sara Steiner's Reply Brief (Appellant's Reply Brief filed 11.MAR.2025 in the State Health Department geothermal rulemaking case, running concurrent to the HI Geothermal Injunction):

This is a powerful, point-by-point rebuttal filed by Sara Steiner of Pahoa, Hawaii , on behalf of the Puna community and environment. It directly counters the State's/appellee's arguments in the Hilo Environmental Court case challenging the Health Department's geothermal rulemaking for Puna Geothermal Venture (PGV). Sara filed a rulemaking petition for monitoring and regulating future geothermal in order to protect 'aina, as no geothermal entity has ever been monitored or regulated correctly in the fake state of Hawaii .



♡♡ Side Note: This is alongside the current active Hawaii Geothermal Injunction that she filed on behalf of the Puna community and environment, which includes over a dozen community members and 2 volcano scientists, and is currently stalled in Intermediate Court of Appeals with expedite request denied due to severity, as they criminally and unconstitutionally fast track 16 more geothermal fracking bills through Hawaii senate this 2026 session... and all during Saras own personal fight with Cancer , recently diagnosed and enduring immunotherapy. Please support her however you can. Ill put links at end of this article to her gofund me's.♡♡


Key arguments include:

● The rulemaking process is flawed and rushed, relying on a fraudulent or grossly inadequate Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that hides or downplays real harms.


●Geothermal operations in Puna produce toxic emissions (H₂S gas, etc.), air/water contamination, seismic risks, and long-term health impacts on residents—facts the State and developers have minimized or ignored.



●Permit renewals and expansions are "actions" requiring full Chapter 343 environmental review (not exempt as the lower court claimed).


●Cultural desecration of Pele's domain and the Puna 'āina is not being addressed.


■ The brief urges the court to reject the rulemaking as written, uphold community protections, and stop the fast-tracking that puts corporate profits over people and the environment. It's a clear, evidence-based takedown showing the State is trying to hide the true costs while pushing PGV forward


Why this is critically important for Hawaiian Beneficiaries to pay attention to right now:


Hawaiian Beneficiaries (especially DHHL beneficiaries) are being lined up as the next targets for geothermal "exploration" and development on homelands across multiple islands — with millions in state funding and multiple bills (including fast-tracked ones) pushing studies, permits, and infrastructure on sacred volcanic areas.


☆ The State and developers keep repeating the lie that geothermal is "clean, green, renewable energy with no emissions."


This Puna reply brief rips that lie wide open: PGV has already caused documented toxic gas releases, health crises for Puna families, and seismic activity some link directly to the 2018 eruption that wiped out homes and lives. The same playbook — inadequate EIS, fast-tracked rules, and dismissal of cultural impacts — is now being rolled out statewide under the guise of "beneficiary benefits."


"If we let them get away with it in Puna (the test case), it sets the precedent to desecrate Pele's other domains without real consultation, consent, or accountability. " - KahuPuna Aloha Activism

This is not about "clean energy" — it's about exploiting 'āina that belongs to the people for corporate gain while lying to beneficiaries.


Sara Steiner's brief is the legal firewall showing exactly how they're trying to bypass the law. Hawaiian beneficiaries have the most at stake: Their lands, their health, culture, and their future 7 generations. Ignoring this means watching the same harm spread to DHHL lands while they call it "progress." - KahuPuna Aloha Activism

LaHui — this is our kuleana.


Enough is enough!!


SHOW UP IN PERSON to the Hilo Environmental Court on April 15th at 9:30 AM (Judge Nakamoto courtroom).


Support the Puna community, stand with Sara Steiner , stand with MĀDAME PELE, and let the court see that we will not be silent while they fast-track the exploitation of our diety Tūtū Pele. Bring your voice, your signs, your aloha for the 'āina, and your determination.


The courtroom is open to the public — our presence matters. This is how we protect our future and hold them accountable.



Aʻole PGV! Mālama ʻĀina!


Come for Pele. Come for Puna. Come for all of us. See you there.


Jasmine Steiner

KahuPuna ( @kahu_puna on TikTok Instagram and FB)

Aloha Activism

LERZ Puna News Weekly (on FB)


HOW TO HELP PUNA COMMUNITY IN GEOTHERMAL RADIUS AT THIS TIME :


SUPPORT THE COURT CASES FILED BY SARA STEINER. THIS IS HOW. THIS IS THE ONE AND ONLY LEGAL WAY WE CAN STOP GEOTHERMAL .


WAYS TO SHOW SUPPORT TO SARA DURING THE COURT CASES AGAINST HAWAII COUNTY AND ISRAELI ORMAT PGV :

aloha guys, jasmine here , Saras daughter --> everything mom does is out of her own pockets blood sweat and tears . These court filings are not cheap and they play not fair at all .. she is paying 500 at times for a single filing in the courthouse for the community.... She never asks for anything in return, only feeds off the hope to one day free her home! Sara has recently been diagnosed with a aggressive invasive rare melanoma (skin cancer is one of the three top cancers from geothermal emmisions) and has been doing immunotherapy, but the next court date comes right in the middle of her Cancer treatments. She needs financial support. Here are her two gofund mes to help , please share out and donate if you can . Mahalo , I couldn't imagine a world without my mama in it guys !! #IMUA !




Also please join the A'OLE PGV facebook group, which is led by Sara herself and has daily updates from the ground in geothermal radius .


FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY PUNA BORN SOUL: MAHALO. if you made it this far , you ARE a true aloha 'aina warrior. May all your prayers be answered , may the universe continue to bless you. I hope to see you standing for our home , in Person, April 15th in Hilo #IKUMAUMAU #IMUA #PUNASTRONG XO EYE LAVA YOU

JAZZY

KahuPuna



 
 
 

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