PRIORITY ACTIONS IF YOU OPPOSE THIS: 

1. Sign this petition ✓
2. Email County Council members and the Mayor: councilmembers@kauai.gov, mayor@kauai.gov
3. Email the Planning department: planningdepartment@kauai.gov
4. IF YOU ARE WILLING TO PROVIDE IN PERSON TESTIMONY EMAIL US: info@stopamazonkauai.com
5. Share on social media (helps us reach 10,000 signatures)
6. Talk to 3 neighbors/friends about emailing and signing 

Our island is at a crossroads. Amazon plans to build a 42,000-square-foot warehouse operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in Lihue's Ahukini Business Park. While Amazon promises jobs and convenience, the reality tells a different story—one of overwhelmed roads, struggling families, shuttered local businesses, and a community changed forever.

We, the residents and business owners of Kauai, are calling on our County Council to halt this project before it's too late.

This Isn't Just "A Building"—It's a Threat to Our Community

Amazon's proposed warehouse would operate around the clock on 14.6 acres, fundamentally changing the character of our island. Here's what we know:

Our Roads Can't Handle This:

• Research shows truck crashes increased 146% near new warehouse facilities
• Large delivery facilities can generate hundreds of truck trips per day
• Kauai's narrow roads and residential neighborhoods weren't designed for industrial-scale delivery operations
• 24/7 operations mean round-the-clock diesel truck traffic

Our Families Will Suffer:

Studies link warehouse activity to 20% higher air pollution (nitrogen dioxide) near facilities
Elevated levels of PM2.5 and elemental carbon—pollutants linked to asthma, heart disease, and other health problems—have been documented near warehouse developments
Our keiki and kupuna are most vulnerable to these health impacts

The Jobs Aren't What They Seem:

A 2024 University of Illinois Chicago study of 1,484 Amazon warehouse workers nationwide found:

• 53% experienced food insecurity in the past 3 months
• 48% experienced housing insecurity in the past 3 months
• 56% couldn't pay all their bills without carrying a balance

These low-wage or jobs won't help families afford Kauai's high cost of living

Amazon is actively automating warehouse jobs away: Leaked internal documents reveal plans to avoid hiring over 600,000 U.S. workers by 2033 through robotics and automation. Facilities already implementing this technology show significant reductions in human labor—meaning even these low-quality jobs may not last

Amazon frames automation as creating "higher-skilled roles," but the reality is hundreds of thousands fewer jobs overall, with remaining positions focused on managing robots rather than sustainable career paths

Our Local Businesses Will Be Destroyed:

• 90% of independent retailers nationwide report Amazon negatively impacts their revenue
• Between 2007-2017, the U.S. lost 65,000 small retailers as Amazon expanded
• Family businesses serving our island face an existential threat
• When you shop Amazon, money leaves our island instead of circulating in our community

 

WHAT YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW
Signing this petition is just the first step. Here are other powerful actions you can take:

 
📞 ACTION 1: CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS
Let them know you oppose this warehouse. Personal calls and emails from constituents have real impact.

KAUAI COUNTY COUNCIL (They control zoning and building permits!)
Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami

Email: mayor@kauai.gov
Phone: (808) 241-4900

County Council Chair Mel Rapozo

Email: mrapozo@kauai.gov
Phone: (808) 241-4099

Council Vice Chair KipuKai Kuali'i

Email: kkualii@kauai.gov
Phone: (808) 241-4097

Councilmember Felicia Cowden

Email: fcowden@kauai.gov
Phone: (808) 241-4092

Councilmember Bernard P. Carvalho Jr.

Email: bcarvalho@kauai.gov
Phone: (808) 241-4096
Councilmember Bill DeCosta

Email: bdecosta@kauai.gov
Phone: (808) 241-4093

Councilmember Addison Bulosan

Email: abulosan@kauai.gov
Phone: (808) 241-4094

Email all councilmembers at once: councilmembers@kauai.gov

 
HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE (Kauai Representatives)

State Senator Ron Kouchi (District 7 - Kauai, Niihau)

Email: senkouchi@capitol.hawaii.gov
Phone: (808) 586-6030

State Rep. Nadine Nakamura (District 14 - Hanalei, Princeville, Kilauea, Anahola, Kapa'a, Wailua)

Email: repnakamura@capitol.hawaii.gov
Phone: (808) 586-8435

State Rep. Luke Evslin (District 16 - Waimea, Kekaha, parts of Lihue)

Email: repevslin@capitol.hawaii.gov
Phone: (808) 586-6270

State Rep. Dee Morikawa (District 17 - Koloa, Poipu, Lawai, Kalaheo, Eleele, Hanapepe)

Email: repmorikawa@capitol.hawaii.gov
Phone: (808) 586-6280
 

 
✉️ SAMPLE MESSAGE TO OFFICIALS:
"Dear [Name],

I am a [resident/business owner/concerned citizen] of Kauai writing to oppose Amazon's proposed 24/7 warehouse facility in Lihue. This development would:

• Generate hundreds of daily vehicle trips from delivery vans, supply trucks, and employees, overwhelming roads not designed for industrial logistics
• Increase air pollution harmful to our families' health

• Destroy local businesses that make Kauai special

 • Create low-quality jobs (53% of Amazon warehouse workers nationally face food insecurity - and Amazon is already replacing warehouse jobs nationwide with robots). 

• Change the character of our community permanently

I urge you to reject the building permit, require comprehensive impact studies, and hold public hearings before any final approval.

Kauai deserves development that serves our community, not corporations.

Sincerely, [Your Name] [Your Address/District]"

 
📣 ACTION 2: ATTEND COUNTY COUNCIL MEETINGS
When: County Council meets regularly - check www.kauai.gov/council for schedule 

Where: Historic County Building, 4396 Rice St, Lihue

What to do: Sign up for public testimony (3 minutes to speak)

Impact: In-person testimony is incredibly powerful - Council members take note

 
📱 ACTION 3: SPREAD THE WORD
Share this petition on:

Facebook (tag Kauai community groups)
Instagram (use #KeepKauaiLocal #StopAmazonKauai)
Nextdoor (reach your neighbors)
Email to friends and family

Follow our campaign:

Instagram: @stopamazonkauai
Website: stopamazonkauai.com

 
🏪 ACTION 4: SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES
Show Kauai what we'd lose:

Shop at locally-owned stores instead of Amazon
Post photos of your favorite local businesses with #KeepKauaiLocal
Ask local business owners to sign on to our campaign
Share why local businesses matter to you
 
🤝 ACTION 5: GET BUSINESSES & ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED
Is your business or organization concerned?

Email us at info@stopamazonkauai.org to join our coalition
We're gathering letters of support from:

Local retailers and small businesses
Environmental organizations
Community groups
Health professionals
Tourism operators
 
📰 ACTION 6: WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Local media outlets:

The Garden Island: editor@thegardenisland.com

Honolulu Civil Beat: tips@civilbeat.org

Hawaii News Now: webtips@hawaiinewsnow.com

Keep it to 200-300 words, personal, and focused on how this affects YOU and your family.

 
✊ ACTION 7: VOLUNTEER
We need help with:

Community outreach (residents, businesses, community organizations) 
Door-to-door canvassing
Social media content
Research and fact-checking
Event organizing
Graphic design

Sign up: Email info@stopamazonkauai.org with "Volunteer" in subject line

 
📊 ACTION 8: GATHER COMMUNITY STORIES
We're collecting testimonials from:

Local business owners
Parents concerned about traffic/air quality
Kupuna who've seen Kauai change
Workers who've experienced warehouse jobs
Share your story: info@stopamazonkauai.org

 
🎯 PRIORITY ACTIONS THIS WEEK:
SIGN THIS PETITION ✓
Email all County Council members and the Mayor councilmembers@kauai.gov, mayor@kauai.gov
Email the Planning department planningdepartment@kauai.gov
Share on social media (helps us reach 10,000 signatures)
Talk to 3 neighbors/friends about emailing and signing
 
Every action matters. Together, we can protect Kauai's future.

#KeepKauaiLocal #CommunityOverCorporations #StopAmazonKauai

Important: Change.org “contributions” go to Change.org to promote this petition — they do not go to Stop Amazon Kauaʻi. If you want to support our work directly, we’re not accepting donations at this time. The most impactful thing you can do right now is to email your representatives. If we have a future need for donations, we’ll let the community know.