KANE'OHE — Gov. Linda Lingle's threat to veto a bill that would create a cultural preserve in Ha'iku Valley has supporters rallying to convince her to reconsider.

On Monday, Lingle released a list of 52 bills that she might veto; among them was HB 2704, which would establish the Ha'iku Valley Cultural Preserve Commission to create and oversee a cultural preserve in the Windward historic valley.

Once an ancient settlement for Hawaiians, the valley most recently was home to the Coast Guard and its Omega Station. Today its buildings have been trashed and are regularly covered in graffiti.

The property belongs to the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, but the bill would place the land under the jurisdiction of the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

The announcement of the possible veto stunned the bill's supporters, who began sending out e-mails asking people to write letters to the governor or to call her office.

"The administration supported the bill all the way through," said Mahealani Cypher, president of the Ko'olaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club. Cypher is also known as Denise DeCosta. "Changes were made for them, so to say at this point that they're thinking of vetoing it is puzzling to us."

On her Web site listing reasons for possible vetoes of bills, Lingle said this about HB 2704: It would "place control of Ha'iku Valley in the hands of a few special-interest persons who would determine who would have access to the area."

Russell Pang, Lingle's spokesman, said the governor is also concerned that the bill does not clearly define the boundaries of the preserve area. Most of the land is privately held, except for parcels owned by DHHL, which has a fiduciary obligation for these lands, Pang said in an e-mail.

"Much of the area is currently classified as conservation land, thus current laws protecting the uses and cultural artifacts on conservation land already apply," Pang said. "The administration will continue to review all the bills on the potential veto list and public input is welcomed and encouraged."

Cypher questioned whether conservation laws and DHHL can adequately protect the cultural treasures in the valley.

Access concerns are unfounded since the commission, made up of government agencies and community people on the commission, would make that decision, Cypher said.

"I think we have always demonstrated that we are in support of broad public access," she said. "There's never been a question that we would limit access in any way except to minimize the impact on the surrounding neighborhood."

Cypher said the lone opposition to the bill raised that issue and it's a weak argument.

The bill has widespread support from organizations and individuals, including the Ko'olau Foundation, the Kane'ohe Neighborhood Board, the Friends of Ha'iku Stairs, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Kamehameha Schools, and area kupuna Alice Hewett and Caroline Bright, whose families once lived in the valley.

Bright, who comes from a family of Hawaiian healers, said as a youngster she would go to the valley to collect medicinal plants for her grandmother. She said the bill would help preserve some of those plants for future use.

"This resource is for all of Ko'olau from Waimanalo to Kahuku," said Bright, 83, adding that she would like the area preserved before she dies.

Hewett, 76, said her family still has land in the valley but she is not interested in claiming it. She wants to see more children using it for activities.

"I'm not going to fight for it," she said. "We want to work with the community. We want to share with the community."

The commission would adopt a master plan and manage the area, but a vision for the area has been created after many meetings in the community to learn what residents would like to see there, said Rocky Kaluhiwa, president of the Ko'olau Foundation. The possibilities include building cultural and environmental education programs and activities, clearing invasive species, planting native plants, renovating the Omega Station and opening a museum.

"My family has documents about the valley dating back to the 18th century," Kaluhiwa said. "We want to make them part of the museum."

Cypher said the concerns brought up by Lingle weren't raised during the legislative process, but they are not insurmountable.

"We're really disappointed at the reasons raised, but we still think there is a possibility that we can convince the governor that maybe she needs to take a second look," she said.