Environmentalists and Native Hawaiians defended Peter Young yesterday as director of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, telling the state Senate his performance has improved and that he should be kept on the job.

Two years ago, environmentalists and Native Hawaiians had threatened to call for Young's resignation because of what some saw as poor management. Their reversal could be important as the state Senate Water, Land, Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs Committee considers whether to recommend Young's confirmation to the full Senate.

In several hours of testimony yesterday, Young was described as a workhorse who listened to his critics and made changes that have improved the department's protection of the state's environment and cultural resources.

Several fishermen, and some Native Hawaiians concerned the department has not adequately protected burial sites, asked senators to reject his nomination, but most of the testimony was positive.

This morning, senators are scheduled to hear from about a dozen witnesses who have been subpoenaed to testify, which is when the more negative assessments of Young are likely to surface.

William McCorriston, an attorney who represents retired auto dealer Jimmy Pflueger, is expected to discuss events surrounding the Kaloko dam breach on Kaua'i last year that killed seven people. Pflueger, who owns property around the dam, has sued the state and private companies over the oversight of the dam.

Current and former department employees are also expected to talk about shortcomings in the department's Bureau of Conveyances and historic preservation division.

The committee, in closed session yesterday, accepted documents related to an ethics investigation and heard testimony from an investigator for the state Attorney General's office regarding a criminal probe into the Bureau of Conveyances. Young told reporters he is not the target of either the ethics investigation or the criminal matter.

State Sen. Russell Kokubun, D-2nd (S. Hilo, Puna, Ka'u), the committee's chairman, said the recommendation on Young may rest on what the subpoenaed witnesses say.

Young said he was confident. "There is a great story to tell. DLNR is doing good work," he said.

Many groups that had been critical of Young's leadership, such as the Sierra Club Hawai'i chapter, the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Hui Malama, all endorsed his confirmation.

"Peter was not our first choice but, I think today, he's the best choice," said Vicky Holt Takamine, a Native Hawaiian activist.

But Young has upset many fishermen over restrictions on lay gill net fishing and seasonal bottomfishing.

"All we ask is for the department to work with fishermen in creating regulations," wrote Mike Sakamoto, a Hilo fisherman and former host of the television show "Fishing Tales" in prepared testimony. "Build the marine management plan from the fishermen up, and not top down."

Reach Derrick DePledge at ddepledge@honoluluadvertiser.com.