People for the Preservation of Kaua‘i and other environmentalists lobbied on O‘ahu yesterday for the Legislature to preemptively put certain protections in place if the Superferry operation resumes. On behalf of the People for the Preservation of Kaua‘i, Rich Hoeppner
People for the Preservation of Kaua‘i and other environmentalists lobbied on O‘ahu yesterday for the Legislature to preemptively put certain protections in place if the Superferry operation resumes.
On behalf of the People for the Preservation of Kaua‘i, Rich Hoeppner said he engaged in what he believed to be “productive” discourse with lawmakers.
In response to the seventh draft of a bill the governor slated for a special session review, Hoeppner and a delegation of Maui residents that included Dick Mayer said they wanted 29 proposed conditions additionally imposed.
Without the conditions, “the bill was totally unacceptable,” Hoeppner said.
The proposed conditions included slowing down knot-speed in the presence of whales, a ban on the transportation of natural resources with the exception of store-bought brands, and Department of Agriculture sweeps to mitigate the spread of invasive species.
The tab for the conditions, the group stipulated, should be picked up by Hawaii Superferry.
“Some people want the Superferry without any conditions and of course we’re totally against that,” Hoeppner said. “We know there are going to be compromises. But we don’t know what will get put in the bill. That will be left up to senators and representatives.”
Expressing a lack of trust with Gov. Linda Lingle and her administration, Maui attorney Isaac Hall said the Legislature, itself, should be charged with the task of writing in conditions to protect Hawai‘i — for both its residents and its environment.
“Our feeling is that this cannot be delegated to the Lingle administration, which has shown a total insensitivity and lack of care for the environment,” he said.
As it stands now the Superferry operation remains at a standstill until legislators determine what to do with the injunction. Allowing the Superferry to operate while a court-mandated environmental assessment is conducted or upholding the Maui Judge Joseph Cardoza’s decision aren’t the only suggestions on the table.
The 22-day trial in Maui court included witness testimony discussing potential threats to Hawaii’s environment.
As a result, Cardoza found that such operations caused the possibility of irreparable harm. He ruled that a permanent injunction should be issued until the environmental process is complete.
In the interim, legislators will likely be having meetings with community members on the islands. Kaua‘i’s meeting is unofficially scheduled for Sunday, however a time and place have yet to be established.
• Amanda C. Gregg, assistant editor/staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or agregg@kauaipubco.com.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
