Last week, Senate Bill 2526, which would have created a three-year pilot program to determine the level and environmental impact of air pollution caused by bunker-fuel burning cruise vessels docked or moored in Nawiliwili Harbor, was deferred. Niumalu residents would
Last week, Senate Bill 2526, which would have created a three-year pilot program to determine the level and environmental impact of air pollution caused by bunker-fuel burning cruise vessels docked or moored in Nawiliwili Harbor, was deferred.
Niumalu residents would have been most likely to benefit from the bill, as many claim fumes from cruise ships docked in Nawiliwili Harbor often drift through their community.
“I am very disappointed the bill was deferred,” said Sen. Gary Hooser, D-Kaua‘i/Ni‘ihau. “And I am very disappointed NCL (Norwegian Cruise Lines) has not agreed to burn a cleaner fuel.”
Alan Yamamoto, vice president of Hawai‘i Operations for NCL America Inc., was not available for comment yesterday.
But in earlier testimony, Yamamoto said the company takes seriously the issue of health and safety of those onboard the ship and those in the communities where NCL operates.
Hooser thanked the community in an e-mail to Niumalu resident Gary Craft.
“I think the community has done everything possible to work within the system to correct an obvious inequity and unhealthy situation,” Hooser said in the e-mail.
Craft, who flew to O‘ahu to testify before a Senate committee last week, plans to explore other options in order to come to a solution.
According to Craft, at a Niumalu community meeting to be held in April, a public relations representative from Holland America, another cruise ship line that visits Kaua‘i, will give a presentation on new technology that could stop the pollution.
Niumalu resident Donald Greer said he was disappointed with what happened to the bill.
“I was hoping it would at least pass the state Legislature,” Greer said. “I think we made a good argument — the pollution will eventually kill people.”
But Greer feels Gov. Linda Lingle would not have signed the bill if passed.
Though Greer doesn’t know what plan of action, if any, is in store for the Niumalu community, he hopes the next community meeting will provide some insight.
“I don’t know what we are going to do next,” Greer said. “If we picket NCL, it might put some pressure on them.”
Hooser, who plans on being at the April Niumalu community meeting, said the next step will be communicating with NCL.
“We need to engage with NCL and the community,” Hooser said. “We will try again with NCL to get them to burn cleaner fuel.”
The community meeting will be April 10 at 5 p.m. at the Niumalu Park Pavilion.
