What force and effect should be given to the community development plans that the Hawai`i County Council has adopted in recent years? That question is at the heart of a lawsuit being heard in 3rd Circuit Court, which challenges a … Continued
It was a decision none of the Land Use Commissioners was eager to make. A long silence greeted commission chair Kyle Chock when he asked for a motion on a request by Maui Tomorrow Foundation, Inc., South Maui Citizens for … Continued
One of the state’s best tools against invasive species is biocontrol, according to state Department of Agiculture invasive species specialist Carol Okada. And in recent years, local resource management agencies here have received approvals to release carefully selected insects to … Continued
This month, the Hawaiian Electric Company is expected to submit its report to the state Public Utilities Commission re-examining the initial phases of its feed-in-tariff program, which guarantees participants that HECO, Maui Electric Company, and the Hawai`i Electric Light Company … Continued
Thanks, but no thanks. That, basically, is the response of several divisions of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources to the recent proposal of the Sand Island Business Association to trade private lands worth about $175 million for … Continued
All further “development” of the troubled project known as the Villages of `Aina Le`a has been halted as a result of an order of Judge Elizabeth Strance of the 3rd Circuit Court. Last month, Strance ruled that the County of … Continued
Over the last month, the County of Hawai`i Planning Department has taken several actions with respect to the projects of builder Scott Watson that were discussed in the December issue of Environment Hawai`i. The ‘Pepe`ekeo Palace’ On November 29, Hawai`i … Continued
From above, it looked like dregs in a coffee cup. Emerald green dregs. Green because the nutrients in the lake are so concentrated now that it’s only 10 to 20 centimeters deep. Lake Waiau, the most sacred water body in … Continued
The contested-case hearing officer has issued his findings on the Thirty Meter Telescope proposed to be built on Mauna Kea. The recommendations of attorney Paul Aoki, released on November 30, give the applicant University of Hawai`i-Hilo and the Thirty Meter … Continued
Nominee Lists — Still Secret: The terms of two members of the state Commission on Water Resource Management end on June 30. That means that, this session, the Legislature must approve someone to replace Neal Fujiwara, who is finishing up … Continued