DOT sets meetings on Superferry EIS

KAUAI News

DOT sets meetings on Superferry EIS

by Rachel Gehrlein - THE GARDEN ISLAND

Informational public meetings on the Superferry's Environmental Impact Statement conducted by the Hawai`i state Department of Transportation for the Hawai`i Superferry are under way.

"The meetings are intended to give the public an opportunity to give their input," said Mike Formby, DOT Harbors Division chief. "It's an opportunity to engage the community."

Formby said there will be two meetings, one in the afternoon and one in the evening.

Scott Ishikawa, DOT spokesman, said the EIS will address the secondary impacts, such as whales and other endangered species, that could be affected by the Superferry.

Under Act 2, the law that passed in the Legislature last year, the Superferry is allowed to run provided certain conditions are met while the environmental study is being done.

The conditions include operating restrictions during what some call a truncated account of whale season, as the act cites it as January through April, though the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has included the whale season months of November and December.

According to the Division of Land and Natural Resources, up to 10,000 humpback whales are in Hawaiian waters every year from November through May.

The act was passed out of a special session called by Gov. Linda Lingle following Maui Circuit Judge Joseph Cardoza's ruling that the ferry couldn't sail during its court-ordered Environmental Impact Study.

Belt Collins, the firm hired by the state and awarded a $1 million contract to complete the EIS on the Superferry, is supposed to report its findings to the DOT.

"Right now, Belt Collins is looking for subcontractors and gathering experts to conduct studies," Formby said. "In a year-long process, we are about two months in."

The Superferry is required to avoid the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary within 100 fathoms or less during those months.

"This project has brought mixed opinion," Ishikawa said. "This meeting would be the proper venue for those to voice their opinion."

Although the Superferry does not service the entire state, meetings will be on the Big Island, Kaua`i, Lana`i and Moloka`i.

"We want to know their feelings," Formby said.

Want to Go?

Meetings on Kaua`i

will be from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

and 6 to 9 p.m. March 19 at the Kaua`i Community College

Performing Arts Center.

• Rachel Gehrlein, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) or rgehrlein@kauaipubco.com.

URGENT! BILL TO WEAKEN EIS LAW! PLEASE ACT NOW!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Judy Dalton <dalton@aloha.net>
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 03:09:56 -1000
Subject: URGENT! BILL TO WEAKEN EIS LAW! PLEASE ACT NOW!
To: Judy Dalton <dalton@aloha.net>
URGENT & EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!
Sorry , but just got notice of this Hawaii State Legislative hearing
to be held at 10am this (Thursday) morning. PLEASE send a quick note
with talking points below with the message to VOTE NO on SB2808 SD1.
This bill proposes to take the teeth out of the EIS law - HRS Chapter 343!
* Please vote NO onSB 2808 SD1.
* SB 2808 SD1 undermines our three-decade old environmental
review law by creating a new type of exemption.
* The measure is unnecessary, as the Department of Transportation
already has the authority to exempt projects from environmental
review if they are truly minor.
* The public's right to learn about and comment on the
environmental impacts of potentially damaging projects will be curtailed.
* For certain projects, decision makers will not have the benefit
of an environmental review in deciding whether to grant permits.
* Keeping SB 2808 alive--even with a defective date and other
"safeguards"--only allows for legislative game playing later.
Senators will have no guarantees that the final bill will be in a
form they agree with.
* No changes should be made to our environmental review law until
the comprehensive review of the law is complete. To do otherwise
risks a piecemeal approach that will create more problems than it solves.
* With all the discussion of sustainability by the Senate,
reducing environmental review oversight is a big step in the wrong direction.
Please contact Committee members on list below, or if you're in a hurry
<mailto:sentaniguchi@Capitol.hawaii.gov,senhee@Capitol.hawaii.gov,sengabbard@capitol.hawaii.gov,senkokubun@Capitol.hawaii.gov,sennishihara@Capitol.hawaii.gov>click
here for an email addressed to all committee members in one letter.
Name Phone Email
Chair Brian Taniguchi 586-6460
<mailto:sentaniguchi@Capitol.hawaii.gov>sentaniguchi@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Vice Chair Clayton Hee 586-7330
<mailto:senhee@Capitol.hawaii.gov>senhee@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Sen. Mike Gabbard 586-6830
<mailto:sengabbard@capitol.hawaii.gov>sengabbard@capitol.hawaii.gov
Sen. Russell Kokubun 586-6760
<mailto:senkokubun@Capitol.hawaii.gov>senkokubun@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Sen. Clarence Nishihara 586-6970
<mailto:sennishihara@Capitol.hawaii.gov>sennishihara@Capitol.hawaii.gov
This bill to gut HRS 343 is moving in the senate and appears to be
poised to pass out of the (final) Judiciary committee tomorrow. See
hearing notice below.
THE SENATE
THE TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE
REGULAR SESSION OF 2008
COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY AND LABOR
Senator Brian T. Taniguchi, Chair
Senator Clayton Hee, Vice Chair
NOTICE OF DECISION MAKING
DATE: Thursday, February 28, 2008
TIME:10:00 a.m.
PLACE:
Conference Room 016
State Capitol
415 South Beretania Street
PBS, JDL
<http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2008/Bills/SB2808_SD1_.pdf>SB 2808, SD1
<http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2008/CommReports/SB2808_SD1_SSCR2519_.pdf>(SSCR2519)
<http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/site1/docs/getstatus.asp?query=SB2808&currpage=1&showtestimony=on>Testimony
<http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2008/lists/getstatus2.asp?billno=SB2808>Status
RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS.
Exempts from environmental assessments, state or county lands that
include the use of existing streets, roads, highways, or trails or
bikeways for limited purposes, or a modification or disposal of
highway access rights or use, occupancy, or work within a public
highway right-of-way to serve private development outside the highway
right-of-way, under certain conditions. (SD1)
ENE/TIA, JDL
--
John Tyler
toll free 866-530-4117
See
www.jtacpr.com for CPR and First Aid training
www.happyswimmers.com for swim lessons at home and lifeguarding
enrollment/booking link: http://happyswimmers.com/enrollform.html
Serving Los Angeles, San Jose, and Hawai'i Founded in 1991

--
John Tyler
toll free 866-530-4117
See
www.jtacpr.com for CPR and First Aid training

www.happyswimmers.com for swim lessons at home and lifeguarding
enrollment/booking link: http://happyswimmers.com/enrollform.html

Serving Los Angeles, San Jose, and Hawai'i Founded in 1991

20 second Video of Superferry's Wild Ride

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: John Tyler <mysticseaswimmer@gmail.com>
Date: Feb 6, 2008 9:15 PM
Subject: Save Kahului Harbor : George Peabody's Video of Superferry's Wild Ride
To: mysticseaswimmer@gmail.com


John Tyler has sent you a link to a blog:



Blog: Save Kahului Harbor
Post: George Peabody's Video of Superferry's Wild Ride
Link: http://savekahuluiharbor.blogspot.com/2008/02/george-peabodys-video-of-superferrys.html

Karen Chun said...

One of the things that is puzzling me is that supposedly the one million people on 'Oahu felt they absolutely could not live without the Superferry, but hardly anyone is using it! Where are all the folks who pressured the legislature to overrule environmental law and common sense?

I'm beginning to think it was a PR lie.

Today, the first day of running after Superferry left people stranded on Maui, we saw something like 90 vehicles leaving Maui including the National Guard. This was much more than usual so I think maybe a lot of people flew over to get their vehicles off Maui and back to their homes.

I wonder how cheap that turned out to be and if they also were stranded over here, waiting, waiting....for the Superferry to come back and get them?

Maui Mayor Charmaine Tavares forbid county employees on County business to use County funds to take the Superferry until it does an EIS. Smart woman, our Mayor. Air flight costs less than and our people don't get stranded on 'Oahu!

--
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More lies from Superferry...blame it on the weather, rather than broken rudder...

When does Superferry actually tell the truth???? 

Superferry Repairs Keep Ship In Harbor

Coast Guard Says Vessel Must Undergo Sea Trials

POSTED: 9:57 am HST February 1, 2008

UPDATED: 11:08 am HST February 1, 2008

HONOLULU -- The Hawaii Superferry announced on Thursday afternoon it was resuming service to Maui on Friday, but canceled those plans several hours later.The Coast Guard said the Superferry must undergo "sea trials" before it gets the green light to resume service.A representative for the Superferry said there was an "unexpected delay" in the completion of repair work. A public relations firm representing the company said the vessel has been out of service since Sunday because of bad weather.

On Wednesday, the company confirmed there were cracks involving an "auxiliary rudder." Work crews started making the repairs on Thursday."Sea trials are conducted basically to check and ensure that the vessel's integrity is worthy," Petty Officer Luke Clayton said. "So, even if it's something that seems minute, if the marine inspector sees it as being an important piece of the vessel in order for it to operate, then it needs to be fixed in order to resume operations."The Superferry maintained that it was the weather and not the repairs that kept it from sailing between Sunday and Wednesday. The company said the repair work is expected to be complete on Friday.The Superferry said it contacted passengers about the cancellation. It expects to resume service on Saturday, weather permitting.

Previous Story:

• January 31, 2008: Superferry Repairing 'Surface Cracks' On Auxiliary Rudders