“We ended up on the short end of this opinion…. Minds immeasurably superior to ours will have to do the analysis on this one, at least for now,” wrote Honolulu attorney Robert Thomas in a recent post on his blog, … Continued
The taro farmers of East Maui were first in line, but it appears they may be last to get served. The state Commission on Water Resource Management’s contested case hearing on the interim instream flow standards of Waihe`e River and … Continued
It’s finally settled. James Pflueger’s company, Pila`a 400, LLC, must pay the state $4 million for damaging the reef at Pila`a Bay in North Kaua`i. After heavy rains in November 2001, a massive wall of mud from Pila`a 400‘s mauka … Continued
In a recent decision regarding the Kaua`i Planning Commission’s denial of a Koloa water bottler’s use and zoning permits, the Intermediate Court of Appeals has reaffirmed that county agencies are bound by the state Constitution to protect the public trust … Continued
A petition by the National Park Service (NPS) seeking state control over withdrawals from the Keauhou aquifer system could slow the pace of development in North Kona, at the same time Hawai`i County is trying to encourage growth there. The … Continued
“In Hawai`i, we consume the most water per capita in the United States,” U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz said at a forum on water and climate change held in the state Capitol auditorium on August 19. More specifically, local residents use … Continued
Kaua`i Springs to Get High Court Hearing: The Hawai`i Supreme Court will hear the appeal of a Kaua`i water bottler from an Intermediate Court of Appeals decision last spring. The lower court had ruled on April 30 that the Kaua`i County … Continued
The state Commission on Water Resource Management has too much to do and too little staff to waste time on a petition to designate an aquifer where pumping is nowhere near the sustainable yield. That, basically, was the sentiment of … Continued
False Killer Whale Recovery Plan: The beginning of this month was the deadline to submit information to the National Marine Fisheries Service on a recovery plan for the endangered insular stock of Hawaiian false killer whales. On October 2, the day … Continued
“When you’re talking about the aquatic species that need water to migrate up stream, if the stream is dry, obviously they’re not going to be able to migrate,” said Steve Gingerich, a scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey who on … Continued